Spring is finally here! Whether you're anxiously waiting for the snow to thaw, or even if you live in an always-sunny climate, it’s still a great reason to reassess. Spring has long been associated with a good closet clean out–we’ve had enough time since the holidays and it’s not yet too hot to function. These next few months are the perfect opportunity to comb through your wardrobe and let go of things that, as Marie Kondo would say, “don’t bring you joy.”
Step 1: Sorting
Start your spring cleaning by separating your clothes into three piles: yes, no, and maybe. Yes means gotta have it, no means you’re ready to let go, and maybe is undecided. The hardest part of a closet clean-out is usually the “maybe” pile because we often have more than we need, but lots of what we want. In other words, our eyes are bigger than our wardrobes. Say yes to the items that bring you joy, but also say yes to the ones that are versatile. If you have a closet full of items that do not make up an outfit then there’s no wonder you look in and think I have nothing to wear!
Step 2: Moving On
Once you’ve made peace with your three piles it’s time to set aside your noes, put away your yeses, and get to work on the maybes. This pile often runs the line between what your personal style is and what you think it could be. A common wardrobe mistake is hanging on to items that are aspirational. All of this is not to say that you should stay away from trying new styles or pieces, but be honest with yourself. When you are able to understand and become comfortable with your personal style, you will feel so much better. You don’t have to dress like everyone else to look f**king fabulous!
Take each item in your maybe pile and put it to the three-outfit test. If you cannot come up with three outfits that this item could help to create (with items you already own!), then it’s goodbye sweater and hello closet space. Life is full of gray areas but your closet doesn’t have to be one of them. Get decisive and only keep what you will actually wear.
Step 3: Dreaming
Now that you have your happy little closet and pile of noes, the next step is to give your pre-loved pieces a new home! Swap the clothes you are done with and start dreaming about the new pieces (of equal value!) you can get in exchange. By sending your items to Swap Society you aren’t losing anything, you’re simply letting your pieces join the cycle of life. Use your swap points to complete your new and improved wardrobe! It’s easy to go through the spring cleaning process and feel like you’ve given up on little dreams that were represented by your clothes, but that’s simply not the case. Not only are you being realistic about what your life is actually like, you’re making room for new dreams to come in. You have no idea what’s coming, and that’s the best part!
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