Before signing up for the January Cure I cleaned out my entire walk-in closet in mid-December- since I'm a grad school student that was the best time for me. For the first time I am storing summer clothes separately (I live in Northern Ohio, no jean shorts for a while!) which at first seemed silly because I don't have a ton of clothes. But let me tell you my closet is so much nicer now that I walk in and I know I can wear everything I see. Also in the spring I am looking forward to unpacking clothes and shoes and feeling like I got a whole bunch of new things.

Stop buying so much. Just buy what you really need.

I second Eduardo!

1. If you haven't worn it in a year, you *never* will (exceptions: gowns + suits)
2. If its too big, let it go....pride yourself that you will keep your fit shape
and my favorite....
3. When in doubt, throw it out! (or preferably donate, but unfortunately that doesn't rhyme)

My husband and I just did a very large purge before a home renovation...keeping these tips in mind helped me let go of a lot of old clothes and made me realize the importance on buying less while spending more for quality pieces.

Pretend you're moving! I actually am in the next couple of months to a barely bigger place, into which I am carving storage so I'm purging all my things in advance. I've realized that I've held on to things that I don't wear, but I'm completely unwilling to actually take time, effort, etc to actually MOVE stuff I don't need somewhere else. So imagine you're moving when you go through your stuff - if you wouldn't move it, you don't need it!

The photo in this post is unrealistic for most people in apartments, especially vintage ones, built in a time when people had very few clothes and no closets, storing their entire wardrobe in an armoire. So, here are some tips for that situation:
- Use all of the space from floor to ceiling.
- You don't need to spend lots of $$ on an organization system - be creative & use whatever works. I use a combination of canvas storage bags & an old trunk to store my off-season clothes; underbed bins for off-season shoes; an old nightstand with drawers for socks; plastic & wire cube system (very inexpensive - from Costco) for items that would usually go in a dresser, but I like to see everything; plastic drawers in cubes for undergarments; hanging shelves for things like tshirts, pjs; in addition to the hanging items. My shoes are in hanging shelves in what used to the closet section of an antique armoire I adore, and the few left over & boots are in the closet.

In theory, I completely agree with the comments above, about purchasing a limited number of quality, classic items that will be timeless and last years, which is what I noticed many Europeans do when I visited, but I have never been able to adopt that practice. I agree though that what we own can end up owning us, but as we struggle with that, at least keeping it organized makes it a bit less overwhelming. I donate old & non-functional items every season.

MY rule of thumb? for every new thing I bring in, 2 things must go.

or... get rid of 1 thing every day or week. could be a lipstick, belt, old tupperware, pair of socks with a hole, magazine, extra spatula, etc.

if you haven't worn it in three months ... chuckle! everybody can keep a wardrobe tidy with about 5 pieces in it. the fun only starts when you have more than 50 pairs of shoes, which I do.

I've been organizing my closet mostly by color and sometimes by layer (jackets, cardigans, t-shirts, buttondowns). It has helped me get rid of stuff I just don't wear. And made me realize that I have a ton of dark grey jackets or cardigans of various sorts. And then a handful of black ones.

i have a tiny closet and living in s florida, there are no real seasons still wearing summer clothes today.

I like the idea of #1 and it may work for everyone else, but I find I actually do better by making several quick passes thru an area. First pass I get rid of (donate, toss) the obvious items that I no longer want. That frees up space and encourages me to make another pass. By that time some of those those tough decisions of what to keep/toss is easier. Plus doing it this way has gotten me into the habit of sorting thru my closet on a regular basis avoiding any waxy build-up. :P.

It has nothing to do with a closet, but I also try to get rid of one thing every day --- small things like nycgreenmomma suggested. It helps and puts you in the mindset of purging rather than acquiring.

If I'm having trouble letting go of certain items of clothing (or any type of item) that I know I don't need any more, I force myself to put them in a bag that I keep in the trunk of my car. I tell myself that if I *really* miss anything, I can take it out of the trunk and put it back in my closet. But inevitably, a few weeks later, I can't remember what I put in the bag and I haven't missed the contents one bit! And then I can drive over to my nearest clothing donation spot and give the clothes to someone who will appreciate them.

