Clear 5 from your closet

Pack away the clothes that are too small. Start with 5 today. Tomorrow, pack away 5 more. Clear your closet of everything you can’t wear today. If it’s more than 2 sizes too small, give it away. You want your closet to work for you TODAY not when you lose 5 pounds or 50 pounds.

Your closet reflects your thoughts, beliefs, hopes, dreams and opinions of yourself. Make your closet a reminder of how great you are right now.

Do you have clothes in your closet or stored away that you’ve kept for that someday when you’re back to a size…? Did you keep some “fat” jeans just in case you gained it back? Get rid of them. Start living in the present. Face each day with a closet full of clothes that fit and make you feel great about you. Get out of the past and don’t worry about the future. LIVE TODAY!

Don’t let yesterday’s dreams get stuck in your closet, reminding you of what you thought you were going to do. Focus on the clothes you enjoy wearing now. The clothes that feel good on, that fit when you move, that give you a spark of joy & energy when you wear them–those are the clothes you should create the space for today. LIVE TODAY!

Those size 12 jeans hanging in my closet taunting my size 24 body never helped motivate me. Instead, they sucked the life out of me. It was a daily reminder of what I wasn’t and what I was failing to do. But once I packed away the size 16s, a few 14s and gave all the 12s away, I started to accept the body and person I was. I accepted the possibility I might never lose the weight. I may not have been dancing in the streets about that but I dropped the guilt and gave myself permission to live in the present. I established a guideline that if I wasn’t on my way to wearing the size 16 in six months, I would let go of all the clothes and any remaining guilt. It worked. Once I was willing to live in the present and let go of what should be I was on my way. And what better way to celebrate than by buying new and wonderful clothes.

The cost of clutter in your closet

Have you kept a pair of pants because someday, maybe, they'll fit? Is there a shirt you continually push aside because it doesn't feel right? Do you have a jacket lurking in your closet that doesn't go with anything else you own, but you paid good money for it, so you keep it? Come on, be honest. I know I have.

Letting them go can seem difficult, but there's a high cost for keeping those items cluttering up your closet (and drawers, as well as under the bed and in the corners). Let's look at the cost of clutter in your closet.

Space:

Those clothes, unused and unloved, are taking up prime real estate. You could

have space to see what you own, space to see what might inspire your self-confidence today, space to enjoy the colors and textures you enjoy. Space in your closet is visually appealing which is why you've dreamed of having one of those magazine-perfect closets someday.

Money:

Decluttering your closet (and any place else you have clothes) allows you to see what you have with just a glance. No buying another pair of black slacks because you can't find the other three pairs you have. A closet with space keeps your clothing clean and in good repair, no damage from twisting, snagging or tearing.

Time:

If you had an extra 20 minutes a day, what would you do with it? Would you want to spend it curled up with a good book? Chatting with a friend? Or would you rather

spend it trying on a third outfit to find something decent to wear? If everything in your closet fit and you loved how it felt on, you could easily save 20 minutes a day to enjoy and spend it just on you.

Energy:

A closet filled with clothes that don't fit, clothes that don't feel right, and clothes that remind you of wasted opportunities, carries the highest price tag of all. Your closet can suck your energy away even before your day has begun. Or your closet can support, encourage and energize you from the start. Your closet can set your mood and your attitude for the day.

For the next month, evaluate each item you pick up (not wear, but pick up). Here are three questions to ask yourself?

Do I love wearing this?

Would I buy this today?

When did I wear this last?

If the answers are "YES!", "YES!", and you can recall the last time you wore the item, then keep it.

If the answers are "no", you can't remember the last time you wore it, or the tags are still there months later, then let it go.

If letting the item go is hard — because you spent “good money” for it and you feel you should keep it or you think someday you’ll fit into it — focus on giving the item of clothing a chance to be worn and loved TODAY by someone else. Here’s how My Wardrobe Genius (a tool I loved for organizing closets that is no longer available) stated it: Discard Card reads — “you have served me well. Thank you. It’s time for you to retire.” Donate Card says — “I have enjoyed you, but somebody else needs you now. Take good care of them.”

Part of closet maintenance is PREVENTION. Preventing unwanted, unused, or unloved clothing from taking up valuable space in your closet or drawers.