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It’s easy to start drowning in too many clothes and have no idea where to begin with minimizing your closet. It is estimated that we wear only 20% of our clothes, 80% of the time – that is a lot of unloved clothes hanging out in our closets! Here are some tips to downsize your closet and love your wardrobe. It’ll be like you’re opening up your closet to all of your best friends. I want you to feel GOOD in your clothes because when you feel good, you do good, and everything else in life improves.
focus on what fits your body today, not what you want your body to fit
When our bodies naturally change it is tempting to focus on getting it back to what is the “ideal” (read: lowest) shape/size/number. Ultimately this is self destructive. How about refocusing on how we can feel good – wearing clothes that fit and we feel good in, nourishing ourselves with foods that will provide energy, and moving our bodies in ways we enjoy. Bad body image days are inevitable, but recognizing it for what it is instead of what you need to change can turn the negative thoughts down. If you feel like you’re struggling with finding what brands/sizes might fit your body best, try plugging in your measurements on sizecharter.com. It’ll tailor brands and sizes that fit your body best!
ask yourself these questions
Remove everything from your closet and place it on your bed. Ask yourself these questions while holding up one item at a time and deciding what to you keep. Have trash and donation bags ready to go!
- Would I buy this again today?
If you were at the store today and trying this item on, would you get out your cash or credit card and pay for it now – how about at full price? Does it get you excited? Do you love the way it fits?
- Do I feel good when I’m wearing this?
Do you feel confident, and not like you need to pick your body apart? Does it accentuate your best assets? Does the color make you look vibrant?
- Am I pulling at this, trying to suck it in, or adjusting this item constantly?
Do you feel like you’re going to slip out of a shirt or dress? Are you constantly pulling up your pants? Constantly adjusting is a sign something is quite right and you can do better.
- Is this a favorite?
Sometimes we have multiple of one item. Which one do you reach for most often? Be realistic about what are your favorites and what you might be able to pass along for someone else to wear.
know your best colors
I had a color analysis done two years ago and it was one of the best wardrobe decisions I have made. Knowing your best colors, and also not-so-great colors, like what might make you look sick, is a cheatsheet for your wardrobe and streamlines decision-making while shopping. Learn your wow colors by using this $20 off promo code from Created Colorful. The best part, it’s all done by taking selfies and using fabric you have lying around the house!
aim for quality over quantity
Aim for the items that will last and not rip or pill prematurely so that you can continue feeling good in your clothes year after year. Let go of clothes that are pilling or beyond repair and when needing to purchase new items in the future know where it might be beneficial to pay a little extra for fewer items. This is one of the best ways to downsize your closet.
move your body in ways that you enjoy
While this isn’t directly about the clothes in your closet, this will help you feel good in your skin and therefore feel more confident overall. Maybe then you’ll be more likely to let go of clothes currently too big or too small that you’re holding onto “just in case.”
Choose activities that you like, not what you think you should like but actually pisses you off. This isn’t doing yourself any good. Pick something that you will stick with. Move because it’s good for your physical and mental health, and not because you think you need to punish yourself for eating x, y, or z or because your thighs have cellulite. Get rid of your scale if you have to. That number does not mean anything about your value.
