There’s something incredibly refreshing about the changing seasons. The days feel lighter, the air feels softer, and suddenly it feels like the perfect time for a fresh start. A closet reset and declutter is more than just cleaning your home. It’s about creating space for the life you want to live. Letting go of things that no longer serve you and rediscovering the pieces that truly reflect who you are.
Recently, I went through a few major life changes that resulted in a MASSIVE wardrobe declutter and style reset, and the process was surprisingly transformative. Not only did I clear out pieces that no longer felt like me, but I also took the time to truly understand my personal style. I ended up parting with over 500 items (which is insane!) and today, I’m sharing exactly how I did it.
Read on for my closet clean out guide and tips on how to declutter your wardrobe!
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Ultimate Closet Reset: How to Declutter Your Life & Refresh Your Style
🌸 Embracing the Magic of a Closet Reset
Let me say, getting rid of the volume of items I did is truly mind-boggling but this is not a case of overconsumption. It’s a case of scarcity mindset, childhood trauma, generational hoarding fears, lack of time, and not knowing my worth. This declutter is part of a much, much deeper healing journey and it’s taken over 7 years to get to this place.
However, now that I’ve come out the other side, I feel like a completely different person. Instead of feeling emotionally attached to everything and equating my value with material objects, I feel like I’ve come to a place of intention and alignment. Since I’ve changed on the inside, it’s only fitting that the outside must also change. This is where the declutter comes in.
This was not planned. If you’re a regular reader, then you’ve likely noticed that I’ve been less present on here and on other platforms lately. Over the last 6 months, I’ve been in hermit mode quietly and intentionally building stronger foundations for my life, my business, and myself. During this time, I also went deep into my personal style. I learned about so many different things that work together when it comes to style and I created detailed documents outlining things like:
- my color season
- body type
- face shape
- style essences
- silhouettes that flatter me most
This made the decluttering process so much easier because I finally understood what truly belonged in my wardrobe. For previous declutters, I based everything off fit, condition, memories, etc. And I felt like I could never get rid of anything for one reason or another. But this time, I focused on what truly works best for me in terms of colors, silhouettes, and details. I also took into account things that I was naturally and intuitively drawn toward, even if it didn’t match these criteria (although most everything did) because joy is also important.
I found it MUCH easier to let go of things when I realized that they did nothing for me. And it made it much easier knowing that items sitting unworn in my closet for whatever reason were going to make someone else feel beautiful and confident <3 If you’re feeling the urge for a reset too, here are some gentle and practical ways to refresh your space and rediscover your style!
🌷 Why a Declutter Can Feel So Powerful
Decluttering isn’t just about having a tidy closet. It’s about creating an environment that supports the life you want (and have). When your space is filled with things you truly love, everyday routines start to feel a little more magical.
Decluttering can help you:
- reduce stress and decision fatigue
- rediscover pieces you love wearing
- simplify your morning routine
- create a wardrobe that reflects your personal style
Sometimes letting go of things simply creates room for new inspiration.
👗 Decluttering Your Closet: Where to Start
How to declutter your closet
For many people, the closet is one of the most overwhelming spaces to declutter. Clothing often holds memories, aspirations, or “just in case” pieces that make it difficult to part with. The best way to start is to take everything out of your closet so you can see exactly what you own. If you have a million things like myself, start in sections to keep it less overwhelming. For example – tops, bottoms, dresses, pjs, etc.
Then begin asking yourself a few simple questions:
- Do I feel confident wearing this?
- Does this reflect my current style?
- Does it fit well and feel comfortable?
- Would I buy this again today?
If the answer is no, it may be time to let it go. Check out this post for more declutter tips and questions to ask yourself before you start.
🎥 My Style Reset & Personal Style Documents: Knitwear
This video shows my full closet decluttering process and how I decided what to keep, donate, and resell. I also included a document I created with all of my declutter criteria that could be helpful or inspiring to you!
✨ How Understanding Your Personal Style Makes Decluttering Easier
How to refresh your personal style
One of the biggest things that helped me during my wardrobe reset was creating a personal style guide for myself. Instead of guessing what might work, I built documents that outlined how to find your personal style.
It included:
- my color season
- my body type
- my face shape
- my style essences
- the silhouettes that flatter me most
Having these guidelines made it much easier to see which pieces truly fit my aesthetic and which ones no longer aligned with my style. When you understand your personal style, your wardrobe begins to feel more cohesive and intentional.
🎥 My Closet Decluttering Process: Tops, Skirts, & Dresses
In this video, I continued the decluttering process with fall and winter tops, skirts and dresses. I used my personal style guide to help me further refine my wardrobe.
🌸 Gentle Decluttering Tips That Actually Work
How to declutter your wardrobe step by step
Decluttering doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Small, thoughtful steps can make the process feel much more manageable. If you’re wondering how to declutter clothes, here are a few tips that can make a big difference –
Start with categories, not rooms
Instead of tackling an entire space, focus on one category at a time like dresses, shoes, or accessories. I found this SO much easier to get through things at my own pace rather than trying to cram everything into one day. I typically burn myself out during declutters but found this much more manageable!
Try the “joy test”
If something doesn’t make you feel beautiful, confident, or excited to wear it, it might not belong in your wardrobe anymore. You should feel like your very best current self in your wardrobe.
