Got questions? Get answers. Call (262) 891-7857 today!

Last time we talked about the hanger trick. If that’s not your cup of tea, or if you want a solution that gives you more immediate results, here’s another great idea:

Wear your clothes!

Now I know what you’re thinking. “But I do wear my clothes! What else would I do with them?”

The reality is probably a bit different though. Yes, you wear clothes. You put an outfit on most every day and go to work, the doctor’s office, the grocery store, etc. But if you have a big closet full of clothes, the odds are good that the outfits you wear are a small percentage of what you actually own.

Have 50 outfits? I’m betting there are 10 that you wear consistently, and 40 that just sit in the closet. Have 150 outfits? I’m betting there are no more than 15-20 that you wear consistently.

And even though you don’t wear them, you bought them – so you don’t want to just get rid of them….right?

The Cure For “Someday/Maybe” With Clothes

For a week, do this. When you get up in the morning, start at the right-hand side of your closet (or at the right-hand side of your current seasonal clothes, if you have them organized that way). Pull out whatever you find, and wear it that day.

Really. That’s it.

If you like it, that’s great! Wear it and enjoy it. If you can’t bring yourself to wear it, ask why.

  • Is it too small? Too big? If you’re one of those people whose weight fluctuates significantly, and you’re keeping clothes for next time you gain/lose weight, you should probably be keeping them somewhere other than in your closet. A tote in the garage/attic/etc. works great for this. If your weight doesn’t fluctuate you should add them to a labeled box with a plan to pitch them after a certain period of time.
  • Is it ill-fitting? It might not be too small or too big – it might just not fit you properly. Either have a tailor handle it (and get it out of your closet while you’re waiting!) or get it out of your closet!
  • Is it damaged? Just like fit, either have it fixed or get it out of the closet.
  • Is it out of season? If it’s not appropriate to the current weather, either move it to wherever that season’s clothes are, or move it all the way to the left.
  • Is it impractical for some other reason? If your day involves going to a softball game and you pulled out a miniskirt, or if you need to wear a skirt to work and you pulled out yoga pants, you get a pass. But you don’t get to move the outfit – you have to leave it there and consider it again tomorrow!

All clothes being returned to the closet after wearing and washing go back in on the left-hand side, or at the far left of your current seasonal wardrobe.

Forcing Yourself Makes You Face The Facts

The objective is to systematically force yourself to encounter (and contemplate wearing!) every item in your closet. Even if you have a huge closet, the odds are good that you’ll make significant progress in just a month or two.

I’m guessing that going through and forcing yourself to actually wear your clothes will help you in your decisions. If you have to pull out the same shirt for 30 days, and realize that you never want to wear it, that will teach you something about both your clutter and your taste in clothes!