11 Ways to Let Go of Clothes You Don’t Wear

Written by Catherine Joubert | Edited by Hunter Rising

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

So you're ready to declutter your closet, but now you have to decide what clothes to get rid of. What can you do if you feel too attached to let go of anything in your wardrobe? It's completely normal if it's a little tough getting rid of old clothes, but they may take up space if you aren't using them. Luckily, there are a lot of ways to tell if it's the right time to move on. Keep reading for the best tips and tricks for sorting through your closet and letting go of the clothes you don't wear anymore.

This article is based on an interview with our professional stylist, Catherine Joubert. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

Sort out clothes that are outdated, damaged, ill-fitting, or duplicates. Good quality items can be sold or donated.
Assess your emotional attachments by asking yourself why you want to keep each garment. If you don't have a good reason to keep it, consider getting rid of it.
Repurpose sentimental items, or store them in a "maybe" box and revisit them later.

1

Think on how your future wardrobe will look like.

Picturing your style helps you realize what you don’t need in your closet. Before you start deciding what clothes to get rid of, develop the sense of style you want to have. Think about the styles that you like to wear that make you look and feel really good. Once you have an idea of the looks you want, start going into your closet and take out anything that doesn’t fit that style.^{[1]
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- It can also help to visualize how clean your closet will be once you let go of some of the clothes cluttering up your space.

2

Consider the last time you wore the item.

Have you worn the item at all in the past 6–12 months? Go through each of your pieces individually and think about the last time you wore them out. If it's been more than 6–12 months, you’re probably not getting a lot of use from them and it would be better to let them go.^{[2]
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- Try hanging all your clothes so the hooks face out. When you take clothes down to wear, turn the hanger so the hook faces in. After a few months, check for hangers that are still facing out to see what you don’t wear.

3

Ask yourself why you want to keep the clothes.

It's easier to get rid of an item if there's no good reason to keep it. You might have some really cute clothes that you haven’t put on in a while, so think about what’s holding you back from wearing them. There may be a legitimate reason, like if the garments are out of season or are for special occasions, but if there isn’t, then it’s probably time to let go of those clothes.
- Determine if the garments you want to keep fit into your lifestyle anymore. For example, if you rarely attend events where you need to dress up, it’s okay to get rid of some of the formal clothes that you aren’t wearing.

4

Try clothes on to see if they fit.

Any clothes that are too big or small may sit in your closet unworn. It might take a little bit of time, but try on every single piece of clothing you want to keep. Check yourself out in a mirror to make sure the clothes match your current style and fit your body well. If you’re not feeling fabulous, then it’s a good rule to get rid of those clothes and focus on the fits that make you feel good.
- Have a friend over as you go through your closet and have them give their opinion. It may be easier to have some help making the decision.

5

Let go of fad styles.

It’s a good time to let go if the styles have gone out of fashion. If you’re holding onto a lot of trendy items from the past, they may be taking up some valuable closet space you can use for more versatile clothes. Rather than keeping the items that you only wore a few times when they were in style, move on so you can update your wardrobe.
- Keep staple clothes that are versatile, like plain T-shirts, jeans, sweaters, trousers, button-down shirts, blazers, and little black dresses in your closet.

6

Check for duplicate items in your closet.

You probably don’t need multiple options of the same style. It’s okay to keep a few options for things you wear regularly, like plain t-shirts or tank tops, but try to cut back on the number of items you have in styles you put on less frequently. If you notice you have a few options in the same style that are nearly identical, pick the one that’s your favorite to keep in your closet and let go of the rest.^{[3]
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7

Put clothes you’re attached to in a “maybe” box.

Putting some clothes out of sight helps you check if you’d really miss them. If you don’t want to completely get rid of some clothes, set them in a storage tote or box. Tuck the box in the back of your closet or under your bed so you don’t see it. If you don’t think about the garments after a month or two, you’re safe to get rid of them.^{[4]
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- If you kept thinking about the clothes in your “maybe” box, then that means they’re important to you and you should hold onto them for now.

8

Get rid of damaged garments.

Moving on from damaged items helps you declutter your closet. If your favorite piece of clothing has a hole or tear, you may keep it for sentimental reasons and keep it in your closet. Even if you love that piece of clothing, it’s time to let go if there’s so much damage that it’s stopping you from wearing it.^{[5]
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- You can try to fix your clothes, but try to do it within a few days. If you leave the clothes for 2 weeks without fixing them, it’s a sign that you can get rid of them.

9

Donate or sell old clothes.

Someone else may love your old clothes if they’re in good condition. If you have a friend who would be interested, offer to give them the garments you don’t wear anymore. If you want to give back to the community, try donating clothes to a charity near you. For higher-end items, try selling your clothes to make some extra money.

10

Repurpose sentimental clothes.

Reusing old clothes lets you keep them without taking up closet space. Rather than completely getting rid of those clothes that you love, look for a way to reuse the garments around your home. You could transform your favorite clothes into keepsakes, such as turning shirts into a blanket or making a shirt pillow.^{[6]
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- If you want to reuse a wedding dress, cut the material to put in a scrapbook or locket.

11

Let go of clothes despite how much they cost.

You don’t need to hold onto clothes just because they were expensive. If you bought a piece of clothing, you might want to keep it because you spent your own money on it. But if the garment just stays in your closet, you’re not using or moving on from it. Think of if there are any other reasons why you need to keep the garment around, but if you can’t think of any, then it’s probably time to let it go.^{[7]
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- Rather than holding onto clothes because they were expensive, appreciate and cherish the memories from the times you wore them.