Let go of “fantasy self” items
Sometimes we keep clothing for a version of ourselves that doesn’t quite exist. Your wardrobe should reflect who you are now – not who you used to or who you wish you could be (although I do find that some fantasy items DO actually help me with becoming the best version of myself so utilize that tool if it feels aligned with you).
Create a donation pile immediately
Once you decide to let something go, place it directly into a donation or resale pile so it doesn’t end up back in your closet. I usually make a few different piles to ensure that the process is well organized and less overwhelming (more on that below).
🎥 Coat Collection Decluttering & Closet Organization
In this video, I finished off my fall and declutter by going my entire feminine coat collection using the same principles I laid out previously.
🌸 Must-Have Piles for Decluttering
Closet cleanout tips for women
Before I even start decluttering, I like to create piles – one each for Poshmark, consignment, gifting friends/family, tailoring, donations, trash, and one for “maybe” items.
Poshmark is my platform of choice when it comes to selling. However, it’s VERY time-intensive and since my schedule is usually quite busy, I’ve come to terms that I simply don’t always have time. With each declutter, I start with the best of intentions but I typically end up with unlisted piles that sit for months (sometimes up to a year!). Therefore, I reserve this platform for selling my higher end items and I cap it at 20-30 per season, which has made it much more manageable.
Check out my Poshmark closet here and follow for future updates!
Consignment
This option is nice for those that have little time to list themselves. Although, the potential sales cut is much less, this is a great option if you have a higher volume of items. It also frees up time and space, which has been helpful in my declutter journey for peace of mind and less stress. In the past, I’ve tried to make appointments seasonally but during this massive declutter, I made them monthly, which has helped keep me accountable.
Gifting
If I find something that I think a friend or family member might like, I set it to the side.
Tailoring
I keep a running pile of items to tailor but I try to keep it small. If I don’t feel I can get it done within the season, I move it to consignment, gifting, or Poshmark.
Donations
If something doesn’t belong to any of the piles above and it’s still in excellent condition, it goes here. I try to donate to my local women’s shelter (and to teens when I get the chance).
Trash
My trash pile is usually pretty small as I generally take very good care of my clothes. This pile is reserved for very worn, stained, or torn items that are beyond repair. If I can recycle any part of it, I do try to do that before throwing anything out.
Maybes
The last pile is reserved for the items that I’m unsure about. If they are out of season, then I box them up and put them in the garage until the season returns. Since I declutter biannually, this usually gives me six months to think it over. I find that this softens the blow of decluttering too quickly and lessens regret.
For in season items, I’ve started putting them in my closet in a box on the floor. If I don’t pull anything from the box by the end of the season, the items are then grouped to be sold, gifted, or donated. It’s rare that I keep the maybe items so most of them leave but having them around a bit longer does help emotionally.
🎥 My Style Reset & Personal Style Documents: Spring & Summer Dresses
In this video, I continued the closet decluttering process with my feminine spring and summer dresses – by far my largest clothing category! I also shared my princess dress collection, although I didn’t declutter much LOL!
🌷 Creating a Wardrobe You Truly Love
How to organize your closet after decluttering
Once you’ve decluttered your closet, the next step is building a wardrobe that feels cohesive and intentional.
Some things that can help include:
- choosing a consistent color palette
- focusing on silhouettes that flatter your body type
- investing in pieces that reflect your personal style
- prioritizing quality over quantity
A thoughtfully curated wardrobe makes getting dressed feel joyful and easy instead of stressful.
🎥 Closet Organization After Decluttering & Final Wardrobe Reset Results
After decluttering, I reorganized my wardrobe to make everything easier to see and style. Here’s a look at the final result after completing my wardrobe reset! Watch below to see the final results and get some closet organization ideas.
🌼 Other Ways to Do a Life Reset & Declutter
A reset doesn’t have to stop at your closet. You can also refresh other areas of your life with this seasonal cleaning checklist.
Some simple ideas include:
- deep cleaning your living space
- refreshing your skincare routine
- organizing your beauty products
- updating your morning routine
- creating a new vision board
Even small changes can create a surprising sense of renewal any time of year!
🌸 Final Thoughts on Decluttering & Starting Fresh
Everyone’s reasons for decluttering are different but this one has been life-changing for me. This declutter has been the largest one I’ve ever done and it’s been part of something much bigger. For me, it’s been a large part of my healing journey. The last 18 months have been incredibly difficult at times and many things converged in a way that I can only classify as fate.
After doing a lot of internal healing over the last 7 years, the natural next step was to make external changes to match the internal. The decluttering was making way for my new era – a glow up of sorts (more on that later). This was all very organic and unplanned but it happened at the right time… when I was finally ready to let go of the past and embrace the version of my self that I’ve been building all these years.
Doing a seasonal reset can feel incredibly freeing. Letting go of things that no longer fit your lifestyle or personal style creates space for new inspiration. For me, decluttering my wardrobe wasn’t just about organization. It was about rediscovering what I truly love to wear and creating a closet that reflects my personality and aesthetic. Sometimes the most beautiful transformations start with something simple like clearing out a closet and making space for a fresh chapter. I can say with certainty that this wardrobe reset has completed changed my life for the better <3
I hope you loved these wardrobe declutter tips! Do you have any tips to add about how to refresh your wardrobe?
Let me know in a comment below!
xo
