If you missed Part 2 of Simple Guide to Cleaning Our Your Closet, you can read it here!
Part 3 – Functionality, Appropriateness
In this final installment we are discussing whether or not your clothes are functional and if they are appropriate to the current demands on your life.
Does it need repairs? For how long has this been the case? If it’s gone unrepaired for more than three months it isn’t likely that you’re going to bother. Or, if you love it, then get it repaired right away so you can put it back in rotation. Just don’t leave it hanging and waiting. This includes tailoring, buttons, hole repair, seam tightening, professional stain removal, re-heeling shoes, and polishing shoes.
Is it worn or tattered looking? No matter how much you like the style, it’s not a keeper if it looks old and dingy. This includes snags in silk or sweaters, pilling, holes, unraveled threads, stains, loose seams, over stretching, and dull color.
Is it appropriate to your lifestyle? By this, we are referring to life changes that aren’t likely to be reversed. One example is transitioning from being young and single to caring for children and running a household. In this case, a closet full of nightclub dresses isn’t likely serving you very well. Another example is transitioning from raising a family to reentering the workplace. In this case, comfortable clothes such as yoga pants and sweatshirts need to give way to suits, slacks, and blouses.
Would you buy it today if you didn’t already own it and you saw it for sale at the store? In most cases, all of the aforementioned advice will be enough to make a judgment call. But if you encounter a garment that still perplexes you (meaning you’ve had it hanging in front of your face for more than five minutes,) use this test. If you wouldn’t buy it, then that means you don’t really like enough to keep it.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this series on how to clean out your closet!
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