The change of seasons provides the perfect natural prompt to declutter our clothing. As we transition out of warm weather clothes and sandals from the summer season, I’ve been asking myself what pieces in my closet I didn’t wear at all. As I pulled down my cool weather clothing from the top of the closet, I took some time to try on my winter clothes, evaluate and edit the pieces I own, and identify any gaps I’d like to fill in the coming months. I considered these categories and prompts as I decluttered this month: 

Just in Case Clothes

I’ve made a lot of progress simplifying our home, my clothing,  and the kids toys, but sometimes it helps to bring a close friend or loved one along for the decluttering ride. My husband was playing in our room with the kids while I moved my summer clothes to the top of my closet. I made a comment about how proud I was that the top shelf of the closet was almost empty because of all the decluttering I’d done. Naturally, he asked me what was still on that top shelf and it was two “just in case” items. My 16 year old ski jacket and pants. I realized both had only been worn once in the past 10 years, but I was saving them “just in case” we took a skiing trip. So, I considered a few things about that hypothetical skiing trip:

• Cost of skiing tickets and renting equipment – this has skyrocketed in recent years and is usually the deterrent when I consider wanting to ski. 
• When do I anticipate needing these clothes next? Our children are very young so it’s likely to be several more years before we would consider taking them skiing.
• Would I even wear these clothes next time I go to the snow? The nearest Alpine climate is in Lake Tahoe and even there, the temperatures are fairly mild. If we were to take the kids sledding this winter, I most likely would reach for my Patagonia Nanopuff rather than my full set of snow gear. 

After that consideration, it was easy to let these items go as the ski pants and jacket do not align with our current season of life, and I don’t anticipate they will in the foreseeable future.

The One In, One Out Rule

We try to be intentional in our home about keeping up with our “One In, One Out” rule. This goes well with non-clothing items, especially if we’ve been planning to make a purchase. With clothing, I’ve noticed that it’s harder to stick to my own rule, when I make impulse purchases without a plan for incorporating those items into my wardrobe. The  inventory can pile up quickly, so decluttering at the end of the season is a good opportunity to review any new purchases that have been time tested. Am I confident in that new purse to replace my existing one? Did I wear my older shirts at all this past season or did I only put on the new ones? Decluttering the items that have already been replaced is an easy win to help bring my closet back to baseline.

Pant Styles of the Past

This mom is in her high-waisted pants era and I’m just fine with that. I haven’t been interested in returning to the low-rise pants of the 2000s, but after carrying my second child, my body is really not comfortable with that. I’m fairly close to my pre-pregnancy weight and after putting on some low rise pants that were also too tight, I immediately took them off. I felt confident that I would not be putting them back on. Instead of throwing them back in my drawer to experience that dissatisfaction again, they went straight into the donation box. 

Itchy Sweaters

An itchy sweater is not what I look forward to when I think of the holidays, winter season, cuddling up with a blanket and a hot coffee. I was pregnant last winter so several pieces in my closet have not been worn in at least two years. When I tried on 2 of my winter-wear sweaters I was immediately reminded of their itchy nature and the fact that I usually had to layer them on top of an undershirt. No thank you. It’s difficult to move on from items that I spent good money on, but what I’m gaining is the physical space in my closet and removal of the guilt associated with staring at items unworn. 

Shoes Not Worn in Recent Seasons

A sandal not worn during an entire summer season is an easy win when it comes to decluttering. While I may like a pair of sandals in my wardrobe, if I didn’t love them enough to reach for them this season, I’m not likely to reach for them next season either. I also took the opportunity to declutter a duplicate pair of flats. They never quite fit my narrow foot and I already have a duplicate pair that I enjoy wearing. 

A couple of pro-tips I’ve learned from two women who have inspired this decluttering journey. 

A Couple of Pro-Tips I’ve Learned

1. The Minimal Mom emphasizes the importance of the “Time will Tell” bin. With extra space in my dresser from decluttering, I’ve now designated one drawer for “Time will Tell”. That drawer allows me to place items in that I’m considering decluttering, but not quite ready to let go of or not 100% confident. Most of the items in this drawer do get donated after a few months time, but I have occasionally pulled an item back out. It’s a good way to test the effects of decluttering without the consequences. 
2. The Barta House taught me to keep a donation bin the top of the closet. I have one in the nursery closet and any clothing items that I don’t enjoy wearing or that no longer fit this season of life, go straight into that bin rather than getting buried back in the drawer. Keeping a donation bin or box readily accessible makes it easy to let go of the items not serving us. 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I appreciate your support.