Welcome to Mission #10 of our 52 Get Organized Missions.

Do you long for a closet of comfortable, co-ordinated clothes that look great and make you feel fabulous? Well, you’re about to take the first step.

Before you can create your dream wardrobe you need to clear out the clothes and accessories that are more of a nightmare. So in this Get Organized Mission we’re going to systematically remove all the closet clutter that’s wasting hanger space and dragging your image down.

Remember – you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below.
If you’re new, you might prefer to start here: 52 Organizing Missions.

Get Organized Mission #10:
Clear Out Your Closet

Step 1: Grab a bag

You’ll need:

• One bag for discarding
• One bag for cleaning or repair
  This is only for items that deserve the time and money investment to return them to closet-worthy status. If you know they’ll never come out of the bag, save yourself the hassle and stick with only a discard bag.
• One bag for charity
  This is only for items in really great condition and likely to be useful to others. Otherwise, lose this bag too.

For most of us, we’ll be getting rid of clothes that are best released into the garbosphere, so one bag will suffice.

Step 2: Start From the Left

As we only have 30 minutes, we’ll leave everything in your closet.

But we’re going to be very systematic and run each item – starting from the left of your closet and working across to the right – through the ‘closet clutter check’.

Step 3: Run The ‘Closet Clutter Check’

Throw into your discard or charity bag any item of clothing, accessories, underwear, sportswear, footwear or nightwear that:

• Is out of style
• Is a color that doesn’t suit you
• Is a shape that doesn’t suit you
• Is in poor condition or looks worse for wear
• Feels itchy or scratchy against your skin
• Feels uncomfortable
• Is ill-fitting (too loose, tight, short, etc)
• Needs constant re-adjustment
• Has bad memories or associations
• Hasn’t been worn in the past 12 months
• Doesn’t suit your lifestyle
• Makes you look less than your best
• You just don’t love

Throw into your cleaning or repair bag any item that deserves the investment to return it to closet-worthy status and:

• Needs laundering
• Needs dry cleaning
• Needs alteration to fit properly
• Needs mending, new buttons, new zippers, etc
• Needs re-heeling, polishing, etc (um, talking about shoes and boots here)

Step 4: Release The Gowns

Next, you need to remove the bags so you’re not tempted to retrieve that Choose Life t-shirt or the jacket you Bedazzled back in 1983.

• Take the discard bag out to the trash right away
• Put the charity and cleaning or repair bags into the boot of your car for drop off at the next convenient time
• Place any items for home cleaning or repair in the laundry

Now at this point you may be feeling a bit bereft as you survey your decimated closet. But you only have to survive on these clothes for a week. Next week we’ll create your ideal wardrobe wishlist.

For most people, the clothes you have left are the ones you like best and wear most anyway.

Dos & Don’ts

• Don’t feel guilty about discarding clothes you don’t like, regardless of what you paid for them. Notice the mistake and let it make an impression so you don’t make the same shopping error again. Then let it go.
• Do savor the simplicity of paring down your closet to the items that work for you. ‘Less is more’ is the mantra of many a great fashion icon for good reason.

Extended Organizing Mission Options

Want to go beyond this 30-minute organizing mission?

• Include your spouse and kids and let everyone clear out their closets together. Teach your children the pleasure of getting rid of things that don’t enhance their lives.
• Get together a group of friends and clear out each person’s closet as a group, moving from one house to the next over the course of a day.
  Warning: It can take a lot longer this way, but also be a lot more fun – especially if Margaritas are involved.
• Take everything out of your closet, drawers and shelves first and then run the ‘closet clutter check’ before you return anything to its place.

Ready, Set, Go!

Remember – move quickly, act fast, don’t overthink.

Before You Go – Please Check In

Once you’ve completed this week’s Get Organized Mission please add a comment to let us know you’ve done your assignment and you’re keeping your commitment.

And see you back here next week!

UPDATE:

You can now get weekly organizing missions delivered to your inbox.
Learn more about 52 Missions Home Organizer.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/closetfactory/ / CC BY-ND 2.0