The Decluttering Technique That Gives Your Closet A Much-Needed Refresh

There are so many decluttering methods and techniques out there, so you might be thinking, "do we really need another one?" Whether it is seasonal closet swapping, space issues, or you just finally decided it was time to reorganize your closet, finding the right approach to decluttering in a functional way can be challenging — especially when you consider how difficult it can be to part with beloved garments. However, celebrity stylist Thomas Christos Kikis has come up with a new way to approach decluttering that we think most people could get on board with. He was recently featured in a TikTok for "Let's Get Dressed" podcast host, Liz Perez, where he introduced the "Your World" decluttering method. In the video, he helps Perez clean out half of her closet by starting with her most worn clothing items.

The idea of the "Your World" technique is pretty simple. You pull out the items that are your most worn, everyday, must-have closet staples. These are the items that you gravitate towards naturally for whatever reason — the fit, the style, the season. Setting those up on a rack to visualize what your world looks like clothes-wise, you can build upon what is ultimately serving your daily aesthetic. Christos Kikis says in the TikTok video, once you have your curated rack of favorite clothing, you can start adding in pieces that "make it cooler" and "more functional." In the process, you can naturally weed out the items that don't fit into "Your World."

Who hasn't looked at an item of clothing and thought, "I will definitely wear that one day," or "if I lose just a few pounds it'll fit perfectly?" The truth is, the average person wears only 20% of their wardrobe most of the time, and we often hold onto things even though we will probably never wear them. This can be due to impulse buys and minor fit issues that can easily be overlooked in a dressing room, but typically become the reason we choose not to actually wear the item. These kinds of issues are often what force us to reassess and declutter our closets regularly, with methods like the 333 project and Capsule wardrobes becoming popular ways of simplifying our closets.

But while those methods challenge you to do more with less, they don't always feel attainable for someone who is seeking functionality without necessarily embracing minimalism. "Your World" is different, and it works because it focuses on what you actually wear and what a functional wardrobe looks like for you specifically — not your neighbor or a theoretical version of yourself. It doesn't demand that you have a finite amount of items hanging on a rack, or that each piece of clothing can pair with at least two other pieces. These kinds of restrictions can feel stifling to someone who loves fashion and wants to declutter with a mindset of functionality over scarcity. So instead of focusing on the clothing items you need to get rid of, focus on what you can't live without. Then build your world around that, losing whatever items that aren't serving you in the process.