A closet can be packed with clothes and still leave you feeling like you have nothing to wear. Often, many of those pieces no longer fit, go with the rest of your wardrobe, or suit the life you’re living now.
Knowing you don’t wear something doesn’t make it easy to give away. Money spent, guilt, memories, and thoughts of “maybe someday” can keep clothes hanging around for years, so figuring out why you’re holding on can make clearing your closet less stressful.
You’re Worried You’ll Regret Getting Rid of It
That little voice asking, “What if I need this next month?” can keep an item out of the donation bag again and again. If you’re unsure, put the clothing in a box for a couple of months and see whether you think about it or feel the need to wear it before deciding.
Related: 13 Closet Organization Hacks That Make Your Wardrobe Look Cheap
You Spent Good Money on It
Getting rid of an expensive dress, jacket, or pair of shoes can feel like admitting you made a bad purchase. The money has already been spent, though, and keeping something unworn in your closet won’t bring it back.
You’re Saving Clothes That Don’t Fit
Keeping clothes in several sizes can make sense during certain stages of life, but a closet full of pieces you can’t wear right now can make getting dressed harder. If you want to keep a few items for another size, choose the ones you’d genuinely love to wear again and store them separately from your everyday clothes.
Related: Your Clothes Shouldn’t Age You — but These 12 Fashion Mistakes
You’re Keeping Too Many Backups
Extra jeans, shirts, and sweaters can seem useful because you’ll always have another one ready if your favorite gets dirty or wears out. But if you do laundry regularly and already have plenty of clothes to get through the week, you may have more backups than you need.
It Doesn’t Work With Anything Else You Own
Sometimes you keep a piece because you like it on its own, even though you never seem to have the right shoes, pants, or accessories to wear with it. Clothes that go with several things you already own are more likely to get worn than pieces that require you to buy an entirely new outfit.
Related: What Really Happens to Clothes Before They Reach Goodwill’s Racks?
You Used to Love It
An old favorite can be surprisingly hard to part with, even after you’ve stopped wearing it. It’s okay to appreciate how much you once loved a piece and admit that your taste has changed.
It Was a Gift
Giving away a gift can bring on feelings of guilt, even if you’ve never worn it and don’t see yourself wearing it in the future. You can appreciate the thought behind the gift without keeping the item in your closet for the rest of your life.
Related: 12 Best Places to Sell Your Unwanted Clothes and Make Extra Cash
It Reminds You of Someone or Something
A sentimental shirt, dress, or jacket may be tied to a person, an occasion, or a time in your life that you don’t want to forget. Keep the pieces that hold real meaning for you, and consider photographing the others if you’d like to preserve the memory without keeping every garment.
You Bought It Because You Thought You Should Wear It
Fashion trends and lists of wardrobe basics can lead you to buy pieces that don’t feel like your style. If you keep passing something over because you never feel comfortable in it, there’s little reason to keep it just because other people say you should own one.
You’re Keeping Clothes for a Life You Don’t Actually Live
Closets can fill up with formal outfits, old work clothes, vacation pieces, and other items saved for occasions that rarely happen. Unless you have a realistic reason to expect you’ll need them again, make room for clothing that suits your current routine and the activities you enjoy.
