Time For A Purge

February can be a quiet time of year… winter is starting to drag on a bit and it’s not quite warm enough to start wearing a lot of spring fashions.  However it’s a great time to start a closet project – purging your wardrobe.

It’s easy to accumulate clothes and accessories then add them to your closet without eliminating anything old. Without purging every now and again, your wardrobe just gets cluttered and confusing. Ask yourself a few questions as you evaluate your wardrobe:

When was the last time I wore it? Start with your winter clothes. Find anything you haven’t worn yet this winter and figure out why. If it’s just taking up space, get rid of it. Start a pile of clothes to either donate/consign if there is some life left or throw away if it’s really past its prime. Unless it’s a specialty piece or something of sentimental value, there is no need to hang on to something that’s just taking up space. It’s great to do this at the end of each season and purge whatever didn’t get worn that year.

Does it fit properly? If you feel self conscious about a piece because it’s a bit tight or baggy in the wrong spots, you’re not going to wear it. If it can be tailored to fit properly, start a pile for alterations. Same goes for any items that need a simple repair like hemming or buttons. Hanging on to those old jeans that may fit again one day? Chances are if you lose some weight to fit them again you’d rather wear something new than something old!

Do I even like it? Sometimes we have pieces in our closet that fit well but we don’t really like to wear them. They may have been a bad purchase or out of style. Again, if you’re not wearing it, get rid of it. Someone else can put it to use.

If you’re hanging on to clothes that aren’t being worn, you’re taking up valuable space in your closet! You will be far better off with less clothes, but ones you actually wear. It becomes easier to find your clothes, put together outfits and see what’s missing from your wardrobe. If you evaluate your wardrobe a couple times a year it becomes a only a small job and its easier to keep your closet organized!