I organize by garment type and color. I am not a big spender on organizational stuff...tho, I am sadly addicted to those cheesy 'huggable hangers'...I use green for spring/summer and blue for autumn/winter...I can easily move all green out and replace with blue. So in blue winter-mode...cardigan sweaters by color, full sweaters by color, sweaters that need layers by color, long sleeve blouses by color, short sleeve blouses by color, etc. System makes for easy dressing, and keeps any issues front of mind, ie. a favorite black cardigan is getting worn in the elbows...need to look for a replacement...purple blouse that goes with nothing--find a piece to go with--or purge...do I need another blue sweater (no!). Drawers are kind of rough for me...I lose track of stuff and I over-cram...so things get wrinkled...try to keep only very casual/workout stuff/socks/tights/unmentionables in drawers. Shoes live on the 24 pair rack--anything that does not make the rack--gets donated or put in the clear storage back-up bin (like a pair of white sandals that I hate--but will keep because they fit/are in great condition and I might need them in a pinch).

I found this kind of helpful (through pintrest I think?)
Wardrobe Editing: "Should I Keep It?" DecisionTree
http://modern-eve.com/life/mindful-consumption/wardrobe-editing/

I don't like storing my non-seasonal items. Where I live, spring sales start while I am still wearing winter clothes. Without my spring/summer clothes in full view, I can't remember what I own and tend to buy the same thing over and over again.
Every couple of months, I go through my clothes and get rid of things that I haven't worn in a while, usually in late winter and early fall and as drawers/shelves fill up. I like Tanner's decision tree - that's sort of how I do it.

I have another idea. When you can't decide whether to toss a certain garment, put it on! Wear it around the house to remember how it feels, why you love it or hate it, then decide. I kept a simple black skirt for years because it was so basic and classic, but never wore the thing. Finally, I forced myself to wear it one day and only then did I notice how frumpy the cut was, and how loud the lining "swished" when I walked in it. Out it went.

And if I can add another comment: keep the special occasion garments, like that one dress or suit you can wear to a funeral. You may not have worn it for 6 months, but it's good to have it when the time comes.

I had a huge brainwave yesterday--store travel toiletry bags inside suitcases. That freed up space in the bathroom to store toilet paper, which let me get the TP out of the closet, which I hated. The moral of the story: just because your parents stored things one way or because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it works now. Let yourself get creative and find new solutions for organizing stuff.

I have around 100 and I love all of them and refuse to get rid of any. I have a tiny place though and my boyfriend has tons of shoes that he loves as well. It has made shoe storage quite interesting.

I designate a week or two every season to do the "Great Purge" and allow myself to wear clothes that have been in the back of my closet, use up the trial-size lotions and shampoos that tend to accumulate, and 'eat down' my stockpile of pantry items. If I can't force myself to wear a certain top in that week, I'll never wear it, so into the outbox it goes!

I recently lost weight and had to reevaluate my wardrobe. I ended up giving away most of my clothing rather than having it taken in because tailoring would have cost too much, but also because I prefer clothing that does not require dry cleaning (which adds up in a hurry) and is simple and comfortable - mainly dresses so there's no question of whether pieces go together. I kept standby's - two suits and the all important dressy little black dress. Having lots of shoes is just not an option for me and my budget, and wearing heels around New York City seems impractical unless I'm going out and will be taking a taxi - so the shoes have been paired down and that works just fine for me. I try to fix old shoes and boots before spending the money replacing them. The more space I create, the happier I am - life is simpler if you do not have more than you actually need. I read The Minimalists' blog and am inspired by the clean, lean and simple apartment style they have and aspire to.

I love Kelly's suggestion to wear the clothing to see if you really have any intention of wearing it out of the house. That would probably convince me to get rid of a lot more clothes once I realize they're out of style or not flattering any more. I always think I'll wear something again (in the next season), yet rarely bring something back into regular circulation.

I like to take every single item out and then put back only what I want/need. It's very visual and seeing my pile of stuff out on my bed and an empty closet motivates me.

I do a wardrobe purge on a regular basis, and it is liberating. I try to have a wardrobe of clothes that flatter my shape and is filled with classic, quality pieces. There's nothing worse (clothing-wise, of course.) than having a closet full of cheap, worn, dated, unflattering junk. I may still have a sizable wardrobe (and yes, I wear everything that is in my closet), but, believe me, it's still nowhere near the amount I had many years ago. I love clothes, I enjoy shopping for them and touching them in the stores. There's some things I just cannot go minimalist on. But, I still try to keep myself in check. I still don't want too, too much :-<

I live in Wisconsin which has 4 distinct seasons. Spring and Fall clothes are always in my closet and can be interchanged. Winter and Summer get rotated to the attic in plastic storage bins. I work in my home and I agree about keeping one or two "funeral or wedding" outfits - never know when they might come up - but otherwise I live in jeans and sweaters or capris and t shirts.

