7-step painless process to give away 'favourite' clothes

There are two things you need to know about revamping your closet.

1. The essentials.
2. Organisation.

Basically, you want to feel secure that what you are giving away is what you can honestly do without. Then you want to look at what you have decided to keep in a fresh way.

Here are the 20 essentials any closet must have.

(Apply article of clothing for respective of gender)

1. Maximum 4 long-sleeved shirts
2. Maximum 4 sweaters
3. Maximum 3 casual skirts or dresses, tops.
4. Maximum 2 professional/business outfits. A blazer to dress-up casual outfits
5. 1 black dress
6. 2 pairs of exercise sweatpants or quarter-leg pants
7. 2 pairs of running shorts
8. 1 pair of running shoes
9. 1 pair of heels you can comfortably walk in
10. 2 pairs of flats
11. 2 pairs of sandals
12. Maximum 4 scarves of varying weights
13. Maximum 4 good bras
14. Week's worth of undergarments
15. 1 bathrobe.
16. 1 set of pajamas or lounging clothes
17. 2 swimsuits
18. Maximum 3 pairs of jeans that you feel good in and make you look good.
19. Maximum 4 tank tops/vests
20. Maximum 5 short-sleeved shirts

Follow these steps to open up more room in your closet.

Make time for the process, preferably the weekend.

Step 1: Empty your closet on your bed

Take out everything and put it on your bed or your bedroom. Shoes, socks, jackets, umbrellas, everything.

Don't worry about cleaning or putting back together at this stage. As you sort through the other steps, it will all come together neat and nice.

Organise your hangers and make sure they match.

Step 2: Start with the easy ones

Once laid out, you will easily see the items you can and want to get rid of. Faded ones, the ones with dusty shoulders, the ones with mold. Put those in a box or polythene bag and get them out of the room.

You won't even fret about them in a day or two.

Step 3: Detachment

The clothes that hold good memories for you. If you have any pictures of yourself in these ones, keep the pictures but throw away the clothes. Especially the ones you wore like once in your life and are now like museum pieces. The ones that remind you of some accomplishment. Pack them and put them out.

Step4: The masterpieces

These are the most beautiful clothes you have. But they have a problem. It might be that they don't fit well, don't flatter you, have a colour you don't like, etc. You probably wore them once and just love seeing them in the closet before grabbing something else. 

There's is someone who will enjoy wearing them, it's time for you to break up with them. It's them, not you.

Step 5: The ones that fit once in a while

These are called 'goal items'. You tell yourself you will do something in order to fit into them, like work out or bodybuild. Throw them out. They are terrible for your morale to do achieve any of those goals.

Step 6: Recent wear

Anything you have not worn in a suitable season or not worn for a while in a particular setting, throw out. Hangouts, work, the cold season, etc. 

Step 7: Organising

Now start to put what you have left onto your matching hangers or sort and fold them.

• Enjoy the added space and air.
• Then get ready to repeat the process in six months.  
• Choose how you are going to get rid of the rejects.

Getting more space and new ideas for your closet is a process of elimination, not addition. Which makes it undesirable. But it is worthwhile once it is done.