How to Stop Hoarding Clothes (A Step-by-Step Plan to Declutter Your Wardrobe)

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People hold onto clothes for different reasons.

Like,

• Emotional attachment
• The fear of wasting money (Because it is still “as good as new” and is usable, or because they spent a fortune on it)
• Perceived utility (It might become useful “someday”)
• Wishful thinking (Keeping clothes for the day it would fit them)
• Nostalgia
• Identity (Clothing is tied to self-expression, and letting go might feel like losing a part of oneself)
• Cultural or social pressure (Expectations to maintain certain types of clothing for appearances or social norms)
• Indecision (Difficulty deciding what to let go of, leading to keeping everything)
• Guilt (A sense of obligation to keep gifts or items passed down from family – I am guilty of this!)
  

Whatever your reason is for hoarding clothes, getting to the root cause of it is necessary to stop being a hoarder.

You can declutter and give clothes away, but if you don’t fix your nature of being sentimental towards clothes, they will fill your wardrobe in no time again.

I will get to the decluttering tips in a moment, but before that let’s try to see why this happened in the first place. Shall we?

Stopping the hoarding habit and decluttering is not easy. I don’t want it to be a one-time event for you before you start hoarding again in two months.

So, let’s start from the root cause, get decluttering, and learn what to do in the future so that you are not a hoarder anymore.

This blog post is divided into 5 parts.

• I. Understand the why
• II. Declutter your wardrobe
• III. Organize
• IV. Habits of a non-hoarder
• V. Celebrate your progress

I hope you are ready. Let’s dive in.

Part I: Understand the Why

To make lasting changes, understanding the emotional or psychological factors that drive your behavior can help.

Explore your reasons for hoarding. Write them down for more clarity. You might also need to go through it later. So having the record on paper is beneficial.

The following could be some reasons:

• Sentimental value: Are you holding onto items because they remind you of special moments?
• Fear of scarcity: Do you worry you’ll need them someday?
• Shopping addiction: Do you buy clothes impulsively?
• Identity and self-expression: Are certain clothes tied to how you view yourself?

Reflect on these questions and journal your thoughts. Knowing your “why” helps you address the root cause and not just the symptom.

After this, create an actionable plan tailored to each root cause.

You can create a plan according to what you think will work for you. But here are some suggestions based on the root causes I touched on above.

Sentimental value: Decide on a designated space for keepsake clothes, like a small box or drawer. Limit the number of items you keep and consider taking photos to preserve memories without holding onto the physical item.

Fear of scarcity and wasting money: Build confidence by keeping versatile, high-quality pieces that cover most situations. Recognize that you can always buy what you truly need in the future.

Another reason I have often held onto clothes (or any other item) is because of the money I spent on them. I want to keep using them to “justify” my buying and making it worthwhile.

But this changed when I heard someone say this:

The money is gone when you purchase it. Holding onto it won’t bring the money back.

This phenomenon is called Sunk Cost Fallacy. Since you have invested in it, you are reluctant to let it go because it cost a good deal of money for you.

But do you know what?

You are still paying for it with your mental health, time, energy, and space.

It’s up to you to decide which one is the heavier investment.

Shopping addiction: Set a strict monthly budget or limit on clothing purchases. Unsubscribe from promotional emails and apps that trigger impulsive buying. If needed, seek support from a counselor or support group.

If you want to keep using certain apps that show ads for clothes (like Instagram or Facebook), unfollow the clothing shop pages and choose to click on the “not interested” button on the ads and reels when they show up. The algorithm will reset to your new preferences after a while.

But if you are worried you will need to remember the page names for later when you want to purchase new clothes, make a list of all your favorite shopping pages on your notepad, and save it for later.

Identity and self-expression: Curate a wardrobe that truly reflects who you are right now and the life you’re living. Keep pieces that make you feel confident, comfortable, and completely you. Let go of anything that doesn’t fit your current vibe—you deserve a closet full of outfits you love!

Sometimes we hold onto the person we were – maybe your clothes remind you of a certain phase of your life or certain people you were with. These things become part of your identity, and even if things have changed, you want to keep a fragment of it.

