Like so many other Americans when we moved into a newer house a huge master bedroom closet came with the home. I then felt it was my duty as an American to fill the closet with tons of clothes. Some of them didn’t fit, some of them were stained, and some were from high school (and I’m 36 folks).
I recommend enlisting the help of a friend to help you pitch your closet. Friends tend to bring with them an unbiased perspective of your clothing, and a good friend will tell you to pitch the striped polo… or to take up a job as a referee.
Here is my advice when it comes to pitching your closet.
- Get rid of clothes that don’t fit. If they are too big or too small pitch them. You can always get clothes at a yard sale or thrift store if you change sizes.
- Get rid of clothes that are stained, ripped, or have issues with the elastic. I have 2 or 3 pieces that are my “painting” clothes, but everything else I pitched. I had to painfully pitch a cashmere sweater last week because of a hole in the arm. But, I was only holding on to it because it was cashmere, I didn’t wear it anymore because of the hole.
- The same goes for shoes, if they are holey, have worn soles, stained or scuffed either repair them or pitch them. Don’t hold on to them for years because you really liked them 5 years ago.
- Ask a friend for help. I mentioned this above, but seriously have someone help you get rid of those high school relics.
- Get rid of dated clothes. Having a friend there (or your teenage daughter) can help determine what is still stylish and what needs to go.
- Remember clothes are cheap, so pitch the stuff you don’t wear. If you aren’t reading Jen’s Frugal Fashionista series, you need to subscribe to her blog today! Each week she shares her latest yard sale and thrift store finds and they are awesome! Her series is proof positive you don’t need to spend a lot of money on great looking clothes. I have met her at Blissdom and let’s just say she was one of the best dressed bloggers at the conference.
I didn’t take a before picture of my closet because the light was burned out, then in my pitching frenzy I packed up all my winter clothes before I took the after picture. So here are my pictures from last week.
My closet now (minus winter clothes). Notice all the empty hangers!
The clothes that are leaving my house on the next thrift store trip.
A few more notes. I haven’t picked a winner from last week’s post yet since I was out of town. I also don’t have a giveaway for this week since I will be out of town and moving over the next few weeks, but I do have a few more goodies in store.
Time to link up your posts. I am really sorry I didn’t get to visit everyone last week. I will try to get to everyone this week while on vacation.
Remember link to your Itch to Pitch post and not your blog’s homepage. Also please link back to The Happy Housewife, so others who read your blog will be able to participate, the more the merrier, right? Finally, please visit the other Clutter Queens who link up and give them some encouragement. We all love comments!
Tracey says
The closet is looking good! I’m enjoying this series as I can always use some encouragement to get certain areas of my home more organized and less cluttered!
Joelle says
I recently pitched a bunch of my (and dh’s) old clothes. (We thought we might be moving, but then we ended up staying awhile longer. Oh well, we WILL move before too long, so I’m getting ahead of the game.) It felt SO GOOD to drop that big bag off at Goodwill! I figured if I hadn’t worn them in a long time, somebody could probably get better use out of them.
Jen@Balancing Beauty and Bedlam says
Oh my friend – you make me blush. 😉 Are you enjoying any relaxation?
Anne-Marie says
I’m still plugging away at my work area and school area, but I didn’t have any progress worth posting about.
It always feels good to clean out the clothes. My closet is on my ITP list, so it will get blogged this summer.
Rachelle says
Toni-
Thanks so much for this post! I really needed to hear this. I hate throwing out clothes and feel guilty when I do. I am 36 too! I still have my high school size 2 clothes! Um after having ten babies I will never be a size 2 again ! (would be happy to be a 6-8) that’s a whole different story !
I have prego clothes from 1994 that I wore with my 1st! Yeah the style is really bad !and they sit in a box.
So now I think it’s time to pitch the clothes, loose the 40 pounds and buy some new clothes.
Yeah I need to shed 40 pounds ( thanks to the other 9 😉 ) ok I said it out loud !
Do you pitch your kids clothes or hang on to them to pass down ?? Just wondering.
I have 40 totes w/ clothes for the kids , drives me nuts and I am starting to think I need to get rid of the stuff instead of saving to pass down.
Have a great day.
Blessings-
Rachelle
MJ says
I always laugh when I see pictures of your house because I live in Navy Housing as well (in Groton CT) and we must have the same company, or builders because I have the same cabinets as you, the same countertops, the same closet shelves! I need to get into all of our closets and get rid of stuff! Good work:)
TheHappyHousewife says
That is too funny! When we move off base we won’t share fixtures anymore :(.
