​Decluttering is never easy, but it may feel extra hard when it comes to your closet. For many people, clothes are extra difficult to part with because not only do they hold sentimental value, they also, just maybe, can be worn to that fancy cocktail event or costume party that you know you'll be invited to in the near future.

Though you may not want to donate that glittery dress you wore to senior prom, when you finally do you'll feel a sense of relief and be able to create a closet that is organized and full of versatile clothes.

When cleaning out your closet you should take all of your clothing and accessories out. It will make you truly sort through everything and categorize it based on what you want to keep and what you want to give away.

Sort each item into 3 categories: keep, sell or donate, and toss. Remember, if you haven't worn a piece in ages and don't feel confident wearing it, it's time to part ways. This flowchart by AEO will help you figure out what you actually want to keep.

​If you want to take your closet cleaning endeavor to the next level, try creating a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is a small, curated collection of your favorite pieces of clothing. The pieces should be versatile so that you can mix and match them.

Each season, you can create a new capsule wardrobe that's more fitting to the weather. Learn more about creating a capsule wardrobe here and use the worksheet below to help you plan your closet!

Big thanks to Alexandira Heinz with American Eagle Outfitters for reaching out to Upstate Clutter Coach to feature these amazing charts + worksheets! Have fun shopping everyone!

Isn’t it obvious? You clicked on this link just to confirm what you already know.

​The problem with too much stuff is that it DOESN’T FIT.

But sometimes, we try to force it.

Like when we pack for vacation, we erroneously pack too much. If one of our bags has some extra room, we pack even more. A recent survey found that 55% of us don’t even wear everything we’ve packed. So why do we do it?

We like options. We like being in control. We like the freedom of determining what we want, when we want it, and how we want it. We like to look like we’ve got it altogether, even when we’re going through hard times. Stuff, oodles of stuff, gives us that opportunity.

But how is that freedom affecting us?

For starters, we are burdened with heavier bags. We take solace in Sky Cap and dish out the extra bucks for overweight luggage. As long as we have access to everything we could possibly need, we’re happy to accommodate.
When we need something out of the bags, we comfort ourselves that the extra time spent digging through the excess isn’t that big of a loss. But the loss adds up.

And so does the stress.

When we can’t locate what we need, when we need it because of ALL the options we insist we have, something has to give. Usually it’s our attitudes. It’s easy to go from carefree to ticked-off in a matter of minutes when something we need can’t be found.

My heart starts racing just thinking about the lost shoe in the sea of too many.

Suitcases aren’t the only over-stuffed containers in our lives.

Cars, homes, purses, cubicles, offices, drawers, closets --- they’re all bursting because we’ve tried to force too much into them.

​Find a large, flat area so that you have room for both your gift and your creative juices. You can use a table, the floor, or even the top of your washer/dryer (a personal favorite of mine).
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Large or odd-shaped items fit perfectly into bags, easily disguised with a bit of tissue paper. Flimsy items (like clothing) are best wrapped when placed in gift boxes first. There are many ways to wrap, but I've pulled together a couple of how-to videos to help you on your way. 

• Folding on the Diagonal (uses less paper; perfect if you are at the end of a roll and don't want to do a patch-job)
• Folding on the Center (how your mom taught ya)
• Getting the Perfect Corners (hint: double sided tape is your best friend)
• Filling a Gift Bag (only two sheets of tissue paper....TWO!)

​Special Note: I did NOT include the video of how to do a patch-job with multiple sheets of paper. This is NOT a best practice, albeit a creative one. The best way to avoid this situation from the start is to make sure you cut your paper large enough to encompass the entire gift (unless you’re trying to save paper and using the Diagonal Method above). If you’re gifting your lovely spouse a new water-saving toilet, then it MAY be acceptable to employ the patch-job as long as you also use the words, “Honey, this gift is going to help us save money every day! In keeping with that money-saving theme, I used up all the scrap wrapping paper from years past, because I love you.” This is appropriate, based on personal experience.

It starts small with a night stand or an entry way table. Eventually, clutter crowds out kitchen counters, cabinet shelves, table tops, and closet floors. Clutter can even take over beds, chairs, sofas, and floors if you're not on the lookout. 

​If that's true, then up to 80% of the clothes in your closet, dresser, and, dare I say, on the floors might be CLUTTER.

So should we just grab some trash bags and start filling donation boxes? No. No, please, for the love of organization, don't do that!
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​Instead, let's analyze your possessions and your space. Let's go on a treasure hunt as we sort and identify all the things you need, use, and love. Let's set up organizational and storage systems so that you can efficiently access (and return) those treasured items. Then we'll consider what's left. If you've got room for the things you MIGHT need one day and REALLY want to hold on to and POSSIBLY will serve their intended purpose two decades from now, then we'll find an appropriate way to access those items as well.