The First Step To Decluttering A Closet Before You Try To Purge

Closet real estate is precious, so it's not surprising how quickly it can slip into disarray. A few rushed mornings, a couple of new outfits, a skipped laundry day — all of a sudden, every inch of the closet is crammed with stuff. And your hangers? Well, pardon the pun, but they're really hanging on for dear life. At this point, purging enough to be one of those people who always keep their closet neat and organized can seem overwhelming. But thankfully, there are tons of expert tips for decluttering your closet like a pro. Like anything, decluttering gets easier when you break it down into manageable steps. And here's the critical first step — sort your clothes by style and color before you start to purge. 

One of the big mistakes everyone makes when organizing their closet is trying to take on the overwhelming process without an attack plan. That's why this first step is so important. Rather than try to go through each item one by one, give your mind the opportunity to see each item as part of a group. Sorting your clothes gives you clear visuals about what you have in your closet and what you don't. This can make it much easier for your brain to decide what to keep and what to ditch. After you take this first step, purging your unwanteds and cleaning up the rest of your closet should be a breeze.

Start the clothes sorting process by placing items into categories — all your jeans in one pile, long-sleeved button-downs in another, dresses in a third, etc. If a category still feels too big, sort it down even further. For example, you can then organize your button-downs by color or pattern, or your dresses by color, season, or occasion.

Once you've sorted your whole closet (don't forget accessories like belts, bags, and shoes), you can start deciding what to purge. This is easier when the items are sorted. After all, staring at three nearly identical red sweaters and choosing your favorite is much easier than yanking a random one out of your cluttered closet and deciding whether to keep it.

This step also makes creating a decluttered, coordinated closet more seamless. For example, if you're looking at a bunch of blue button-downs and don't know which one to keep, look at your other categories. Does each shirt pair well with one of your dresses or pairs of pants? This method can help you decide which items are keepers without having to make guesses or waste time rummaging through clothes.