Since I have a messy job, my clothes wear out fast. I shop thrift stores on the off season for things I know I wore out last season. Selection is much better and it gives me hope that summer (or winter) will indeed return some day. I bought 3 wonderfully light short sleeve shirts yesterday for 50% off at the thrift store ( +/- $1.50 each). I know I ruined at least that many last summer.

More clothes = more laundry.

I hate laundry.

I have a small collection of relatively inexpensive clothes. It doesn't have to be expensive or expansive.

I live in Canada where there are distinct seasons, but I still don't separate my clothes by season. ;) I have no place to store the summer clothes, and I wear t-shirts year round!

The closet pictured is ideal to me. If you have good pieces in good shape, you don't need a lot and it makes it so much easier to dress without rummaging through tons of clothes.

Work in healthcare. My entire wardrobe is scubs for work,jeans/shorts & t-shirts for not-work, 1 skirt for weddings & funerals. It all fits nicely into a 1920s closet & costs very little.
It helps if your idea of formal wear is a t-shirt without holes:<)

I treat my closet like my skin. I do monthly closet exfoliations, which might be some beads, a belt, a top. Every six months I do a closet chemical peel. Every 5-7 years I get a closet facelift. :-).

(I have never gotten a real facelift or used Botox.... But I am committed to deep cleansing, facials, and intense creams!)

I'm with mosaicwench on the thrift store finds! I work outside doing hiking-intensive fieldwork from the late spring to late fall, so when I see an awesome deal at my local Goodwill, like a moisture-wicking shirt or cargo pants or a nice fluffy flannel, I grab it, whatever the season, since I know I'll trash what I've got already in the near future. And hey, if a vintage wool peacoat comes my way at the Goodwill, I'll take that too : )

When it comes to non-work clothes, though, I have been editing my wardrobe. I think about it like this: if I were to go on a long trip where I could only take my most beloved articles of clothing because that's all I'd have to wear for months, would this item be one of them? We could call it the "Study Abroad Approach to Clothing Curation"! Anything that doesn't make it into the hypothetical suitcase goes in the donation bag. Because if you don't love it enough to wear it over and over, then you should pass it on to somebody who will.

I will never understand the women who have 30-100 pairs of shoes. I have a pair of black flats, metallic flats, black heels, white heels, and 2 pairs of black boots. Should probably invest in some sneakers but, I'm boring I guess. I don't like the idea of an enormous number of objects taking up room in my life. Not only do these items take up physical space, but they require constant maintenance and effort as well. If you keep them in a cabinet, how much effort is wasted to dust that shoe cabinet? If you keep them on the floor, how much effort is wasted to move each one of them to vacuum when you clean? Keep it simple.

I agree with this.

Right now I own one pair of shoes.

Well, I don't have the space to store seasonal wardrobe items seperately, but I do put extremely seasonal items (thick wooly pullovers and fluttery dresses, mainly) in bags when the season changes.

My tip: If you think "oh, I should wear this", wear it. You'll soon remember why you don't and can donate it with a clean conscience. (Or fall in love with it and wear it all the time, who knows).

I keep a fairly balanced small/fun wardrobe that is regularly culled, but pictures like the one above just annoy me. Who lives a life where you never need regular clothes, like jeans, yoga pants, a jersey sweater? Who gets through life on a handful of carefully coordinated fashionable outfits? Please, AT, show us realistic tidy closets with workout gear and underwear and pyjama bottoms.

For the ladies who like me, have a problem of letting go of their 50-100+ shoes, their vintage dresses, and designer gems, the one thing I have found is that selling (or consigning if you must) dulls the pain produced in the separation anxiety. That, plus having a goal of what to do with the funds that you receive. Recently, after getting $150 for selling the shoes purchased on sale for $95 but never wore, I was able to visualize the brand new gorgeous turquoise sofa for the living room.

I have all of our out of season stuff (clothes, beach towels, ski stuff, etc.) in 6 dk blue Rubbermaid containers up on a super high (you need a ladder) 80's style shelf in my bathroom. The shelf was covered on all sides by drywall and painted to match the bathroom and was meant to house 80's style fake plants. At one point I thought of installing doors to hide the bins, but they serve their purpose, no one really sees them and I have so many other, more important projects waiting! It is really nice to swap out everything, though, and just have what I need in the dresser and closet (and linen cabinet, too!)

