This post is a bit of decluttering motivation. I have a list of four types of clothing you don’t need in your closet.
Most of us in the western world have probably experienced this first world problem at some point: a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear. You need to get dressed to go to brunch or the movies (or even just a play date). You stand in front of your closet trying to figure out what to wear, even putting on and taking off multiple things. After doing all that you come to the conclusion that you have nothing to wear, despite the fact that your closet is crammed with clothing.
Sound familiar?
The vast majority of us buy way too much clothing. The thing is, we don’t even wear most of it. This is wasteful both environmentally and for our wallets. I won’t go into how we end up in this state here in this post. Instead I’m going to focus on how we can begin to clear out the clutter from our wardrobes.
Clearing the clutter from our closets isn’t just for people who want small wardrobes. You don’t have to be a minimalist or into curating a capsule wardrobe. If you aren’t ready to try the KonMari method, that’s okay. You can still benefit from giving your wardrobe a good declutter.
Spring is a great time to declutter your clothes. You can take everything out and get your wardrobe ready for spring. Take the opportunity to do some spring cleaning and do a full closet clean out. You can also take the opportunity to consider trying a capsule wardrobe.
Below I have a helpful list of clothing you don’t need in your wardrobe. This is all subjective, of course, but it is meant to be a starting point for you if you want to reduce the amount of clothing you own but don’t really know where to start. This list is meant to help you unapologetically declutter clothing you don’t need.
Now, I’m not saying that if you have any of the things on this list in your closet, that you have to go right away and throw them out. Use your own judgment, and as Marie Kondo would advise, see if they spark joy. But if these things are sitting, unworn, in your wardrobe and are making you feel even the teensiest bit of negativity or guilt, then I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to get rid of them. This list is designed to help you figure out what to part with if you want to pare down your wardrobe but don’t know where to start, have too much guilt over certain garments, or can’t identify what actually sparks joy for you.
Clothes You DON’T Need in Your Closet
Clothes you never wear because you are afraid of them getting ruined
You bought a silk top because it was really pretty. Then you realized that you can’t wear it because your kid always smears grape jelly on your shirt every time he eats breakfast. Or if the material gets wet in any way it will get ruined. (Always check the inside tag and read the care instructions before purchasing a garment.)
Now, if you never wear ANY of your clothes because you are afraid of getting ruined – say you have a wardrobe full of beautiful clothes but you live in leggings and tees – that’s a different issue. I hereby give you permission to wear your beautiful clothes. Ditch the freaking leggings and tees. There is no point in having a ton of things that make you look great if you never wear them. Risk getting them ruined. You’ll look fabulous in the process.
Anyway.
If you have that one top in your closet that you never wear because you’re saving it for best, just say bye bye. Unless it sparks tons of joy, it’s a waste of space because you never wear it.
Multiple clothing for one occasion a year
Do you really need five St. Patrick’s Day tees that say, “Kiss me, I’m Irish”? You probably don’t, so just keep your favorite one. And unless you wear nothing but Christmas sweaters in the month of December, you probably don’t need more than one or two of them.
Likewise, you don’t need five summer dresses that you only wear to backyard BBQ’s if you only go to one a year. Keep your favorite dress. Then, if you’re invited to a second BBQ this year, you can (gasp!) wear the same dress again. I promise, the fashion police won’t arrest you for wearing the same thing twice.
Extras of special occasion clothing
I’m talking about weddings, funerals, graduations, and things like that where we want to present ourselves nicely. Unless you are going to five weddings a year, you probably don’t need five different dresses to wear to weddings. (I would argue that you only need one, two at most, and wear them multiple times.) Pick your favorite one or two that make you look the best, and discard the rest.
It’s helpful to have one outfit in your closet to wear to funerals. If you don’t have a dedicated outfit, make sure you have pieces in your regular wardrobe that will work in a pinch, such as a black skirt or pair of slacks with a suitable shirt. You don’t need more than that though.
You also don’t need to go out and purchase something new every time you attend a special occasion. Those dresses you wear to weddings can possibly do double duty.
Clothes that don’t fit
We’ve all been there. Clothes we previously wore constantly are now too small/large and they’re sitting in the drawer just taunting us.
I can tell you from personal experience that having a wardrobe full of clothing that no longer fits is extremely demoralizing and does you no good.
Dress for the body you have right now and discard the rest. (Unless you are in maternity clothes, are in a postpartum phase, or are actively losing weight.) If your pants drawer is full or pants that are a size or two too small, and you aren’t actively trying to lose weight to fit into them, you are going to feel negativity and guilt every time you open it. Also consider that by the time you finally lose the weight, some of that stuff you’re holding on to may be out of fashion.
You don’t have to discard everything. Keep that one special piece you love and use it as inspiration for weight loss. Being able to fit into it again at last is a great feeling. (Make sure it’s laundered. Stains can darken over time.) Also keep something if it is especially sentimental.
What you should immediately discard: The cheap clothing and duplicates that do not fit you right now. Get rid of the stack of Old Navy tees that are too small. Unless those jeans that are too small are super duper special and can’t easily be replaced, declutter all the ones that are too small. Make space for the pants that actually fit you right now.
A note regarding clothing that doesn’t fit you right now: In some phases of life, or for those with a medical condition, it may be necessary to keep several different sizes on hand. If that is the case for you, keep the sizes that do not currently fit you in storage – whether it is under your bed, in the back of your closet, or in another room. Keep only the things in your main wardrobe that fit you right now.
Clothes for your fantasy life that you don’t actually wear
You bought that trendy plaid scarf two years ago for fall, but it’s never actually cold enough in fall to need it. You bought a pair heels to wear on date night, or just for anything really, except you actually don’t ever wear heels.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made the mistake of purchasing something that “fantasy me” wears, but not actual me wears. Fantasy me wears blazers, scarves, heels, and sometimes even hats. Actual me never wears them. If there are things in your wardrobe that you bought for your fantasy life that are now sitting there unused, thank them for bringing you joy when you bought them and set them free.
Why we should declutter our wardrobes
Here’s the thing, guys. The media in the western world works extra hard to make us want to buy more and more. When you realize that you don’t need to wear a completely different outfit to every single occasion, you will feel free. Yes, you can wear that same dress twice in one week! There’s no fashion police to arrest you for it! You don’t need to purchase ballet flats or a white shirt or a blazer just because some list of Ten Things Every Woman Needs in Her Closet says so. And remember: just because a garment is cheap or one sale doesn’t mean you need to buy it!
Let’s practice cultivating our true style and purchasing only what we actually want to wear. Let’s feel free with an uncluttered wardrobe. Whether or not that also means a small wardrobe is up to you. Even with a larger wardrobe, wouldn’t it be nice to feel nothing but joy whenever you open your closet?
Do you, or did you used to, have problems with purchasing clothing you never wore for a fantasy life? Do you have clothes you are afraid to wear because they may get ruined? Leave a comment below!
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I definitely have “date” clothes that I hold on to just in case (and therefore never wear). Mostly, not having the money to buy clothes and not having had money for several years I’m afraid to get rid of anything unless it’s completely destroyed. I can’t wait for the day I will be able to go through it all and then update!!!
I think that, in some ways, there can be a lot of privilege involved in maintaining a small, curated, minimal wardrobe, unfortunately. The same goes for all the other things we keep in the home. It always comes down to whether or not you can actually afford to replace something if you get rid of it. I think, if you look at it from an environmental point of view, it’s better to keep something and wear it out rather than replace it frequently.