It’s okay to keep certain items for their sentimental value, but sometimes it’s also beneficial to accept the changes, let go of what doesn’t work anymore, and don’t look back.

I have mentioned only a few of the root causes I could think of off the top of my head. There can be many more individual reasons why you want to hoard. But you get the gist.

Go through each reason, and develop a plan to tackle each of them.

Next up, is the decluttering part.

Here is where we spring into action and “really do” one of the crucial parts of becoming the person you want to be: “a non-hoarder”.

Part II: Declutter

The amount of clutter you have will determine how much time and energy this might take.

But don’t worry, we shall go through it step-by-step.

Step 1: Set Clear Goals

This step is important because knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you from getting sidetracked, allowing you to declutter more efficiently.

Write your goals down so that you can look at them in the future if hoarding tendencies come up again.

So, define what you want to achieve by decluttering your wardrobe.

For example,

• Create space: Do you want a more organized and spacious closet?
• Simplify choices: Are you looking to streamline your morning routine?
• Live more sustainably: Do you want to reduce waste and practice mindful consumption?
• Save time and energy: Do you want to devote your time to better things than shopping, organizing, and decluttering your wardrobe?

Write down these goals and keep them visible as you go through the process.

Step 2: Prepare Yourself Mentally and Logistically

Decluttering your wardrobe can stir up a lot of emotions, but don’t worry—you’ve got this! Get ready to make some tough decisions and set yourself up for success with these simple steps:

• Schedule time: Dedicate a specific day or weekend to focus solely on decluttering.
• Gather supplies: Get boxes or bags for items you want to donate, recycle, or toss.
• Create a sorting area: Use your bed or a large surface to lay out clothes as you sort.

Step 3: Empty Your Closet Completely

Take everything out of your wardrobe and lay it in one place.

Seeing all your clothes at once can be eye-opening and help you realize the sheer volume of items you own (not that you didn’t know it, ahem!).

Also, make sure you have washed all the dirty laundry in the house and are included in this process. We don’t want to leave even a sock behind!

Step 4: Sort Your Clothes

Go through each item one by one.

While sorting, evaluate each item and place it into a donate, recycle, or discard pile.

You can donate gently used, clean, and wearable clothes. Torn, stained, or unwearable garments and textiles can be used for recycling if that’s an option for you.

Recycling helps to reduce waste in landfills and conserve resources. Choose to discard clothes that have permanent damage, stains or odors.

When going through each item, ask yourself these key questions to decide whether to keep, donate, recycle, or discard.

• Does it fit?

If it doesn’t fit you right now, let it go. Keeping “goal” clothes can create unnecessary stress. If you are in the process of losing weight and want to compare your progress, maybe you can keep just one item to motivate yourself.

But in the future declutter sessions, if you find this item demotivates you more than motivates you, don’t keep it. People change, and bodies change, it can be unhealthy to hold onto your teenage body as your ‘ideal body’ anyway.

It’s always best to keep clothes that fit and flatter your body as it is right now. If your weight changes, you can always shop for new pieces later!

• Have I worn it in the last year?

If not, chances are you won’t wear it in the future. This holds for your everyday wear as well.

• Is it in good condition?

Torn, stained, or damaged items should be recycled if they cannot be repaired.

• Do I love it?

If the item doesn’t spark joy or make you feel confident, it’s time to say goodbye.

Yes, confidence is important. I have certain clothes that I bought on a whim, thinking I would look good in them. But after reaching home, I could not find the confidence to carry myself in those clothes, and they had to go. Sometimes, certain colors, patterns or styles may not suit your current body, and that’s okay.

Choose to keep only the clothes that make you look authentic, cool, pretty, and confident.

This will help you avoid the unnecessary guilt of not wearing something you think you should wear.

And regarding the money you spent – it’s already gone when you spent it. Holding onto the clothes you can’t or don’t want to wear will not bring the money back.

• Does it serve a purpose?

Keep items that are practical and fit your lifestyle. If you can’t ever see yourself using the item in question, it’s better to get it another home.

The above is a checklist of questions you can ask while going through each item.