This is an excellent idea on the latter part of your comment; one I've never heard!! On clothing, I try to exceed the 2 items for every 1! I seem to have a hard time getting rid of shoes and bags!

Thank you nycgreenmomma!

Urbancricket, great idea!!!

The "if you haven't worn it in X months/years, get rid of it" & "if it doesn't fit" advice is easy for people whose weight doesn't fluctuate. I have a medical condition that can cause me to rapidly gain and lose weight. I have to have a set of "chubby" clothes "in between clothes" and "skinny" clothes. 6 months ago, I was in the chubby clothes, 2 months ago it was the skinny, and now I'm back to the in between. If I got rid of things simply because I haven't worn them recently or because they don't currently fit, I wouldn't have anything to wear after a while. But, the constant pulling out and packing away based on where my health is and what it's doing to my body has made me focus on buying and keeping clothes that I love and that I will love for a long time. The stuff that's just "meh", goes.

The same goes with shoes. I had a lot of really nice high heels, but then two years ago I injured my ankle and couldn't wear heels. So I stored them with the hope that I'd be able to wear them in the future. I've recently started wearing heels again and I'm so glad that I didn't purge my favorite pairs. Unpacking that box was like reuniting with a long-lost best friend.

Eh, I've thrown out clothes after losing weight and ended up regretting it. Unfortunately many people regain at least some of the weight they've lost, which may mean they need some of those old clothing sizes again. It happened to me and I ended up having to spend several thousand dollars replacing my wardrobe (twice! :( ). I know it's good to not gain weight back, and not to 'hoard' clothes -- but to me it's even better to be realistic about how my body could change over time, and frugal with my clothing purchases.

Since I have storage space, now I keep the wrong-size clothes in a few bins -- only important or special pieces, in case I need them later. Digging into the bins become either a case for increased exercise, or a case for celebration -- depending on what sizes I've got in there!!

I agree, this is a very good policy to follow. I also use the "If I was moving out and could only take a car load with me, of all my wonderful posessions, what clothes would come with me?"
Using this method I have purged clothes that I might fit into again - but lets face it the fashions would have changed by then! I downsized my clothes and shoes last year (and asked my teenage daughter to be a judge on what stays/goes - children and their expressions can be very telling - I took three bin bags full to the charity shop - and my wardrobe feels better for it - it can breathe. :)

WHERE DO I FIND A BUILDING IN NYC WITH A NOISE CURFEW?! :)

Part of the reason I love AT is to be inspired by others design aesthetic. I also enjoy design when it comes to fashion. So the "buy less, buy what you need" doesn't work for me. Everyone has hobbies and one of my happens to be having an interest in clothes/accessories/etc.

I do, however, need more space in my closet so I have a few tricks I use when I purge – 1) If it’s in good shape, has classic lines, and fits - I keep it. Fabrics like leather and denim go in and out of style in various forms. I’m glad I didn’t throw out all my boot cut jeans when I started wearing skinny jeans because now I’m back to boot cut. You can’t keep it all, but maybe hold on to a few staples. 2) I try to think of 3-4 muses that are currently inspiring me. Maybe a friend or a celebrity, whatever. I try to think – would she wear this? It helps me edit when I’m unsure if I’m still interested in an item. It’s not that I have no vision, but like I said, I think we find design inspiration from a lot of places and for me I like to express it in what I wear.

After reading the comment from Laurie2125 I felt that I had to comment again, because she mirrors my sentiments so closely. Some people can do the "buy less, buy what you need" thing when it comes to clothing, I can't and won't. I like creativity in what I wear, and sometimes that may mean having a little more than enough. I'm in no way advocating clothes hoarding, but like Laurie2125, for me buying clothes is a hobby and a form of artistic expression. Excuse me if I digress, but we are all different and should be respected for our differences.

I love the idea given to me some years ago by an old friend: A woman gets to have as many shoes as her age. So: 45 years old; 45 pair. To the woman who "didn't get" those of us who have too many shoes: When we buy shoes we don't have to look at our entire self; if you're feeling fat: buy shoes: If your hair cut is a mess: Just buy shoes. They are an easy form of retail therapy. I think this explains the phenomenon. I haven't bought a pair in almost a year and have recently put 7 pairs barely worn in my charity giveaway, but I still look at shoes each time I'm in a store. I don't "Need" any. but I might see some that I want. Accessories are fun!