It might surprise you to learn that we wear just 20 percent of the clothes in our closets on a regular basis. It certainly surprised me—so much so that soon after stumbling across that particular statistic, I decided to conduct a little research of my own. “20 percent is way too low, right?” I thought to myself. So for one month, when I wore a piece of clothing, I would hang it back up in a separate part of my closet that I had marked off “for used clothes only.” As time went on, it became obvious that I really was only reaching for the same six or seven tops in the morning, leaving the majority of my wardrobe behind to collect dust.
After my experiment was over, I went through the clothes I hadn’t worn at all. Why did they not make the cut? As I looked them over, I started to realize that I owned a lot of clothing that I didn’t even like all that much: jeans that were just a little too tight, a pair of patterned leggings I was certain I could not pull off, a crop top that made me feel self-conscious about my belly. I owned about five ugly dri-fit T-shirts I had gotten either through track or 5Ks I had run—why? What reason could I possibly have for keeping a dress I had not worn since the eighth grade or that unflattering turtleneck sweater I had been gifted last Christmas by a family friend with what can be (generously) described as pathologically uninspired fashion taste?
My eyes had been opened. I grabbed a trash bag from the kitchen and immediately began dumping in all the clothes I never wore to be washed and donated. In five minutes, I was standing over a full bag, dusting off my hands and smiling, a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. Task accomplished! I could now move forward with a freshly decluttered closet that would make even Marie Kondo envious.
Kidding. In fact, it took me almost an hour and a half to talk myself into getting rid of all those unnecessary clothes taking up space in my closet, even after I had scientifically proven that I didn’t wear them. Part of me kept thinking, “well, maybe you’ll need that someday.” In the end, it was asking the following questions that gave me the extra strength to overcome my inner hoarder:
- Does it fit?
- Do I use it? Am I likely to use it in the future?
- Is it worn or stained?
- Do I feel confident wearing it?
- Does it have sentimental value?
- Do I have a bunch of these already? You really don’t need five black skirts. Pick the two that you like the most and get rid of the rest.
- Do I have space for it?
Tidying up my closet may have been a long process, but it was absolutely worth the effort. It makes picking out an outfit in the morning easier, since I don’t have to waste time or energy sorting through all the clothes that I don’t really like or wear to find the clothes I do like and wear. Plus, I ended up uncovering a cute jacket or two that had been pushed to the furthest, darkest corner of my closet by mistake in the process. I also found organizing my wardrobe to be really energizing. When I was done, I really did feel proud of what I had accomplished—and ready to take on another challenge (#girlboss).
To conclude this article, I challenge you to give your own closet a once-over. Does that 20 percent statistic apply to you? Even if you are confident that you wear the majority of the clothes in your closet, I am willing to bet that there’s a top or two that might need to go. And while parting with our possessions can be difficult for some of us (read: me), it is more than worth it in the long run.
One additional note: If you do choose to get rid of clothes that are still in good condition, be sure to donate them! Clothing that is thrown away is not only wasted but ends up in a landfill where it biodegrades and generates methane gas, which contributes to global warming. SLU students can donate clothes by dropping them off in the donation bin in front of Laclede Garage.