Clear the Clutter Challenge Day 5: Closet Clean Out!

Well that de-escalated quickly!  Challenge Day 5 is all about the master closet.  (If your master closet is clean and organized beautifully, I admire you.  I also wish you would come over and do mine!!)  The goal was to clear out the closet and only keep what you need, use, or really want.  This is actually turning into a bigger job than I wanted it to be.  There are a lot of things that I am not quite sure what to do with.  Extra blankets, work stuff that my husband hasn’t actually used in years…that sort of thing.  We share a walk-in closet, so it’s very unlikely that I can finish this in one day.  I may not even be able to finish it alone.  And that’s perfectly okay.

The purpose of this 30-Day Challenge is to clear the clutter in our lives so that we can enjoy other things.  However, if trying to clear the clutter is causing you undue stress, it’s time to step back and take a break.  Just for a minute though!  I don’t want you to stop altogether, but you may have to reevaluate your steps.

If there is a Challenge day that just doesn’t work for you or if you can’t get it finished on that day, that’s just fine.  Sometimes we have to break things down into smaller increments…things like my closet!

I have managed to find over 20 things to add to my giveaway/sell pile, so that’s a win!  I would’ve liked to have finished it all in one day, but that’s not happening and I forgive myself for it.  I do so solemnly vow to work on it a little every day until it is finished though!!

In the meantime, here are a few tips that I’ve picked up on cleaning out your closets:

• If at all possible, remove everything from the closet.
• Go through the items and decide if they really belong in there.  If they don’t, find them a new home.  (And it doesn’t even have to be in yours!)
• When it comes to clothes, only keep what you really need and/or you really love.  I mean REALLY.
• Organize things back in a way that makes sense.
• If you have to keep things in storage boxes, label them.
• If you have stinky shoes, put some odor eaters in them or get rid of them!!

Those are just a few tips that I am currently trying to use.  Hopefully they will be of some help to you.  And remember, if it gets too overwhelming, give yourself permission to step back for a minute and take a deep breath…we can do this!!

I’d really love for you to join my Clear the Clutter Challenge.  Unless you don’t have clutter.  In which case, I salute you and would love to hear how you manage to keep it that way!!