1. Do a little planning first for cleaning your closet
Before you get started with the closet cleanout, you want to do one thing first. One critical question you have to ask yourself is, do you want to make a difference in your community? You know, the chances are that lots of the clothing, shoes, and accessories in your closets are in good condition. There’s no need to throw out all of that stuff into the trash. As we know, that’s not good for the environment.
So, as you get started on the closet cleanout, think about donating the merchandise to charity. For instance, through one program, you could give nonprofits like The National Children’s Cancer Society, AMVETS National Service Foundation, and Arms of Hope the items. In turn, the charities sell the items you give them to get the fundraising revenue they need. You could also do a fundraiser for your favorite cause if you prefer! All you have to do is fill the box given to you by a provider.
2. Get your supplies in order
Once you’ve decided what you’re going to do with the merchandise in your closet, it’s time to get your supplies together. So, get plenty of garbage bags together or boxes. If you plan to donate or do a fundraiser for charity, place the items from the closet cleanout into a separate bag or box immediately. If you haven’t ever given or donated your clothing, shoes, or accessories, you may get boxes, supplies, or toolkits from them, so be sure to ask.
When you have all of your supplies, make sure you use bags or boxes of different colors or kinds. If you have a lot of stuff jammed in your closets, as you fill the bags and boxes, eventually everything will start to look the same. To avoid that situation, if you have a box to fill for a charity fundraiser, use other color boxes for the items you want to keep or give away to friends and family. So, keep organized while you’re cleaning your closet by having different looking supplies.
3. Cleaning your closet starts with an empty closet
If, when you open your closet, you see a mess, it could be disheartening. One of the first tips for cleaning your closet is to get to an empty space. Make sure you have a clean floor, or you could place everything on your bed if the closet is in the bedroom. Then pull everything out of the closet and put it on the ground or bed. It’s essential to start with an empty closet for a couple of reasons.
First, if your closet is in a state of chaos, there’s a good chance that you have things hidden that you can’t see. Thus, getting stuff out of the closet allows you to see everything. In short, it’s going to make things easier for you as you decide what you want to keep and what you want to give away to someone else. Second, by cleaning your closet and making it empty, you could more easily place items back into it in order.
4. Take the time to wipe things down
Unfortunately, even in the tidiest and cleanest homes, it’s inevitable to have dust. So, once you have everything pulled out of the closet, this is a chance to do a bit of cleaning. Get all of the hangers and wipe them all down in case there’s dust. Once that’s done, it’s time to do a bit of a deeper clean within your closet. Next, get cleaning soap and a bit of water to clean everything that remains. And, yes, we mean everything. Clean up all of the shelves, the fixtures, floor, and the clothing rods.
As you decide the clothes you want to keep, you could use a lint brush to dust off the clothing. If you want to keep the dust off your clothing in the future, cover them with a towel. Using this trick is good so that with time, the clothes you don’t use regularly don’t get dusty. However, you could also purchase storage cases for the clothing you don’t regularly use. Once you’re done cleaning your closet, you’re going to love the feeling of everything being spotless.
5. Create three piles or areas for your closet cleanout
Once you’ve got your closet clean, it’s time to turn to the clothing and merchandise. Create three separate areas or piles, and as we suggested earlier, make sure you have the designated bags or boxes ready for those items. Now’s the time to sort and weed things out during your closet cleanout. As a general rule, if you haven’t worn a piece of clothing or shoes for a year, don’t keep it unless it has sentimental value. And, no, not everything has sentimental value.
The three piles or areas should be for the following. The first pile as you’re cleaning your closet is for the items you want to keep. The second area is for the clothes and things that you will give away to charity or for a fundraiser. Finally, the third pile is for longer-term storage. For instance, perhaps you have shoes you wore at your wedding. You may want to keep those. So, place them in longer-term storage areas, such as your garage, basement, attic, or storage unit.
Final thoughts for cleaning your closet
Finally, we have a few more closet cleanout tips. Make sure you set aside a few hours to do all of the work. Next, expect that you’ll rediscover things that will bring back memories. Try to be mindful and not linger on the items. If it’s something that serves a purpose, and as Marie Kondo would say, brings you joy, then keep it. Remember that there are many people in need and struggling, and local nonprofits could probably benefit from the items you no longer need. Consider donating your unwanted items or having a fundraiser for your local charity. Once you’ve completed your closet cleanout, you’ll feel great, which will make your new year that much better!
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