Spring Cleaning always sounds like a great idea… until you’re knee deep two-piece sets and regretting possibly every purchase you’ve ever made, if just because they led to this moment.  If done correctly, however, Spring Cleaning can be a way to rediscover forgotten favorites and reevaluate your style while making room in your closet for future purchases.  In anticipation of my upcoming move, and in honor of Spring Cleaning, I recently sorted through my every belonging and compiled some tips along the way.  Here are a few pointers to help navigate you through your closet purge~

Flow Chart via Vogue

Tip: Set the Mood

Pour yourself a glass (or two, or three) of wine and turn on your favorite mix.  Convince yourself that this is a fun project that includes the promise of future shopping sprees, instead of some tedious task that has been sitting atop your checklist all month.  Note: Dance breaks are encouraged.

Tip: Sort into Three

Create three piles for clothes that didn’t make the cut: to sell, to donate, and to toss.  You can decide if pieces are seasonal later, but concentrate on the main purge first.  Items that are new or gently used, that you wish you could keep but just can’t justify, should be sold online.  Social shopping apps like Poshmark and Depop are bigger than ever, but there’s always eBay if you’re more of a traditionalist.  If you have anything that is heavily used or from a fast-fashion retailer, like Forever21, you can add it to your donation pile.  You may be able to resell it, although not for much, and at that point it’s better put towards a good cause.  Many charities also have pick-up services if your donate pile is too heavy for you to carry yourself.  Items that are stained or ripped can be tossed, but rest well knowing that you got your moneys worth from them.

Tip: Leave No Corner Unturned

Don’t sort through your closet and toss straight from the rack.  Split your closet into 4 or 5 sections, then take out a whole section and dump it on your bed to be sorted.  You’ll need to go through every article of clothing you own to be truly efficient.  The same goes for your dresser– dump those drawers out and refold everything!

Closet via Pinterest

Tip: The One-Year Rule

Tried and true, the one-year rule is a staple for Spring Cleaning.  There are always those pieces that you love, that are so perfect, that are by your favorite designer, that used to fit, that might fit in the future… that you can always find an excuse to keep but still never wear.  If you haven’t worn it in over a year and you can’t think of three reasons to wear it this week then it needs to go.  Exceptions include: classics that can be repurposed and black-tie-appropriate pieces.

Tip: Face the Repeats

You might have a ‘personal uniform’ that includes black skinny jeans and slouchy cotton tee’s, and this may mean that you have 10 pairs of identical jeans and identical cotton tee’s.  Contrary to what you may believe, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.  Sort through your repeats and keep only those in the best condition and with the best fit.

Tip: Invest in New Organization

Just because you don’t have the room for it doesn’t mean you need to toss it.  If you’ve purged your closet and still find that there isn’t enough room for everything you regularly wear, maybe it’s time for a trip to The Container Store.  Under-bed storage is a great place to store shoes, coats, or denim and you’d be surprised by how much room you can create in your closet just by switching the types of hangers you use.

Find me on the Poshmark App (@elle_kae) & don’t forget to shop my →Flash Sale← tomorrow for 20% off my entire “closet”!

How do you make a day of Spring Cleaning?

xxLK