The Feb-YouWear-y Clean Out

Overflowing dresser drawers, shoes scattered all around, a closet bursting at the seams. Having too much stuff can cause chaos in our lives. Simplifying the amount of clothes, accessories and shoes we own can help bring a sense of calm to the home. Many times when our belongings cause stress and are disorganized, it’s because we own too much.

If I don’t keep up with cleaning out old things in my closet, dresser and jewelry chest, I end up with way more than I need. It’s funny because I don’t feel like I buy new things very often and yet it seems like I always have way too much. Maybe you can relate. Or maybe you can’t because you do shop for new clothes, shoes and jewelry frequently, so it makes sense that your closet is jam-packed!

The month of February is a great time to get rid of excess things in your wardrobe. Once February comes around, the busyness of the holidays has passed and the excitement of the new year has worn off. It’s time to get down to business this month! That’s where The Feb-YouWear-y Clean Out comes in.

What is The Feb-YouWear-y Clean Out?

The Feb-YouWear-y Clean Out is a challenge to purge the items you own within four different categories. Each of these categories has to do with things you wear. Each week of February we will focus on one category and sort through the items we own in that category. We will get rid of the items we (1) no longer like, (2) have no reason to keep, or (3) haven’t worn in over two years. Once we have chosen what to keep, based on these three criteria, we will then organize the spaces where these items are kept.

Let’s take a closer look at the criteria we will use when deciding whether or not to keep things during our Clean Out.

(1) Get rid of it if you…no longer like it

This may seem like a no-brainer, but don’t keep things you don’t like! If you don’t like it, you probably won’t wear it. Even if you do decide to wear it, you probably won’t feel good in it (because you don’t like it!). Don’t be afraid to let go of things you don’t like. It can sometimes be a challenge to decide whether or not you still like some items you own. I’ve heard that you should ask yourself if you would buy the item if it were in a store right now. If you wouldn’t buy it, then its a good indication that you don’t like it…so get rid of it 🙂

(2) Get rid of it if you…have no reason to keep it

Why do we keep things for no reason? I don’t know, but I do it all the time. HA! There’s no reason to keep clothes and shoes that don’t fit or are no longer your style. Or to keep something you will never wear just because it was expensive (or just because ___________ ). There’s no reason to own six black cardigans, unless they are part of a uniform. Take time to think about why you own each item in your wardrobe. Then decide if that “why” is still relevant today. If it’s not, then there is no reason to keep it.

(3) Get rid of it if you…haven’t worn it in over two years

Chances are you won’t wear something again if over two years have passed since you wore it last. The exception being those items that are for specific special occasions. When it comes to the things you wear often or semi-often, don’t keep anything that has been untouched for two years or more.

The Four Categories

Like I mentioned above, there will be a new category to focus on each week in February. This gives us four categories of things “You Wear.” Using the criteria above, we will carefully consider whether or not to keep every item we own in each category.

Clothing

First up in our Clean Out challenge is clothing. In this category we will focus on all tops and bottoms – shirts, sweaters, cardigans, jeans, pants, shorts, skirts, dresses, etc. This will include clothes for work, casual, dressing up, lounging, exercising and pajamas. If it is in your closet/dresser/basket/on the floor 😉 and you consider it “clothes” then it falls into this category.

Jewelry and Accessories

For week two, we will sort through jewelry and accessories. Things that would be considered accessories are scarves, hats, headbands, bobby pins/clips and anything else you wear in your hair or on your head. These types of things can really accumulate over time! Be sure to go through every place where you keep things in this category. Jewelry and accessories can be small but they are not insignificant and you need to sort through them.

Outerwear and Undergarments

Outerwear and undergarments will be our focus for week three. Outerwear will consist of coats, jackets, parkas, snowsuits and all things you wear over your clothes. Undergarments will include underwear, bras, shapewear, hosiery, slips and anything else you might wear under your clothes.

Shoes and Socks

Our final category is shoes and socks. All footwear for all seasons and occasions will be included in the Clean Out. We will also go through our socks and get rid of old, worn out ones and those that don’t have a mate.

Helpful Tips

This Clean Out might seem overwhelming. I will admit that it is a lot! The good thing is that we have an entire month to complete this challenge. Just think about how good it will feel at the end of February to have your entire wardrobe refreshed and rid of old, unnecessary items! I have a few tips to help you get there.

Break it down

If you own a lot of items in a category, don’t feel like you have to tackle it all at once. Don’t forget, we have a full week to clean out the items in each category. Setting small goals can help accomplish these big tasks. For instance, you could dedicate just 20 minutes every day to going through the items for that week. By the end of the week that will equal 2 hours and 20 minutes and you will have gotten rid of so much stuff! Don’t let feelings of overwhelm paralyze you. Just start small with the goal of making huge progress, little by little.

Take each item out of its current spot

It might sound silly, but it will be immensely helpful to pick up every single item as you are sorting. Even if you are going to put it right back where it came from, go ahead and pick it up. I recommend taking everything out of a drawer, a section of the closet or wherever your things are stored. Using the three criteria above, pick up each item and decide if it stays or goes. You can then organize the items you’re keeping in a way that works best for you.

Organizing

I won’t spend a whole lot of time going through the ins and outs of organizing the things you decide to keep. That could be an entire blog post on its own! But part of this challenge is to get rid of things you don’t want or need so your environment is simplified, less cluttered and more peaceful. Take time to make your space and your newly downsized wardrobe work for you. Make sure everything you keep has a space in your home where it can be neatly kept.

Sentimental items

You may own some things that you haven’t gotten rid of because of their sentimental value. It is definitely okay to keep things like this. However, not everything is sentimental! Part of the reason why we end up with so much stuff in our homes is because we think everything means something. Only keep what is truly special. To help with keeping things neat and organized, I find it best to store sentimental items away from everyday items. If you won’t wear it regularly, keep it in a storage box, extra closet or separate space. This will leave more room for the things you actually wear to be front and center in your closet and dresser.

Let’s Go!

Whether you’re thinking the Feb-YouWear-y Clean Out will be a piece of cake or a huge challenge, I encourage you to make a plan for participating. The three criteria will help you get started and aid in making the hard decisions. It will be well worth your time to downsize and simplify the things you own in each category.

To join a community of others who will be conquering the Clean Out, “like” my Facebook page – Delight of Mine. I will be posting about the challenge and encouraging everyone along the way. It will be a lot of fun 🙂 There will be a few prize drawings as well!

You’re invited to leave questions and comments below. Let me know what you think about The Feb-YouWear-y Clean Out. Will you be participating? If so, please let me know how it goes!