How to Pare Down and Pack Up Your Closet for a Remodel
Use a closet makeover as a time to organize and clear out clothing and accessories you no longer need
Getting ready for a closet remodel is no small task. A closet can hold so much more than it appears. Even though you may not be moving to another home — and you may have the luxury of storing items in another part of your house — clearing out the entire closet space may feel just as extensive as packing for a move. If you don’t know where to start, read on for tips to guide you through the decluttering and packing process.
A common organizing tip is to get rid of clothing you haven’t worn in six months. That method has never worked well for me, especially during these two years of the pandemic. My social activities have been modified and much of my clothes remain in my closet unworn, still beloved yet awaiting safer indoor gathering environments.
While I do purchase items that are on-trend at the moment, I also invest in classic pieces that I will love for many years. I will sometimes overlook items for over six months because the weather or occasion hasn’t allowed me to use them. And sometimes my personal style will lean in another direction for a while. But I do usually circle back to my classics, so it makes sense for me to keep what I love and bypass the six-month rule.
However, even classic pieces need to be reviewed. They may be timeless, but they may not necessarily belong in your closet.
While I do purchase items that are on-trend at the moment, I also invest in classic pieces that I will love for many years. I will sometimes overlook items for over six months because the weather or occasion hasn’t allowed me to use them. And sometimes my personal style will lean in another direction for a while. But I do usually circle back to my classics, so it makes sense for me to keep what I love and bypass the six-month rule.
However, even classic pieces need to be reviewed. They may be timeless, but they may not necessarily belong in your closet.
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Closet Scenarios That May Be Holding You Back
When guiding my clients, my approach is to help them understand what may be holding them back from making decisions about their clothing. If you’re also unsure of how to pare down your closet, perhaps some of the situations below apply to you and align with what you’re thinking.
The item is ill-fitting right now but maybe it will fit well someday. Bodies change all the time, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and what may have fit you well before may no longer. Be sure you aren’t keeping something because of the memory of how it looked and felt in the past.
Unless your body change is temporary, such as a pregnancy or other medically related reason, or you’re intentionally gaining or losing weight, you may want to consider getting rid of what no longer fits well. In my opinion, if you put something on and it doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, it’s a deal-breaker and shouldn’t be kept. Life is too short for your clothes to make you feel bad about yourself.
10 Times to Hire a Closet Designer
When guiding my clients, my approach is to help them understand what may be holding them back from making decisions about their clothing. If you’re also unsure of how to pare down your closet, perhaps some of the situations below apply to you and align with what you’re thinking.
The item is ill-fitting right now but maybe it will fit well someday. Bodies change all the time, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and what may have fit you well before may no longer. Be sure you aren’t keeping something because of the memory of how it looked and felt in the past.
Unless your body change is temporary, such as a pregnancy or other medically related reason, or you’re intentionally gaining or losing weight, you may want to consider getting rid of what no longer fits well. In my opinion, if you put something on and it doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, it’s a deal-breaker and shouldn’t be kept. Life is too short for your clothes to make you feel bad about yourself.
10 Times to Hire a Closet Designer
You don’t wear or use it anymore, but it was expensive. Many times, our feelings toward our belongings are blurred by their exclusivity, sentimental value, cost and future usefulness. If you try to remove all the distractions, how do you really feel about the item?
Consider this basic question: Do you like it? You may be surprised to find that there are pieces you may be keeping for the wrong reasons. Free yourself from any guilt, and if you don’t like the item anymore, create some real estate in your closet for something you love.
Consider this basic question: Do you like it? You may be surprised to find that there are pieces you may be keeping for the wrong reasons. Free yourself from any guilt, and if you don’t like the item anymore, create some real estate in your closet for something you love.
You tend to reach for something else. Take note of which similar-style items — jeans for example — you tend to reach for repeatedly and which ones you tend to pass over. Even though you like something, you may be selecting other pieces you like even more. Consider donating the ones you pass over and keeping just the ones you actually wear and feel good in.
