Why You Need To Cleanse Your Closet

Whenever a new client reaches out to me, the first thing I recommend is starting the process with a Closet Cleanse. Why? Because in order to create something new and improved, we must edit and clear what no longer works. A disorganized and cluttered closet is filled with unnecessary items that take up physical and mental space. This prevents you from actually seeing and styling items that look great and make you feel good TODAY.

Unworn & worn out items carry stagnant energy that holds you back.

I don't want you to live attached to the past version of yourself. Instead, let's honor and embrace where you are today, and organize yourself so you can continue to evolve into your best self.

A closet cleanse always reveals a lot about a person. Not just the surface cues that are easy to spot with the eye – like colors, styles and brands one might like. I'm talking about reading between the lines and understanding their relationship with shopping, money, what makes them feel secure / insecure, attachment / detachment styles, hoarding, who they were in the past and where they are now... I could go on and on.

When I spend a day in a client's closet, I know more about them than many of their close friends might ever know, because closets tell stories (spoken and unspoken). Which is why this process is super intimate and a lot of times intimidating (hence the reason it's often postponed and never dealt with properly).

So I put this newsletter together because I see time and time again the benefits of a closet cleanse, and I want more people to experience the cathartic and freeing benefits.

Here are 10 tips so you can do it yourself.

1.

Block 1 full day of the weekend to do this. It takes time, so I recommend powering through in one day to avoid losing focus and not completing the cleanse. Start right after breakfast and make sure you have coffee on hand – you will need it!

2.

Take 4 pieces of paper and in each one write "KEEP", "DONATE", "SELL" "FIX". Spread them around the room. You will start to create piles of clothes for each labeled section.

3.

Open your closet and start with one category (for example: pants). Move through category by category so you have an organized flow.

4.

Analyze one item at a time. Ask yourself:

"Is this item in good condition?"
No holes, stains, worn out fabrics, etc. If it's not in good condition, it goes straight to the donation pile.

"Does this item fit?"
If the item doesn't fit your body now, let it go. Don't hold yourself hostage to what once was and embrace where you are now.

"Do I feel good when I wear this?"
If you rarely wear this item and every time you try it on it doesn't feel or look right, time to let it go.

5.

If you have doubts on any items, try them on!

6.

Once you are done going through every single item in your closet, grab a roll of trash bags and put the items of each section into them. Make sure you label the trash bags so you don't get them confused. KEEP items are the only ones not going into trash bags.

7.

Now it's time to organize the KEEP items back inside your closet. Make sure you wipe down your closet so it is clean before placing items back in. Organize items by category and color. This will make getting dressed so much easier!

8.

Schedule pickups for items you want to donate / sell. There are many companies that offer free pickups and take care of this for you, like The Real Real (US), thredUP (US) and TROC (Brazil).