HOW in the world do you decide where to start? What stays, what goes?

I’m here to tell you to start where you think you’ll benefit from it the most. You’ll feel the satisfaction and gain the momentum to continue.

IF your closet is the bane of your existence, start there.

IF your kitchen cabinets are filled so much that they won’t close all the way, start there.

There’s no right or wrong answer, as long as you DO it! Action is what this post is all about.

For me, I started in my closet. Thankfully, I have a separate closet from my Husband; however, that means that over the years (instead of going through it regularly), it was there accumulating… and accumulating.

One day, I had a major “nothing to wear” battle. I did indeed have a full closet and something to wear—but I just sat there overwhelmed. I’m sure I’m not the only one that has done that before….

We buy “uniforms” for a certain aspects of our lives and they’re meant to coexist in our closets. Differentiating “work” clothes off limits to “going out” clothes, even though at the end of the day … they’re just clothes.

Surely, I can’t be the only one that thinks in this thought pattern. How many times we’ve stopped ourselves from wearing something because it’s different than it’s meant for? I have. Too many times to count.

I knew that day that something had to change. So, that’s what I did. I took my control back!

Here’s my process when I purge (notice it’s still in a present tense?)

The never-ending cycle of purge.

First and foremost, you SHOULD clear everything out. You can’t get rid of things if you can’t see them all.

Second, a quick decision round is the best option when going through initially. There are items that will stay with you forever and ones that you’ve outgrown (figuratively and literally). Get that gut reaction done and overwith!

Take the first round of no items out of the room, out of the house, into your car as soon as humanly possible. Inevitably, you’ll decide you must keep something out of it that you haven’t used or worn in years.

Set your yes items aside to come back to.

Focus on your maybe things. I think maybes are the hardest because you never know what’s going to happen in the future. But you got this!

My rule — if it’s clothes, you HAVE TO try on. The fit needs to be right. If you love something but it doesn’t fit quite right, could you take to an alterations expert? If it can’t work out, cry a little for it and put in the no pile.

IF you have multiples of the same item, pick one to keep and the other(s) need to go away.

Repeat the no removal from above.

The yes and kept maybe items can go back in their home; however, organized being the key. Like items with like items. When speaking of a closet, you may decide your brain likes color coded by sleeve length (like mine does), or dresses by fit, jeans by wash, etc.

Personally, my shirts are color coded by sleeve length, pants are grouped by type (denim, nicer), and dresses are color coded as well but the sorted by pattern and length. That’s just what works for me and my brain.

Congratulate yourself on a job well done! You did it. A step towards filtering out the stuff we don’t need to make room for the stuff we love.

You will have to repeat this cycle repeatedly and often to get the right amount for you. I’m not one to count my clothes. But you’ll know when you have too many of certain items and not enough of something.

Enough– that’s a fun word to dwell on for a minute. When do we have enough? Will we ever be fulfilled enough to stop shopping for things we don’t need?

You may want to research some donation centers near you that are free stores, rather than traditional thrift stores (ie Goodwill). To find these centers, I’d suggest calling a local church, asking your neighbors, or utilizing resources like Facebook and Nextdoor.

Of course, if something has a hole in it that can’t be fixed, is stained, or threadbare, it’s best to throw these items away. While I’m all about donating and up-cycling, some items have lived their best life and they need to be put to rest.

If you’re wanting to sell brand name, designer, or expensive items instead of donating, there are a few things you should research.

Consignment shops are best for designer purses and bags when they can be verified. Places like Plato’s Closet, Once upon a Child, etc are sometimes but rarely worth the effort selling to.

Facebook Marketplace and local Facebook BST (Buy/Sell/Trade) groups can be great for a quick turnaround if priced within your market. Poshmark or Thredup have been good for people with photography skills and availability to ship but IMO items must be perfect.

This post is focused on clothes, but can easily be adaptable to other parts of your house and life. College kids, shelters, and the like are always looking for home goods that can be loved by another.

Your challenge this week is to do a purge of something, pass it forward, move it on, and put your life back minimally and organized with the items you’ll be proud to own (or wear).