If you’re anything like me, you possess a constant, incessant yearning to have control over your life. And if you’re really like me, you enact that control over your worldly possessions, performing a monthly decluttering in order to feel alive. Or maybe you’re not like me and are drowning in piles and piles of chiffon skirts and linen blouses—that’s okay, too.
Starting the process of decluttering your wardrobe is never easy, but with a few pointers from the expert (me!) you’ll be feeling at ease in no time.
My tried and true method of decluttering my wardrobe is the “one in, one out” method. Buying new clothes is inevitable. It’s one of those habits I will never seem to break, and I’ve accepted thrift hauls as a part of my yearly routine.
When a new piece of clothing enters my wardrobe, I try to let go of a piece of clothing I haven’t worn in a while or don’t love as much anymore- think of Marie Kondo’s “does this thing spark joy?” mantra. This balances out the number of clothing in my wardrobe, rather than increasing it. One in, one out!
Another wardrobe habit I’ve picked up is the capsule wardrobe. I covered most of the basics in my article on capsule wardrobes, so I would encourage you to read that for most of the details. A capsule wardrobe is a rotating “mini” wardrobe of your regular wardrobe, rotating with the season. It helps keep my clothes “fresh” in my eyes and almost feels as if I’ve gotten new clothes when I start a new capsule.
My last words to you in your journey are this: don’t sweat the process. Many people who praise minimalism as a subculture seem to lose sight of the essence of decluttering and turn it into a game of how little items can one possess. Keep it simple—if a piece of clothing doesn’t fit you right anymore or if you don’t like it, don’t hold onto it. And if it’s a chunky sweater that you only wear once a year but cherish it, keep it! Surround yourself with things you like, sometimes that’s the only thing we can control and it goes a long way in building our happiness.