Your wardrobe needs a purge, honey. Nobody needs that many useless articles of clothing lying around when they could be thrown away or donated to someone who could actually use them.
Here are 21 tips on getting your wardrobe shaved down to the skeleton. Build it back with only items you love, wear, and feel amazing in.
I also have a free printable version of this list you can find right here! Print it out and keep it whenever you need to do a closet purge. Also, make sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter for more valuable content.
Let's get started.
First, take every single item out of your closet.
Second, assess each piece in your wardrobe...
Throw it out if:
1. It's not your color
Know your colors and only wear your wow colors. Find out what color palette you are by your skin and hair tone, then only wear colors that go with that palette. Read my "find your seasonal color palette" post to find what season you are!
2. It's not your print
Just like colors, you need to find prints that look good on you and stick to those.
3. You don't feel like a million dollars in it
Your clothes should make you feel amazing. If they don't, get rid of them. Figure out why they don't feel good. Are they too big or too small? Buy only your sizes you are now. Do they feel cheap looking? Only buy clothes that have quality fabrics.
4. You just don't like it!
You don't need that kind of negativity in your life. Get rid of it and move on! xoxo
5. It has holes and/or tears
Granted, it might be a good idea to keep a couple of things here and there to paint in, but for the most part, don't keep it if it looks unkempt and ragged.
6. You haven't worn it in 6 months
There might be a reason you haven't worn it in 6 months...
7. It doesn't fit properly
If it doesn't fit, it doesn't look good. Trust me on that. Toss it and replace it with something that fits you like it was made for you.
8. Probably won't wear it in the next 6 months...
Stop living under the illusion that a magical day will come that you're going to wear that ugly lime ruffle top. Throw it away.
9. The item is damaged
Unless you're a seamstress or know someone who is (and are actually going to get the item mended) then get rid of clothes that are damaged.
10. Item is stained
It's not attractive or elegant to wear clothing that has stains. Even if it doesn't look "too noticeable", different lighting might change that. How embarrassing would it be to realize the shirt that had the "not-noticeable" coffee stain on the front now shows it loud and clear? Yikes.
11. It's outdated
The best thing you can do with outdated clothing is to toss it. A fix for this conundrum is to try to buy only pieces that have a timeless vibe to them. Meaning, don't buy tops that are only going to be popular for a few seasons.
12. It was given to you and you don't like it
Maybe you received a piece of clothing that you didn't really love, but wore it a few times to make the giver feel appreciated. That's great, but once you've done your time, go ahead and get rid of it.
13. Item is cheap and feels low-quality
If your clothing looks low quality, it won't give off that high-class vibe you're going for. Check the material and see how it feels. Does that sweater look like you paid $80 or $4.99 for it? Also, don't get suckered into buying a garment that is actually expensive but looks cheap! You can always find good-quality buys for reasonable prices. The price tends to help in indicating the quality, but many times this is not the case!
14. It no longer fits...
Don't keep things that don't fit. If you need to lose or gain weight, do so in a healthy manner and then restock that article of clothing when you get there. It can be a reward for your hard work and dedication.
15. You can only wear it once
Are you really going to wear the shirt that says "bride" across it forever? Let me answer that for you: probably not.
16. Doesn't have multiple uses
Not counting your wedding dress, of course. Hey, has anyone recycled their wedding dress into a dress they can re-wear? I'm totally into that right now!
17. Doesn't flatter your figure
Do yourself a favor and figure out what body shape you have. Then wear clothing that flatters that. Make a point to only wear clothes that look amazing on you and fit your body.
18. Doesn't make you feel confident
This one is so important! You can have the perfect body and still have clothing that doesn't make you feel like a million dollars. If you don't feel confident, how can you behave confidently? Confidence is such an attractive trait that it's a shame to take this one away from yourself.
19. Doesn't fit your personal brand/style
I offer a free printable on finding your own style and brand. Find your wow colors and prints, as well as your ideal style, and stick to those. You can find that printable by going to the "glow-up" section of the menu on my site and browsing for it there. I offer a whole glow-up planner for you absolutely free! You should definitely check it out.
20. You already have multiple items like it
Many of us have items we keep going for even though we already have like 3 of them already. For me, it's beige sweaters. I could buy beige sweaters all day long. While I have many that are vastly different from each other, I also have quite a few that are strikingly similar. When that's the case, pick the best and highest-quality one and toss the rest.
21. I wouldn't buy it again if I saw it in a store
If you're contemplating whether or not to keep a certain item, think about it this way: If you saw that item hanging up in your favorite store, would you still want to buy it? If that answer is no, then go ahead and part ways.
There you have it! With this list of 21 ways to purge your closet, you should have no problem in getting rid of the unnecessary items.
Now, when you've purged, you need to slowly add back in the items you need again. Be intentional with your shopping, and only buy things that look good on you, are your color, and that fit your personal brand. Do these things and you won't have to have another closet purge for a long time!
If you missed the printable checklist, here it is.
Don't forget to utilize the printable list for your next closet purge!
Happy planning!
Kyrstyn
