My husband woke up at the beginning of the summer with this overwhelming urge to let go of our 500-plus album collection. They weren’t getting played, and — more importantly — the sight of them was cluttering his mental space. He and dozens of my clients have been anxious to clear out their areas with the goal of ushering in something fresh. Surviving a pandemic is reason enough to want get rid of “stuff”, and many started with their closets.

Wardrobe purges — or closet cleanses, as I like to refer to them — are my jam! There is nothing like looking at a closet full of your favorite items that look great and fit perfectly. The other benefit? Moving out stale energy harbored in clothes (and “stuff”) you don’t care about or need.

Best way to clean out your closet?

1)    Grab three bags, baskets, boxes, etc. designated for items to “donate”, “mend” and “trash”.

2)    If you can’t trust yourself to throw out things, call in an honest and compassionate friend to help.

3)    Pull out all the clothes in closets and drawers (in sections, if less overwhelming), and take a look at each piece.

4)    Any pieces that are worn, stained, don’t fit or don’t “spark joy” (a term minimalist, Marie Kondo, famously uses), donate or trash them. Anything that needs a small repair to wear, get someone who can mend it.

5)    Finally, hang, fold and put away all clothes and accessories in a way that that makes sense for you — by color, category or even season!

Bonus tip: If you want an even fresher feeling space, use all the same type of hangers!

After reducing your wardrobe to just the good stuff, hopefully you feel a sense of accomplishment, clarity and maybe even inspiration to do more! 

—    Jada Willis (@tailorst.claire)