Best Tips and Hacks for Decluttering Clothes

Consider this your all in one guide to decluttering clothes – you can say goodbye to an overstuffed closet filled with clothing that doesn't fit, or worse, you're merely keeping out of guilt.

Picture this: It’s o’dark-thirty, and you’ve just rolled out of bed after snoozing your alarm a few times (though not as many as you’d like). You shuffle to the closet and peer into the depths, trying to find something to wear. All of the clothes are smooshed together on the rack, making it hard to tell what’s what. You run your hand along the items, mentally rejecting each one for various reasons. By the time you finally pick out a top, you’re running behind, and you have to quickly rummage through a drawer to find some matching pants…

While this scenario may be a bit exaggerated, I imagine it’s not too far from the truth for some of us! I wish I could do something to make getting out of bed a little easier, but I’m afraid I can’t (if anyone comes up with something, please let me know!). However, I CAN offer some help with the clothing clutter!

If you feel overrun with clothing, are struggling to pick out something to wear in the mornings, or you can’t get your dresser drawers to close, you’ve come to the right place! In this video, I’m sharing all about my best tips and hacks for decluttering clothes.

Questions to Ask When Decluttering Clothes

One of my favorite methods of decluttering is to ask questions about each item as I go. Questions like “Do I use this?”, “Do I have space for this?” and many others, are really useful when deciding what to keep and what needs to go. You can check out all of the questions I use in this post and grab your own free printable checklist to keep them handy.

Here are a few additional questions to ask yourself when decluttering clothes:

Have I worn this in the last year?
Would I wear this tomorrow?
Would I buy this again?

These three questions get right to the heart of the matter. When you answer these honestly, you’ll know if you ACTUALLY WEAR the clothing in consideration, or if you’d be willing to spend money on it again.

Maybe you’re still a little stuck. Not to worry! Here are a few more suggestions that can help:

Decluttering Clothes Tip: Keep a Decluttering Bin Nearby

I always keep a tub or basket in my closet for clothing that I need to get rid of. Having it nearby makes it so easy to toss things in. I’m much more likely to declutter if I have a place to put the items I no longer want to keep.

Decluttering Clothes Tip: Turn Hangers Backwards

Start by going through your closet and hanging all of the hangers backwards on the rod. After you wear something, turn the hanger around the right way. After 3 months, anything hanging on a backwards hanger can go!

Decluttering Clothes Tip: Touch Every Item

I’ve found it makes SUCH a difference in my decluttering if I physically handle every item rather than just doing a brief scan to see what I want to get rid of. As you handle each one, ask yourself if you really love and want to keep THIS item. Giving each item individual attention like this helps bring clarity to the decluttering decisions!

Decluttering Clothes Tip: Make a Try-on Pile

Not sure if something still fits? Make a try-on pile as you go. I recommend only collecting as many items as you can reasonably try on in one session. Trying them on again gives you a much better idea of what needs to stay and what needs to go.

Decluttering Clothes Tip: Work with a Friend

Call up your friend and ask them to come help you! Having a friend with you is great to keep you accountable as well as get you unstuck when you need it. Once you’ve decluttered your closet, go help them work on theirs!

Decluttering Clothes Tip: Don’t Keep Items for the Wrong Reason

If I can give you just once piece of advice about decluttering, it's this: Don’t keep something just because you paid a lot of money for it. Now hear me out on this one! If you don’t like it and won’t wear it, the money you paid is a sunk cost. Don’t make things worse by keeping it around! You’ll feel much better after you let it go. Trust me!

Decluttering Clothes Frequently Asked Questions

How do you declutter too many clothes?

When facing a wardrobe stuffed with too many clothes, there are a couple of important questions to ask. Why do you have too many clothes? Is it because your wardrobe is too small and you need a bigger area, or is it because you have more clothes than you need? How many clothes do you need? Are you interested in a capsule wardrobe or are you just looking to pair down a bit? When you set out to declutter your clothes, be sure you have the end in mind so you'll know when you reach your goal!

How do you be ruthless when decluttering clothes?

You probably know the feeling of looking at a closet packed with clothes, itching to get rid of all of them but just a few favorites. But once the decluttering process starts all those “what ifs” start coming to mind. If you're having a hard time getting rid of as many clothes as you'd like because you're scared you'll need them someday, consider setting up an out of the way box to put some items you're uncertain about in. Make sure it's out of sight – maybe shut in a closet somewhere. Hold onto those items for six months to a year (depending on how much the weather changes seasonally in your area.) If you need something out of that bin, you'll have it to grab. If it's still in the bin after the time period you set, then to Goodwill it goes!

When should you declutter clothes?

There's never a bad time for decluttering clothes, but if you're the type to change out your wardrobe for the seasons, that's a great time to pair down your wardrobe to make sure you're only keeping pieces you truly love.

What to ask yourself when getting rid of clothes?

Asking the right questions is the first step in a successful decluttering session. Click here to check out my blog post on reverse decluttering to read what questions I recommend you ask yourself when decluttering clothes (or any other item for that matter!)

How can I declutter my clothes fast?

Some people love decluttering and others, well, let's just say others don't love decluttering clothes. If you're looking to get the job done quickly, make it a game and set a timer to see how many clothes you can declutter before the alarm goes off! Also, work in small chunks so you don't find yourself buried under an overwhelming mess.

How do you drastically declutter?

Looking to declutter more than just clothes? Check out these other posts on decluttering to learn more:

I hope these questions and tricks will help you as you declutter your clothes. What’s your favorite clothing trick or hack? Let us know in the comments!