The 10-Minute Closet Makeover: Ditch These 14 Things Immediately

It’s been months, maybe years, since you were a bridesmaid at your bestie’s nuptials. The odds of you ever going to wear that dress again? Zero-point-zero. If you can’t bear to haul it to Goodwill, then at least box it and store it so it frees up some much-needed room in your closet.

You found the most amazing shirt/jeans/dress or whatever – only problem, they didn’t have it in your size, so you bought it one size smaller, figuring you’d eventually be able to slim your way into it. So, how’d that work out? If it’s still hanging in your closet, taunting you, it’s a good idea to get rid of it. Why own an item of clothing you a) can’t wear, and b) has a sole purpose of making you feel guilty?

Unless you’re one of those non-creative types who dusts off the same Halloween costume every year, any Halloween costumes from previous years need to be extracted from your closet immediately.

A funky hat may seem like a great idea when you buy it – until months later, when you realize you still haven’t actually worn it. If that 10-gallon stetson you picked up at the Calgary Stampede is still sitting in your closet taking up space and you’re waiting until the next cattle drive to put it on, then find someplace else to store it and use your closet for stuff you’re actually going to wear.

Do you have a pile of stuff that needs to be ironed, but doesn’t get ironed because you really hate ironing, and instead wear other favourite items because they don’t need ironing? Then these are items you should seriously consider ditching from your closet.

That t-shirt you’ve had since high school has always been one of your favourites, but over the years it’s become a frayed, hole-filled hot mess. Have a ceremony if you must, but even clothing has a shelf life, and it’s time to say goodbye to this old friend.

If it’s July, why is your closet bursting with sweaters, winter coats and wooly scarves? Make it a habit to box up seasonal wardrobe items and get them out of the closet during the months when they won’t be worn, which will contribute to keeping your closet tidy and organized.

Whether it’s the concert t-shirt you got at the Blue Oyster Cult show in ’79 or the commemorative hoodie from the Grand Canyon, items that hold sentimental value yet are rarely worn don’t deserve to be taking up valuable space in your closet.

Everybody has those grungy t-shirts and stained, nasty sweatpants we turn to when it’s time to cocoon on the couch and watch a Gilmore Girls marathon on a rainy Sunday. But couldn’t you also do that in, you know, some not-digusting comfy clothes? Comfortable “shlub” clothing won’t make you feel any better about yourself, so why not get rid of it?

A pair of stunning shoes that make your feet ache, blister and bleed whenever you wear them are not the most practical items to be storing in your closet. Time to say goodbye.

Most of us tend to find our weight will fluctuate a bit throughout the year, which for some people means keeping “skinny” clothes that only fit when we’re fit. Yet if you’ve got a few pairs of jeans that you haven’t been able to squeeze into for years, you can still hang onto them if you wish – just don’t keep them in the closet. Maybe a box in the garage may be a better home… until you finally decide to drive that box over to the Salvation Army.

Whether it’s a pair of shoes that need to be re-soled or a torn dress you’ve been meaning to get repaired but haven’t gotten around to yet, either get them fixed or toss them. Don’t keep them in your closet to take up space while they wait in limbo.

It may seem like a good idea to hang onto those wire hangers your clothing hangs on when they return from the dry cleaners – we can all use extra hangers, right? Wrong! These cheap wire hangers can also contribute to taking up tons of space that makes your closet feel crammed. get rid of them.

So you’ve been hanging onto that old shirt of your ex’s because… well, why, exactly? Isn’t it time you moved on? Your closet barely has enough room to accommodate actual baggage, why are you also cramming emotional baggage in there as well? Ditch it and get on with your life.