The hoarding problem affects an estimated 5 million to 14 million persons in the United States. South Carolina has the most people who say they are hoarders, with 50% of them identifying as such. Ohio is next with 42%, and Alabama follows with 41.7%.
When your closets get filled up with things you don’t wear or use, it can become stressful. Keeping your closet clean is satisfying; however the real challenge lies in removing stuff you don’t need. There are many smart ways and ideas to organize your closet and make it more efficient. Regularly getting rid of unnecessary items will make the biggest difference in keeping your closet neat and manageable.
A list of 19 items you need to get rid of to have a tidy closet.
Bad Fitting Clothes
Get rid of the clothes that don’t fit the style or don’t fit well. Keeping them makes you uncomfortable and wastes your time trying on outfits that don’t look good on you. According to a survey, the average American only wears about 20% of the clothes in their closet regularly.
Clothes You Haven’t Worn In a Year
If you haven’t worn a piece of clothing in the last two years, remove it from your closet. Many people keep trendy clothes they never wear or items that don’t match their lifestyle or the local weather. Most women use only 20 to 30% of the clothes they own. This means they regularly wear just a small part of their wardrobe. The rest of their clothes are rarely or never worn.
For clothes that need small fixes, don’t throw them away. Instead, take care of those minor issues like small tears, missing buttons, or loose zippers.
Too Many Duplicates
It’s okay to have the same T-shirt in different colors or multiple pairs of jeans that fit well. However, professional organizers believe that we tend to keep too many similar items. For example, you don’t need to keep 10 black shirts.
Expensive Items You Don’t Use
You might keep expensive clothes that you never wear because it feels wasteful to get rid of them. You think about selling them online, but you struggle to take photos, list them, package them, and send them. Consider donating them to a charity.
Damaged Clothing
Consider letting go of damaged or stained items at home that you still need to fix. Instead of keeping them, you could use them to clean clothes or donate them to a pet shelter. Expensive as they may be, they’re cluttering your home, a space better used for everyday essentials.
Mismatching Socks or Socks With Holes
Cleaning out your sock drawer can be annoying when you find socks with holes or only one sock from a pair. Get rid of these damaged or mismatched socks and replace them with new ones. Researchers discovered that, on average, a person loses about 1.3 socks every month. This means that over the course of a year, people tend to misplace or lose approximately 15 socks.
Broken Hangers
Start by getting rid of any broken hangers. They can damage delicate clothes and make your closet look untidy. Experts advise investing in sturdy wooden or velvet-covered hangers. These protect delicate fabrics and are more durable than plastic or wire hangers. Moreover, they help maximize space in your closet.
Old Towels
If you have old towels you no longer use, consider donating them to animal shelters. Shelters can use them for bedding, cleaning, drying pets, and more. It’s a practical way to repurpose your old towels and help animals in need.
Uncomfortable Footwear
Get rid of uncomfortable shoes, even if they are fashionable but unwearable. Donate or sell shoes in good condition to free up space and earn additional money for better-fitting shoes.
Shoe Boxes
Having too many shoe boxes can make your space manageable. Instead, try using shoe racks or transparent, stackable organizers to save space and easily find your shoes. If you live in a small apartment, over-the-door racks are a practical solution. They fit over doors easily and protect them with felt cushions. Consider getting rid of plastic bags and packaging to free up closet space and make it look more organized.
Unused Bedding and Linens
If your linen closet has too many extra blankets, sheets, or other bedding you don’t use, sort through them. You can give away bedding to charities or animal shelters where it can still be useful. If you have some favorites, you can also use them as picnic blankets.
Bridesmaid Dresses
Bridesmaid dresses are usually made for one wedding, so you won’t usually wear them more than once. Even though they might be unique to you, you probably won’t use them again. Instead of keeping them, give them to someone else who could wear them for their special day.
Seasonal Clothes
Seasonal clothes, such as winter coats and summer shorts, are worn only during specific times of the year. Rather than discarding them, store them in a box under your bed, in a spare closet, or in a storage bin when they’re not in season. This keeps them organized and ready for use when the weather changes.
Borrowed Things
Holding on to things that don’t belong to you is wrong and can cause problems in relationships. Make sure you return clothes or anything you borrowed for a special event. This shows that you are trustworthy and responsible.
Bags That Don’t Match With Any Outfit
If you have bags that you don’t like or whose colors don’t match your clothes, take them out of your closet. You can give them to someone who can use them or sell them online.
Things Given By Your Ex
Let go of the memories from the past that are making you unhappy. Get rid of your ex’s t-shirt, any gifts they gave you or things they left behind. By doing this, you are doing yourself a favor and clearing out the old memories. 65% of Americans indicated they retained something from a previous relationship. Most people say they keep these objects because they bring back memories.
Gifts That Don’t Match Your Taste
You often get gifts from friends and family on special occasions. Even though these gifts are given with love, they don’t always match your taste. As a result, many of them end up unused in the closets. By clearing out these unused gifts you can clean up some space for other items.
Footwear That Aren’t in Use Anymore
If you keep taking out your shoes to match outfits but never wear them, consider giving them to someone. They may no longer fit your style or needs. Passing them onto someone else will ensure they’re not taking up space in your closet. On average, women in the U.S. own 19 pairs of shoes, but they regularly wear only four pairs.