How to edit your wardrobe for a functional closet that works for you
If getting dressed feels frustrating even with a closet full of clothes, it’s time for a wardrobe edit. A cluttered, unedited wardrobe is one of the biggest reasons why you’re staring at rows of tops but feeling like you have nothing to wear.
🤷🏼♀️ Here’s why you want to edit your wardrobe:
It’s difficult to see what you’re missing when you’re staring at a row of tops - yet you always feel like you have no shirts to choose from when you get dressed.
Surprises suck. Sorry lol but that’s my take on them. In this case, you don’t want to be counting on a pair of pants only to realize the night of that they no longer fit. That’s a bad night in my books.
It’s a good check-in with your evolving style. Something you lived in 2 years ago may not slap as hard for you in 2024. You evolve with time, so honour the person you’re becoming.
💁🏼♀️ Here’s a step-by-step guide to how I edit my closet without getting overwhelmed:
I tackle one category at a time - tops, bottoms, jackets, dresses, shoes, bags, jewellery.
Doing it this way keeps you from getting overwhelmed. Editing one category at a time keeps you from blowing up your bedroom and and quitting.
Pull out all your tops, and lay them out on your bed. It’s important that you actually take them out of the closet so you can see all the tops you own, including what’s stuffed into the back of a drawer or layered on a hanger somewhere you don’t typically reach.
make yourself a snack and put on a great playlist - you can’t do this hungry or in a funk
separate out all your fall/winter tops
try them all on
no, actually, you have to try your stuff on
make a pile with the tops you LOVE
make another pile with the ones you LIKE
third pile with pieces you NEED
fourth pile with the ones that do nothing for you - these are either ones that are damaged, don’t fit or you just don’t feel like yourself when you wear them
from the fourth pile, bag for donation the pieces that are more than 2 years old
consignment pile with the pieces that are in good shape and less than 2 years old
Once you’ve gone through this, it makes it a lot easier to work with the pieces in your wardrobe that you actually like, without the clutter of all the extras accumulated over the years that makes getting dressed feel like a guilt-ridden chore.
You have so much on your mind first thing in the morning, it’s just not worth it to have your closet chew up more of your mental energy than it needs to.
Editing your wardrobe isn’t about tossing clothes. Instead, the focus is on creating a closet that works for you. By breaking it down into manageable steps, you’ll literally and mentally make space, allowing you to gain clarity on what you love, what you need, and how to make getting dressed feel easier and more intentional.
The goal? A functional wardrobe that reflects who you are now and supports where you’re headed next.
So grab a snack, tackle one category at a time, and remember: the less clutter you have in your closet, the more freedom you’ll feel when you get dressed.
Curious about those pieces that you don’t love but can’t part with? I’m covering that in the next post!
Your turn: Have you started editing yet? I’d love to hear what surprises you found in your closet—hit reply or leave a comment below!