Is your housing managed by Picerne?
Somebody's Mimi says
Please, please, don’t tell me that sunflower fabric was a piece of clothing!!!! I am so glad you cleaned the closet… I think the master closet in the new house is a wee bit smaller. Our daughter helps me clear out her father’s closet years ago, But believe me it needs it again!! Ok, Ok, so does mine.
Tina says
A trick I learned…when you go through your closet, turn your hangers all backwards, when you put away clean laundry, turn hangers back around for the items you have worn. After 6 months (or whatever time frame), the items with the hangers still backwards can be donated or thrown away because you are not wearing them anyway!
Mrs. White says
It is nice to have only the things you treasure. If there is something that is worn and you really love it, you can always use it as a pattern to make a new outfit.
Blessings
Mrs. White
jolyn says
I love me some goodwill. And my thrift store.
It was hard for me to get a post up about this this week. I don’t know how you’re doing this while moving, too!
The Prudent Homemaker says
Now, I have maternity clothes hanging in my closet as well. I’m usually pregnant during some part of every year 🙂
One thing that can be done is to repair some clothes. This week I mended holes in a blouse that had worn through in a couple of spots. I will get a lot more wear out of the shirt and I didn’t have to buy something new. I mended until they can’t be mended anymore, and then I cut the buttons off and keep them for making something else.
Scuffed shoes can be polished.
Thrift stores don’t carry my husband’s size, so I have been mending his clothing as well.
Elastic can be replaced if that is the only thing that is worn in an item.
Bethany says
A couple of years ago my husband and I began our wooden hanger mission – any money we could collect (gifts or just change from our pockets) was used to buy wooden hangers one package at a time! Christmas money from Grandma…a few packages. Four dollars in pocket change…one package. (I think we got about 8 hangers in a pack for $4 at Bed Bath and Beyone).
Slowly we built up until our master bedroom closet is all wooden hangers(it probably took us 6 months to finish the transition). Let me tell you…it really makes a difference. We bought the number of hangers that we felt was suitable for a wardrobe and that is the boundary for our clothing purchases. We promised to buy no more hangers, so we really can’t go on a shopping spree since the look of a plastic or metal hanger would really not fit into our polished look.
I always thought that wooden hangers were a needless indulgance, but it feels so nice to know just how many pair of pants we can accomodate…and see all of my clothes hung up so beautifully. It really gives us a new respect for our clothing and prompts us to keep things hung up neatly.
Kim says
You can felt that old cashmere sweater and turn it into about the very best diaper cover ever. Cashmere that has been felted (like regular wool) is water resistant and very soft.
TheHappyHousewife says
Thanks for the tip! I hate to see it just go to the trash!
Tammy says
I really need to get in on this topic. I have been going through things as next weekend we will be having our first ever yard sale in hopes to get enough money raised that I can get my childrens school clothes for this years school season. A long shot yes but hey you never know! I normally do very well with their shopping only getting what they need and shopping to die for sales and clearance and some thrift and yard sales when I can. I’ll have to for sure start posting about my pitching adventures and link up. Boy isn’t decluttering so much fun and so freeing!!!!
Tabby says
I cleaned out the playroom closet and picked up an embarrassing amount of trash from said room and closet. It had become a catch-all for sheets, blankets, and unused curtains, which were trampled on and bunched up at the bottom with toys and ick piled on top. I emptied the close, vacuumed, sorted, and now it’s a clean space with 4 totes of baby clothes and clean, folded baby/toddler sized blankets. I feel better.
Kim says
Well, as I am blog-less, I can’t link to the Itch to Pitch, but I do have some to share!!
After three years, we finally mucked out the garage! Threw away enough trash to fill 1 large trashcan and 3 large moving boxes. That doesn’t include the recycles (enough to fill 2 recycle bins and 2 boxes). Then 4 large boxes and various odds and ends picked up by the Vitenam Vets. My son and I went out and danced in the empty garage! Yay! Once we get something to hang the tools and snowboards on the walls, we might get a car in there!
Nicole- Chasing Blue says
I love it! The Itch to Pitch is such a great idea.
I’m working my way back to a simpler life! The more quality I have the better.
Your closet looks fantastic. I now have the motivation to do mine again.