How to Declutter and Transform Your Closet for the New Year

January is a wonderful time to reevaluate everything from your mindset to your wardrobe because it is a new year. A closet clean-out is an opportunity to align your style and rid yourself of excess space.

The moment everything reached dizzying levels of the trend cycle in 2024, we all would make impulsive buys of various products before throwing them away. Letting go of the fashion mistakes from the past year and getting ready for intentional 2025.

Check out this step-by-step guide for how to get the heck out of that closet, reorganize your clothes, and breathe new life into your wardrobe.

Step 1: Pause Before You Purge

Do not grab garbage bags or rush to make donations. First, take a moment to reflect. Sustainable stylist Kerry Wilde advises, ‘Pause on buying anything new and stop in the habitual ways you shop.’

Elizabeth L. Cline, author of The Conscious Closet, agrees: “It is not just getting rid of, necessarily, it is about how you are reconnecting with your wardrobe and rediscovering what you love.”

Step 2: Set Your Intentions

Why are you decluttering? You might need a new wallet if you are starting a new job, taking on a new lifestyle, or even redefining your personal style. Stylist Naina Singla says, ‘Your approach should be based on your motivations.’ As we enter the pandemic stage, where many people work from home and a large percentage continue to commute to the office, perhaps more are doing their thing in hybrid spaces.

Step 3: Define Your Style

Take a piece of paper, and create a mood board of inspiring outfits. Pay close attention to pieces that draw inspiration from your everyday life and styling aspirations. Wardrobe consultant Grace Thomas points out: ‘Think about the colors you have loved wearing the last six months.’ Telling yourself that you will be curating a vision of your ideal wardrobe will help you stay on track while destroying everything that does not belong.

Step 4: Dedicate Time for the Process

The cleanout takes a certain amount of time, which is natural. Just take your time. If the responsibility of going through your closet feels too much, tackle it in smaller tasks over a few days.

Cline says, ‘You need space and time to do it thoughtfully.’ You can do it ethically by repurposing, upcycling, or integrating your garments instead of impulsively throwing them away.

Step 5: Sort Into Four Piles

Find a piece of clothing you love to wear in your closet, ‘go to’ as we say.

1. Resell

• Valuable pieces can be sold on The RealReal or in a local consignment shop. “It is a good way to get your costs back for lightly used or luxury items,” Cline says.

2. Donate

• All donated items should be clean, folded, and in good condition. Check local charities or shelters research, so you give to something that will actually matter to someone.

3. Repair

• Items that require alterations or professional cleaning. Repair them if they can be re-gifted, and decide if they still fit your current style.

4. Discard (Responsibly)

• If garments are beyond repair, perhaps research recycling programs, or if you cannot, donate scraps to organizations that repurpose textiles.

Bonus: The “Maybe” Pile

Struggling to decide? Parcel out items you are unsure about and put them in a “maybe” pile for later action. A few days later, get a stylist to advise you to revisit this pile. Singla advises, “It is ok to pass up on items that do not give you confidence and to say goodbye to them.”

Step 6: Store Out-of-Season Items

We all have limited closet space; we need to store our seasonal items. Keep winter coats separate from summer dresses or sort them into use under-bed storage or dedicated bins. Storing heavier items ‘for later’ keeps transitional pieces accessible, advises organizer Coha.

Step 7: Organize Like a Pro

And find a system that works for you. For example:

• Keep chunky knits flat to continue to be loose on the feet.
• Hang jeans and trousers like bottoms to easily pull the items to access.
• Use velvet hangers to make the best use of space and protect the quality of delicate items.

Thomas suggests dividing by color and type for ease of prep and a nice, easy visual.

Step 8: Personalize Your System

Your closet needs to reflect who you are and your lifestyle. Wilde says the organization is not one size fits all. Find a foundation that makes sense by season, occasion, or color palette.

Step 9: Maintain Your Curated Closet

Getting organized with a closet is not a one-time thing. Things up, schedule seasonal edits twice a year and practice one-in, one-out for new purchases.

Singla suggests keeping one basket for things you are ready to part with. Refreshing your wardrobe regularly keeps it up to date.