Spring Cleaning Your Closet
it's time for a refresh
My spring cleaning has commenced, and other than the kitchen, the first place I like to start is the closet.
My brain works out of sight out of mind, so when I shove things away for the winter, I completely forget about them. But I know in the back of my subconscious it is bothering me that they are forgotten and not organized. My goal this year is to have an inventory of everything and be able to SEE everything. In Japanese culture everything has a home and a purpose, and when I organize I want to go into it with that mindset.
It’s a universal feeling to have a closet full of clothes, yet nothing to wear, and that ends for me this year!! Last year I really worked on consciously consuming when it came to my closet. Thrifting more, and choosing brands that were transparent in their process, and put care into sustainability & also prioritizing certified eco friendly materials. Pantry swaps but for clothing, especially when it came to things like underwear & workout wear (sweating!)
I made the switch from all my polyester underwear to organic cotton. My activewear, sports bras, leggings, to cleaner options. Sharing a few of my favorite options HERE (affiliate partner links). A few things to look for when shopping a clothing brand: Fair Trade Certified, Carbon Neutral, Certified Eco Friendly Materials, GOTS or OEKO-TEX Certified. This was a project I slowly worked on, I don’t think it is reasonable or sustainable to just throw everything you own away and start over.
Now that it’s springgg, it’s time for the organization. Being in New York I will say it is a bit harder because you have to separate your closets for the seasons. I am not even looking at a long sleeve shirt or coat during the summer, and during the winter I am not looking at a pair of shorts or a tank top. But either way, I am going to put everything out on the table to get an inventory of what I have for the year. It’s easy to totally forget what you have each season when you pack it all away.
Let’s get into it….
My Guide to Spring Cleaning Your Closet
STEP 1: MAKE IT MESSY
Unfortunately we got to make a mess before it becomes cleaner. You really have to dedicate an entire day to doing this because there is nothing worse than deciding to do a big organization and then running out of time when we’re in the mess phase lol…
I like to start with my dressers, each drawer, take everything out one by one. Once I do all these steps with my dressers, I repeat for the clothes hanging up, shoes, etc…
STEP 2: MAKE THE PILES
Separate into piles of keep, donate and throw away. If you are trading with friends (see more below), create a trade pile as well! I know it’s hard to let things go but honestly you have to ask yourself if it is something that has a place and adds value. The process of letting things go that have stale energy is so rewarding and makes room for new energy in our lives. Literally clears up space and clutter physically & mentally.
STEP 3: REORGANIZE + INVENTORY
Once everything is separated into their categories, it’s time to clean out the drawers and then refold everything. This is like the first and only time in the year my dresser and closet is completely cleared out, so I like to take this time to deep clean because it gets dusttyyyyy in there. Clean the floors, walls, drawers, dust everything, open the windows to let in some fresh air. Get the spots that are hard to reach when it’s filled with clothes. Also if you’re into it—sage the space!!!
Once everything is nice & clean, it’s time to reorganize. Now this is more personal. How do you want to assemble your clothes? Do you want everything hanging up according to color? According to clothing item? According to season? Do you want an activewear drawer or a sock drawer or a pants drawer, this differs for everyone. So I like to plan it out somewhere like on my bed before I place everything back into the dressers/closets. Personally, I organize my drawers according to clothing item/use, and then I organize my closet according to color/clothing item.
Something new I am doing this year is taking inventory of everything in my notes app so I have a clear idea of what I have, especially if it’s being tucked back into a drawer. I really want to be the girl who takes photos of each clothing item and organizes it into outfits so I will try…but that is not my skillset. We’ll see…I do think it would be really helpful for me in terms of outfit planning instead of just throwing on the same sweats I’ve already worn three times the past week. It can also help separate things that you want to donate vs things that you are keeping. & if you do have enough time set aside, you can try on & plan outfits and take photos in them and save them in an album for future reference when you’re feeling like you have nothing to wear.
For my dresser drawers, I recently discovered a new folding method called KonMari, I talked more about it in my February Favorites. But I am starting to master this folding method and it saves sooo much room.
AHHHH NOW OUR CLOSETS ARE BEAUTIFUL!!! WE KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS!!!! WE HAVE OUTFITS PLANNED!!!!
STEP 4: REDUCING WASTE & CONSCIOUSLY CONSUMING
Now we are left with our pile of donations. Pls don’t let this just sit in the back of your car for months collecting dust. We gotta clear out that energy!!! First and foremost make sure all of the items you are donating are clean and in good condition. If they are dirty and fallen apart beyond repair, check if they can be recycled or repurposed, otherwise they are probably trash.
Places to donate clothes:
Goodwill
Salvation Army
Local homeless/womens shelters (contact beforehand to see what they are in need of)
Hope house
Solesforsouls (for shoes)
Allofusclothing.org (pick up service in nyc!)
PlanetAid
Green Tree Textiles
Blue Jeans Go Green (for denim)
Pact x ThredUp Program (to get Pact cash!)
ALSO not everything has to be donated!!! I think something so fun to do is hold each other accountable with friends and do closet organizing/cleaning out together, and then do a clothes/shoes/bags/etc swap! This completely refreshes your wardrobe without having to throw anything out or buy anything new. Plus it goes hand in hand with creating a village. Same goes for if you need an outfit for an event, a dress, go shop in your friends closets!!! Not everything has to be an opportunity to purchase a whole brand new outfit. A great opportunity to hang with a friend, borrow a cute outfit & not have to spend any money.
When we do buy new, the best thing that we can do is vote with our dollar. We live in such a consumerist society but so much of the stuff marketed to us is junk that we don’t need! Choose brands that use sustainable, ethical practices. Consume less. Choose thrifting, trading with friends, and options that reduce waste and promote a circular economy. We don’t have to be perfect, but if we just choose to be better each day it helps!!!! This is a reminder to myself as well. One of my favorite quotes is perfection is the enemy of good. Do your best without judgement.
I am sooooo excited for this clean & refreshed feeling. Going into spring with new energy!! Clearing out the old to make room for the new.
Would love to hear all of your habits and rituals and practices moving forward as we head into spring. Happy spring equinox friends!!! Wishing you a warm, restful and fulfilling weekend!! XO - Ella
Thank you for the donations list! Heads up that goodwill does not pay their workers fair wages and has been pricing out customers who cannot afford to shop elsewhere. Really excited to learn about allofusclothing!
Thank you. Happy Spring Equinox. 💐