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clothes & wardrobe decluttering: A clear space means a clear mind

Clear space, clear mind: How important is having a clear space to have a clear mind? Check out what the experts say about clothes & wardrobe decluttering

A clear space means a clear mind — right? When your wardrobe is bursting with a mountain of clothes that you haven't worn in forever, no longer fit you, or are no longer in fashion — it could be bringing you down. It's time to let go, declutter, and have a clear out.
But how do you decide which clothes to say goodbye to forever? We've put together a handy guide for you to help you out.

Benefits of Decluttering

Apart from the physical benefits of having a clear space to be able to find your things, decluttering also has therapeutic health benefits too. Life coach Yvonne Fernando says that clearing your wardrobe and cupboard space has a profound impact on both your mind and body, and that it allows for clearer thinking. Having a tidy setting where you can easily find what you need helps to relax the mind, reduces feelings of anxiety and stress, and allows for sustainable thinking.

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Five tips to declutter

The wardrobe is a perfect place to start your decluttering process. With our handy tips, you can have a clearer space with a clearer mind in just five easy steps.

Tip 1: Sort out items of clothing that you have not worn for an entire year

If you haven't worn it for over a year, the chances are you're never going to wear it again. You've been saving it for that “special occasion” or “what if” moment, but those clothes are sitting there unloved and without a purpose. It's time to let them go, and free up some space. By doing so, you'll free your mind as much from the clutter as you'll free your wardrobe.
Open up the wardrobe and pull out all of the clothes you haven't worn in the past year. All of those one-time outfits you bought, wore once, and then pushed them to the back of the wardrobe never to see the light of day again.
Put all of the sorted clothes to one side, away from the wardrobe. You don't want your inner hoarder to be tempted into sneaking them back into the wardrobe!

Tip 2: Ask yourself — Is the piece of clothing timeless?

You may come across some clothes that you haven't seen for a long time or that you forgot you had. Some outfits may bring back funny memories as you recall upon what happened when you last wore them.
Fashion comes and goes, and while some clothing is timeless and seems to fit in with every new trend, some items do not. You may not want to get rid of some pieces of clothing as you think you may wear it again, so ask yourself whether or not the clothing is timeless.
If the clothes are timeless and you're sure you will wear them, then keep them. If they're not, and you know that particular fashion trend is definitely not going to return, then it's time to get rid of them. Add them to the give away pile. Don't hold onto clothes that you know you won't wear again. Free up space so you can benefit from freeing up your mind too.

Tip 3: Organize Your Sorted out Clothes Into Categories — Sell, Donate, Give to Friends

Some of your clothes may be too good to simply throw in the trash, so why not see if someone else will get some wear out of them? Sort the clothes into piles.
Which items could you sell and make a bit of cash on? Which pieces of clothing do you want to donate to a local charity or even give to a homeless person? Are there any items that you think your friends may like that you can give to them instead?
Some clothing may be a bit worn out, with rips or holes in them, so you'll want to throw those out. To be a little more eco-friendly, try to throw out as little as possible so that others can benefit from your unwanted clothes instead. A good tip is to cut up the clothes into squares and use them as rags for cleaning.

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Tip 4: Sort out pieces that don't fit, really!

We all hold onto clothes that don't fit us anymore. By doing so, we not only waste space that can be used for something else but it can cause us mental stress too. We worry about clothes that no longer fit, especially when they're too small.

Getting rid of clothes that don't fit eliminates such stresses, as we know every item of clothing inside the wardrobe can be chosen as something to wear for the day. The psychological benefits are great as we no longer worry about what fits and what doesn't. You know that you can open up the wardrobe, choose any outfit and it will look good.

Tip 5: Be honest with yourself — Are you really going to wear these pieces again?

How many items of clothing have sentimental value to them? How many outfits hold precious memories, and remind you of special events from your past?
While we all want to save special outfits, we simply don't have the space to do so! Photographs are a great way of keeping hold of memories, so look to those instead of holding onto mountains of clothing that are taking up too much space.

Be honest with yourself. If you know you aren't going to wear those items again, it's time to get rid of them. Pull them out of the wardrobe and set them aside. Selling them or donating the clothes allows others to make lots of new memories from the same item as you once did.

Tidy your new space

Once you've sorted through your clothes and got rid of all the things you no longer wear, you should have more space in your wardrobe to be able to see everything that’s there. You can now sort through everything that you do have, and tidy your wardrobe into sections which may make it easier for you to find things.
Possible ideas include:

  • Color coordinate your clothes.
  • Match outfits together and place them on the same hanger.
  • Separate particular items, keeping all shirts to one side and pants to the other.
  • Separate formal clothes and casual clothes apart.
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Walk away and return

Once you've sorted out your new space, head to another room, have a drink, and a sit down. Go back to the wardrobe afterward, and take a look at it with fresh eyes. This should help you to appreciate the new space and see the difference that decluttering has.
Hopefully, you'll be looking at a great new area that has structure and organization and will make life a bit easier first thing in the morning when searching for the perfect look of the day.

Mess causes stress

Choosing an outfit in the morning to set us up for the day is an important task. If we're stressed out by this task due to our messy wardrobe, we're already starting our day off on a negative.
It's a fact that mess causes stress. It diverts our attention, gives us feelings of anxiety, stops us from relaxing, and affects our general productivity. Our brain is unable to fully switch off because it's distracted by the mess and clutter that's around us.

So if you're wondering why working from home seems difficult or getting to sleep at night takes a long time: take a look at your surroundings. Is your living environment calming, or is it causing you stress?

Final thoughts

Open up your wardrobe and take a look. Are you looking at something structured, or is it more like organized chaos?
Sort through your clothes, and get rid of the things you no longer need. Do your bit for charity by donating some pieces and even make a bit of cash by selling your unique retro items.
Freeing up wardrobe space is a great way to clearly see everything that you do have, and a great excuse for a shopping trip. But most importantly it's great for your psychological health and wellbeing. You might find your sleep a lot better at night too.
Break free from the clutter and remember: A clear space is a clear mind.

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