Gentle Purging -Decluttering Clothes

Gentle Purging -Organizing and Decluttering Clothes: keep, trash, donate and ...store. Alllowing yourself to store what you're not ready to part with.

It's Week Two of the One Room Challenge and time to get organized.  You might remember in my before pictures that there were some serious piles of clothes around my dresser.  This week I'm decluttering clothes, and getting things organized.

Organizing and Decluttering Clothes

I have to admit that all those clothes are mine...and the dresser full too.

We're lucky enough to have a walk in closet, remember our little makeover of my husband's side here? So all his clothes are in the closet. I also have one side of the closet and it isn't very organized at all.

I wouldn't want to call myself a hoarder but... I'd definitely be closer to that end than a purger. I'm a hanger on-er. Part of the reason is that I didn't have a lot of things when I was a kid and taught to take good care of what I did have and make it last. I also come from a long line of hanger-oners, and have to say that being a blogger the idea that I might need something to makeover in the future takes on new meaning.

I also struggle with my weight. Anyone else there with me? So I have an assortment of clothes in a range of sizes. I tend to go up and down. Of course when you're down you shop because you feel like you look better...then when you're up, nothing cute fits. Also, you tend to hang on to the smaller stuff in the hopes that you'll get back into them.

For the last while my dresser has been full of clothes that don't fit. The clothes that do fit have been in piles on the floor around my dresser. Kind of crazy, but I just wasn't ready to get rid of those smaller clothes and admit defeat.

The Gentle Purge

Thus the "Gentle Purge". I'm learning to be kinder to myself. I knew I needed to get the clothes I wear into the dresser and the clothes that I didn't wear out, but I gave myself permission for a save pile. Usually the sorting piles are trash, donate, keep, but I added in store for those clothes I hope I can wear again soon. This made the whole process feel way less stressful; a kinder, gentler approach.

Free Sorting Labels

I made some labels which you can download here that you can use if you need to go through this process.

I took all my clothes out of my drawers, and from the piles on my floor and sorted them into these four piles.

Keep

The keep pile were the clothes that I put into my dresser.  These are the clothes that fit, are in good repair, and I'm presently wearing.  My capsule by another name.

I have to say too that there was in fact a fifth pile that was my out-season-keep-clothes (a subset of keep if you will) -these were my summer clothes still in the floor piles from our February vacation, and some sweaters that are finally too heavy to wear.  These got stored on the shelf in my closet ready for warmer or colder weather.

Trash

Unfortunately all good things must come to end. I didn't mind saying goodbye to my old bathing suit that the elastic is gone in, or the holely or single socks. I did feel sad about letting go of some worn out favourites. But it was time. And now that stuff isn't take up room in my dresser, or life.

Donate

Anything that I wasn't in love with anymore but still had some life in it went in the donate pile. I'll drop these off at the second hand store this week. I find it best to make those donations right away, so I'm not tempted to change my mind. Sometimes I even get my husband to help with this -especially with decor stuff because after it sits in the pile a few days or weeks I might just feel the need to rescue it.

Store

There were quite a few pieces that I loved but didn't fit. I was determined to get them out of my dresser drawers where they can sometimes make me feel a little sad and like I have nothing to actually wear. Not wanting to make myself get rid of them,  I  put them into some storage bins to save in the bottom of my closet where there was some room for them. I have to say that seeing them all is some good motivation. And I'm glad that I have some space in my house to store them until I'm ready to use them or pass them on. I did a little work in my closet too, and some of my previous saves I was now ready to let go of.

For some of us getting rid of things can be a challenge so I highly recommend a save pile. And I highly recommend revisiting the save pile in a year and seeing if it's easier to let some of those things go. For me it usually is and if you have the space this is a great method to make it a little more "gentle" on yourself.

One Room Challenge Progress

Believe it or not this purge and decluttering my clothes was one of the hardest jobs on my list for the One Room Challenge. I think I prefer to paint, or build, or even clean. I know I prefer to shop or style. So, the good news is one major job is done.

I've also done lots of planning, and on-line shopping this week. Next week I hope to get the room painted, and keep going with the shopping. I also have some great DIY projects in the works.  Here's a reminder of where we're headed with this One Room Challenge -check out

The Before and The Plan / Gentle Purging and Decluttering Clothes /  DIY Concrete Side Tables / Modern Boho Master Bedroom Reval

 Be sure to follow along on Instagram and watch my stories for lots of updates, and sneak peeks.  You can also check out my Pinterest board full of ideas and inspiration for this room.

With a little Gentle Purging and decluttering my clothes life really is a party!

Now be sure to check out everyone else's progress over at the One Room Challenge website.

I really could not have brought this room together without some amazing sponsors. A special thanks to

Home Depot, Wayfair, HomeSense, Afloral, Amara, Para, Minted, Bobbie Made, Benjamin Wood Works, and Auto Artwork Shop.  All opinions are my own, as always.  Thanks for supporting the brands that make Life is a Party possible.

Want to see how it all came together now that it's finished? You can check out all the One Room Challenge weekly updates here:

Week One / Week Two / Week Three / Week Four / Week Five / Week Six