When you start decluttering, make sure you have separate bags ready for

• Donation
• Sentimental items
• Recycling
• Tossing

Throw each item into the respective bags immediately while you make the decision, and don’t make another pile of them to “do it later”.

That’s it! Throw them into the bags and don’t look back or second guess!

Mel Robbins’ 5-second rule can be put to use here. (This is my current read, and I have been using the rule for every other thing. I must say I am impressed by how quickly I am getting things done these days!)

Go through every item in your wardrobe (leave nothing behind or for later) and decide where they should go. You can take a rest in between, but please do not leave any single item behind if you want this to be a success.

Step 5: Declutter Sentimental Items Separately

Sentimental items can be the hardest to part with.

Dedicate a specific session to go through these pieces.

Some questions to ask during this session are –

• Does this item spark joy or serve a purpose?
• Would I miss it if it were gone?
• Could its memory be preserved in another way?

The number of sentimental items to keep in your wardrobe depends on your space, lifestyle, and emotional connection to those items. 

You can’t let go of the scarf your grandma crocheted for you, easily, can you?

But it can be difficult to part with your clothes if you attach emotions to every other piece of clothing. So here are three things to do while decluttering sentimental stuff.

Limit yourself: Decide on a small box or drawer to store sentimental clothes. Depending on the available space, decide the number of maximum items you can keep. It could be 5,10, or 15. But make sure you do not keep a large number of items for sentimental reasons, as this can lead to hoarding again.

Take photos: Preserve memories by taking photos of items you’re letting go, and save the photos to a hard drive or online storage space.

Repurpose: Turn old sentimental clothes into keepsakes like quilts or pillow covers.

Step 6: Donate or Sell Clothes Responsibly

Once you’ve decluttered, decide how to responsibly dispose of unwanted clothes.

• Donate: Give gently used clothes to charities, shelters, or thrift stores.
• Sell: Use online platforms like Poshmark, Depop, or local consignment shops to sell valuable items.
• Recycle: For worn-out or damaged clothes, find textile recycling programs in your area.
• Reuse: Turn the items you can into rag clothes.

Part III: Organize

Now that you have decided what to keep and what to give away or toss, let’s start organizing the remaining clothes.

Organize your clothes into categories. This helps you see what you own and prevents duplication in the future.

Here are some categories I thought of. Make more or less categories according to what you own.

• Tops: T-shirts, blouses, shirts
• Bottoms: Pants, skirts, shorts
• Dresses and partywear
• Outerwear: Jackets, coats, blazers
• Activewear: Gym clothes, yoga pants
• Accessories: Scarves, belts, hats
• Seasonal clothes
• Occasional wear: Beach clothes, winter sportswear, camping clothes, costume wear (like Halloween, traditional clothes), dance costumes, formal occasion wear, etc.
• Undergarments and lingerie

Once you’ve categorized your clothes, arrange them systematically in your wardrobe to maintain order and accessibility.

Organize Your Closet

Here are some tips to keep your closet tidy and functional:

• Group similar items together: Now that you’ve sorted your clothes by category, take it a step further by organizing each section by color. Group all the whites and light shades together and keep the darker colors in one spot. This makes finding outfits so much easier and keeps your wardrobe looking neat and stylish!
• Use storage solutions: Invest in hangers, bins, and drawer dividers to maximize space.
• Seasonal rotation: Store out-of-season clothes in labeled boxes or vacuum-sealed bags to reduce clutter. You can rotate these items in your closet as the seasons change.
• Occasional wear: Designate a specific section for occasional wear like formal dresses, suits, or festive attire. Use garment bags to protect them from dust.
• Undergarments: Organize undergarments in drawer dividers or small boxes. Separate bras, panties, and socks for easy access.
• Create a capsule wardrobe: Focus on versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched. Here is a helpful guide on how to start a capsule wardrobe for beginners.
• Set a limit: Keep your wardrobe to a specific number of items, like 100, to maintain balance and prevent future hoarding.

Part IV: Habits of a non-hoarder

Now that we are done with decluttering and organizing, you have a neat and organized wardrobe with only the things that matter to you.

Do you know what is the most important step now?

Making sure the clutter doesn’t creep back in! Learn how to keep things organized so you can enjoy your fresh, clutter-free space for good.

