How To Minimize Your Closet, From A Fellow Maximalist

Spring is the time for cleaning- cleaning out your car, your house, your dorm, your bag or purse. This usually involves removing out old crumpled receipts, tossing out half-eaten random sticks of gum, finding spare change, and finally finding that pair of sunglasses that had 'disappeared' 3 months ago. Spring cleaning is also crucial for another typically cluttered area: your closet.

If you are anything like me, you probably have an on and off relationship with the condition and cleanliness of your closet. If it's a busy week, anyone can expect the clothing mountain on the chair in the corner of my room. On the other side, if it's a laid back week, you can probably expect my closet to look like an organizer's paradise.

Most of the time my closet is somewhere in between. Regardless, with seasons changing and my schedule constantly fluctuating, I find it extremely helpful to take a few hours to tackle it all and figure out what stays and what goes.

For some, this process might be harder than it is for others. I personally have a deep connection to many of my clothes, and I tend to just collect and never really allow myself to let things go.

My advice to anyone trying to create a more minimalistic and refined closet, while still being a maximalist, is to first lay out everything you have and figure out which things are your favorite. Organize piles and figure out then which you wear the least (yes, get rid of at least some of the old soccer jerseys you had since 2nd grade...).

I would also recommend making sure you keep basics that you wear the most, save materials that hold up well, and save a few fun pieces that you don't wear too often. After sorting, place items that you always forget you have in the front of the drawer so you are more likely to see it.

If hanging items up in your closet, make sure to organize things by style and shade so you can easily access items. In addition, try to place shirts you just wore to the back of a drawer and or closet so you aren't re-wearing the same things over and over again.

I'd also suggest pairing things that don't typically match together, layer, and try to get as much use out of your clothes as you can! This way you can give new life to old pieces, and that way you can still get some use out of sentimental (not completely practical) clothing!

Make sure for whatever you do not want, to choose a more sustainable path and do not throw things out that can be worn again by someone else. Do a closet sale to friends, take things to various local donation centers or shelters, and try to bring some clothes to second-hand stores - you uphold sustainability, you can help out a friend, neighbor, or stranger, and it's a great thing to do something with someone else in mind!

Cleaning your closet and donating/ selling clothes is a great thing, you may even get some cash out of it, and regardless, your items will be so much easier to find. And who knows, it might save you some time getting ready, too!