When the days grow longer, and the weather grows warmer, you might feel the urge to clean and organize your entire house. If you’re going to spend time cleaning everything, that will mean diving into your closet.

While it’s not the easiest chore, you should go through and clean out your closet at least once a year. Follow these spring cleaning tips to sort out your wardrobe and clear out your space to fill with new pieces that fit your style!

Make Three Piles

While tossing out clothing can be a difficult, emotional task, you need to eliminate the items you no longer wear. Don’t think too hard about each item, and make three piles based on your first instinct.

Yes

The “yes pile” is for items you wear all the time, and you know you need to keep them in your wardrobe. Think of this stack as your fashion essentials and your absolute favorites.

No

The “no pile” is for items you know you’ll never wear again. Start with any clothes that no longer fit, have holes in them, or are out of style. While this may be small at first, keep adding to it as you go.

Maybe

Place items you’re unsure about in the “maybe pile.” Perhaps you don’t know if it still fits or if it suits your current style.

Have a Try-On Party

While it may be a party of one, you should make the most of it! Rather than trying on every piece of clothing you own, consider trying on items from your “maybe pile” to determine how you feel about each one. Then add it to your “yes pile” or “no pile” and narrow it down to two stacks.

Keep, Sell, Donate

Once you know how you feel about all of your clothes, you can decide what to keep, sell, or donate. Your “yes pile” will most likely have all of your keepers. That means the remaining clothes have got to go.

You can sell gently used clothing to get some extra cash and donate the rest to others in need. You’ll feel better knowing your closet is clear of all those old pieces.

Organize the Keepers

Tossing out your old clothes isn’t the only step to spring cleaning: you still have to clean and organize! Now that everything’s out of your closet, dust and clean it before putting your remaining clothes back in. Next, take some time to arrange your keepers in a way that matches your organizational style such as by color or style.

After you finish your organization, one spring cleaning tip to sort out your wardrobe is to get a jump start before next year. Turn your hangers backward to start. Then, when you wash and return items to your closet, hang them as usual. This way, you can determine what you have and haven’t worn in the past year when spring cleaning comes around again.

Treat Yourself!

After your hard work, you deserve to treat yourself. All that room in your wardrobe means more space to fill with stylish new pieces. Visit your favorite southern boutiques online and buy a few things to help fill in the gaps and further cultivate your style!

Laine Spruiell