Here are some tips to prevent future hoarding by adopting mindful shopping practices.

• Make a list: Before heading out or shopping online, identify gaps in your wardrobe and write down exactly what you need. This will help you stay focused and avoid impulse buys.
• Invest in quality: Choose durable, timeless pieces that match your style and can be used for multiple occasions. High-quality items often last longer, reducing the need to constantly replace worn-out clothes.
• Follow the One-In-One-Out Rule: For every new clothing item you bring into your wardrobe, commit to letting go of an old one. This keeps your wardrobe balanced and prevents accumulation.
• Avoid impulse purchases: When tempted to buy something on a whim, wait at least 24 hours before making the purchase. This “cooling-off” period can help you determine if the item is truly necessary or just a fleeting desire.
• Unsubscribe from promotions: Limit exposure to sales and promotions by unsubscribing from store newsletters and turning off app notifications. This reduces the temptation to shop for things you don’t need. As I said in the first section, disable or click ‘not interested’ on online ads that show clothing items.
• Set a budget: Establish a monthly or seasonal spending limit for clothing. Stick to your budget to control overspending and prioritize intentional purchases.
• Shop with purpose: Buy clothes that align with your current lifestyle, work, and hobbies. Avoid purchasing items that do not suit your authentic style or for the ‘future you.’
• Think long-term: Consider how often you’ll wear the item and if it fits into your existing wardrobe. Trends come and go and if you cannot see wearing it for long-term, it’s better to avoid the purchase.
• Shop secondhand: Explore thrift stores or online resale platforms for unique, budget-friendly finds. This is a more sustainable way to add variety to your wardrobe without contributing to fast-fashion waste.
• Audit your purchases regularly: Take a moment every now and then to reflect on your shopping habits. Ask yourself if your recent buys were truly worth it or just impulse purchases. This little check-in can make a big difference and help you make smarter choices next time you shop!

Create a Maintenance Routine

In addition to the above mentioned habits that prevent the flow of clothes and accessories, make sure you set a maintenance routine to keep both – your wardrobe and hoarding habit – in check.

• Monthly check-ins: Review your wardrobe monthly to ensure it remains organized. If anything is out of place, put it back and keep everything neat.
• Seasonal decluttering: At the beginning of each season, revisit your closet to donate or replace items that no longer fit.
• Repair and care: Mend those little tears and snags in your clothes as soon as you spot them, and make sure to follow the washing instructions carefully. It’s a simple way to keep your wardrobe looking fresh and extend the life of your favorite pieces!

Part V: Celebrate Your Progress

Reaching this point is no small feat. So, you deserve to celebrate it and flaunt it, too.

This step is not necessary, but I truly believe in celebrating every little and big win in life—because isn’t that what life’s all about?

So, if you are interested, here are some ways to keep the progress going and keep you motivated to retain the momentum:

• Share your journey: Inspire others by documenting and sharing your experience. Post before and after photos on social media, write about it in a blog or in your journal, or discuss your journey with friends.

• Appreciate your space: Take a moment to admire your wardrobe transformation! Open that closet door and give yourself a mental high-five for the neatness, the easy access, and the thoughtful choices you’ve made with every item.

You have basically created a closet that’s a reflection of your fabulous self, and now, instead of staring blankly at a messy heap of clothes, you’re saving time, reducing decision fatigue, and feeling totally at peace.

Go ahead, take it all in — you’ve earned it!

• Reflect on your growth: Journal about the challenges you overcame, the lessons learned, and how you feel now. Use this reflection to set future goals for maintaining a clutter-free lifestyle.

If you don’t want to share it anywhere, having a record for yourself is a good way to look back on your achievements in the future.

Final Thoughts

Breaking free from clothing hoarding isn’t just about decluttering—it’s about building a healthier relationship with your belongings and embracing a more intentional lifestyle.

By taking these simple steps, you’ll be able to transform your wardrobe into a collection of items that you truly love and wear often. You just have to experience it once to get addicted to the appeal of a minimalist and neat wardrobe.

I hope this blog helped and motivated you in some ways to stop hoarding.

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