Weed That Closet: 9 Tips from a Librarian

            One of my duties as a former elementary school librarian was to weed sections of the library annually. It literally means getting rid of books that are old, damaged, or unattractive to students. You may cringe at the idea of removing books, but shelf space is prime real estate for new and current materials. A slimmer library means students have greater access to books because crowded shelves can lead to frustration, wasted time and possibly not getting anything at all. 
     You might have the same feelings when you look in your wardrobe closet. You can’t find anything, but you know it’s in there somewhere. You tell yourself that you will clean it out someday, but that someday never comes. My strategies for weeding a library might help you trim down that closet and come out a winner.
 

1. Select your target. Start with a small closet rather than your biggest one to give you a greater chance for success. If you have one large closet, focus on one section like your shoes.
2. Set a definite date. Set a date to block out time when you know you will have few interruptions or distractions. 
3. Bring what you need to get the job done. Have boxes and bags ready to give away items in reasonably good condition. Have a trashcan ready for anything that is beyond repair. 
4. Organize things. Get like things together to stay focused on the task. For example, put all the pants or collared shirts together for a better evaluation. If you are working on one area in your big closet like shoes, organize them by color.
5. Sort out the damaged items first. Look for anything that is unsightly and cannot be repaired. Trash it.
6. Remove unappealing, worn out, ill-fitting and duplicate items. Here is where you must put on your tough-as-nails face. You must be ruthless to cut the cord and let some things go for good. Ask yourself questions to determine the value of the item to give it a yea or nay. Why do I like this shirt and not that one? When was the last time I wore this? Are those pants too tight and unflattering? How many black tank tops do I really need? How do I feel when I wear this? This step may have to be repeated if you find that your wardrobe is still too cramped to be manageable for your lifestyle.
7. Remove the old or out-of-date. Distinguish between what is old and what is classic. Some things never go out of fashion – the basic black dress, the pearl necklace, but my platform shoes from the 70’s will not work with today’s up-dated style.
8. Straighten your items. Once you have gotten rid of the extra weight, re-organize now that there is more room by putting similar things together.
9. Assess what is truly needed. See what is missing. After weeding my closet, I noticed a lack of printed tops in a sea of solid colors.  Make a shopping list to prevent impulse buying.

 
When you have finished weeding your closet, take a look at what you have accomplished in your closet and pat yourself on the back for a job well done. It isn’t easy to part with old favorites but think of all the new favorites to shop for in the future. Weeding sounds drastic but tough love can bring about sweet results.

Published as Weed That Closet by J.B. Broy in the compilation Welcome to Spring Cleaning
of House and Heart. Spring 2014. SchoolhouseTeachers.com.