The One Thing To Declutter From Your Closet Every Fall

Fall is the perfect time for enjoying vibrant autumn foliage, engaging in cozy indoor and outdoor activities, and gathering with loved ones for seasonal traditions. Halloween parties are one such tradition, with everyone dressing up in their scariest garb for the occasion. If you're like most people, you're not going to wear the same costume every year — and if you're also like most people, it's likely that your old Halloween attire is taking up valuable space in your closet. It's time to fix that. Halloween costumes are one of the things home organizers suggest decluttering every fall.

There's little chance you'll use them again, so why not pass the "ghoulish fun" on to someone who will? And for the one or two items that might see the light of day (or, in this case, the dead of night) again, it makes more sense to store them somewhere else, like in a plastic tote in the garage, for example. And don't stop at your closet. If you have little ones, make sure you tackle their past holiday outfits as well. Think of it as a creative way to add more storage space in your kids' room.

Like with all good decluttering sessions, start by taking every costume-related item out of the closet. You need to know what you're dealing with in order to make the appropriate decisions. Once they're laid out in front of you, go through them with a critical (and honest) eye. Is it broken, stained, or otherwise ready to be retired? Put it in the "gotta go" pile. Are there items you really love? Place those in the "store elsewhere" stack. Anything you're on the fence about? Get a second opinion and then make a decision. Remember professional organizer Barbara Hemphill's maxim:  "Clutter is postponed decisions."

Once you've identified what's staying and what's not, the next step is to pack the costumes you're keeping in a place where they're not vying for space among your day-to-day clothing. It needs to be somewhere out of the way but still accessible enough that finding or retrieving them isn't too difficult. If you can't get them out easily or don't remember where you put them, you may be tempted to buy something new the next time you're invited to a themed event. It could be the garage, the budget-friendly storage shed you DIYed, or even your linen cupboard. 

Next, find a donation center in your area that's looking for Halloween costumes, and take everything from your "gotta go" pile there. If some things aren't usable, check with the charity to see if they have the means to fix and clean the donations they receive. These items are largely non-recyclable and will likely spend years in the landfill, so throwing them in the trash should always be a last resort.

Doing a Halloween declutter in the fall is beneficial for a number of reasons. You'll free up space in your closet, making it easier to pack away laundry and decide what to wear. Plus, decluttering at a time when you typically start spending more hours indoors means you'll be able to relax and enjoy your space. (A cluttered environment doesn't allow for that.) And finally, fall heralds the start of the holidays — a time of goodwill. Charities are always on the lookout for gently used Halloween costumes for those in need, and donating yours is a wonderful way to make a difference.

With your fall declutter out of the way, you're free to enjoy the season. However, if you're on a decluttering roll, don't stop with your closet. If your fondness for Halloween home decor borders on scary, take the same approach with those pumpkin-shaped cushions, holiday mugs, and anything else that's orange and under-utilized. The same goes for those cheap and easy Halloween decorations you made and probably won't display again.