A few weeks ago, I decided to discard all of my clothes and keep just 50 pieces of clothing in my closet (check out part 1 and part 2 here!). If you're not ready to make a drastic change but would like tips on how to clean up your closet a bit, read on for some tips on cleaning closet clutter (yay alliteration!).
Whenever I want to clean my closet, I take all of my clothes (every single piece of clothing!) and arrange them in piles on the floor. I make separate piles for tops, pants/jeans, shorts, skirts, dresses and rompers, outerwear (e.g. jumpers, coats, and jackets), socks and underwear, bags, swimsuits and workout clothes, pajamas and loungewear, and shoes. 11 piles may seem like a lot but trust me, having your clothes sorted into different piles will prove really helpful later on.
When I tackle my piles, I focus on one pile at a time. I count how many pieces of clothing are in that pile and decide on a certain number of pieces I want from that pile. For example, whenever I tackle my pile of pants/jeans, I usually decide on keeping 3 to 4 pairs. I look at all the pairs of pants/jeans that I have, and if I notice that I have two pairs of black pants, I get rid of one of the pairs (to have less in my closet, I avoid owning duplicates of the same item.)
When I tackle my piles, I focus on one pile at a time. I count how many pieces of clothing are in that pile and decide on a certain number of pieces I want from that pile. For example, whenever I tackle my pile of pants/jeans, I usually decide on keeping 3 to 4 pairs. I look at all the pairs of pants/jeans that I have, and if I notice that I have two pairs of black pants, I get rid of one of the pairs (to have less in my closet, I avoid owning duplicates of the same item.)
Sometimes it can be hard to let go of something that cost you a lot of money/looks amazing/has sentimental value. Some questions I ask myself to help me decide whether I should give away the clothes I have or not include:
- Do I like the way it looks on me?
- How many times have I used it this month/year?
- Do I have anything similar to it (since I want to avoid having duplicates)?
- Does it fit well?
- Can I use it in at least three outfits (since I believe that clothing pieces should be versatile and definitely used more than once a month)?
If you're still having problems with deciding on whether to toss something away or not, try the reverse hanger trick! Turn all of your hangers backwards, and after you wear something that was on a backwards hanger, wash that item, put it back on the hanger, and place the hanger back in your closet the right way. At the end of the month (or any time period that you choose), check to see which pieces are still hung backwards. This simple trick can help you figure out which pieces you used and which ones you never touched. 
Using a clothes rack is a great way to display the clothes that you use often. I have the IKEA MULIG clothes rack and I adore how it looks in my room! Also, since I don't have much space in my tiny closet, I line my shoes under the clothes that I hang on the rack.
I hope these quick tips helped you out! Oh and one more thing -- play some music while you clean your closet! Digging through your piles with your favourite upbeat songs playing in the background always makes the process more fun! ☺