It’s too fussy to wear. No matter how much I like an item, if it’s fussy to wear or needs constant adjusting while I’m wearing it, it likely ends up neglected in my closet. Fussy clothes won’t get any less fussy, so assess if they’re worth the trouble. Also consider how the item moves with you. Make sure your clothing is comfortable for the given activity.
It’s sentimental. This category tends to be quite hard for many of my clients. Getting rid of something given to them by a close friend or family member can feel like a betrayal of their loved one. In particular, if the clothing belonged to a family member who has passed away, it may represent so much more than just a piece of clothing. I recommend reviewing how each piece makes you feel. Does it evoke joyful, happy memories? Or does it bring on negative feelings of the past, perhaps from clothing worn by a parent during an illness? Be sure the sentimental clothing you’re keeping sparks the right memories for you.
If you’re ready to pare down this category, consider first the condition of the item. Are any pieces in such poor condition that they aren’t worth keeping? Are there any signs of pest damage or infestation? If you have many pieces from the same person, would saving just a few of them provide the same warm memories as keeping many? If so, perhaps you can save a few favorites and donate the rest if they’re in wearable condition.
As for clothing from friends and family, it’s okay to not like or keep everything given to you, and it’s okay to pass on clothing you won’t wear to benefit someone else who will be able to use it more. The most valuable part of the gift is the thoughtfulness and the sentiment of the gift giver. Your appreciation of the gesture won’t be diminished if you give it away.
If you’re ready to pare down this category, consider first the condition of the item. Are any pieces in such poor condition that they aren’t worth keeping? Are there any signs of pest damage or infestation? If you have many pieces from the same person, would saving just a few of them provide the same warm memories as keeping many? If so, perhaps you can save a few favorites and donate the rest if they’re in wearable condition.
As for clothing from friends and family, it’s okay to not like or keep everything given to you, and it’s okay to pass on clothing you won’t wear to benefit someone else who will be able to use it more. The most valuable part of the gift is the thoughtfulness and the sentiment of the gift giver. Your appreciation of the gesture won’t be diminished if you give it away.
Help Unmotivated Family Members
If another family member is unmotivated to streamline their clothing, you can help them take the first step by sorting their clothes into three potential piles per category: keep, donate and trash. For example, have three piles for T-shirts, three piles for pants, three piles for ties, etc.
Work with one category at a time, completing each before moving on to the next. Breaking it down by category and then further into suggestions for keeping, donating and trashing will make it more manageable for your family member to get the process rolling.
If another family member is unmotivated to streamline their clothing, you can help them take the first step by sorting their clothes into three potential piles per category: keep, donate and trash. For example, have three piles for T-shirts, three piles for pants, three piles for ties, etc.
Work with one category at a time, completing each before moving on to the next. Breaking it down by category and then further into suggestions for keeping, donating and trashing will make it more manageable for your family member to get the process rolling.
Pack the Clothes You Plan to Wear During the Remodel
After decluttering the closet items you no longer want, I recommend continuing by packing the clothes you plan to wear during the remodel.
Keep in mind some of the logistics of your closet remodel, such as the length of the project, the season in which the remodel will take place, how you’ll store your clothing and how often you plan to do laundry. The answers to these questions may affect what you pack and how you pack.
After decluttering the closet items you no longer want, I recommend continuing by packing the clothes you plan to wear during the remodel.
Keep in mind some of the logistics of your closet remodel, such as the length of the project, the season in which the remodel will take place, how you’ll store your clothing and how often you plan to do laundry. The answers to these questions may affect what you pack and how you pack.
Short-term remodel. If your remodel will be short-term (a few weeks or less), you may be able to pack and live out of a suitcase. If you need a place to hang your clothing, you may want to consider purchasing wardrobe moving boxes that can act as a temporary closet. When you’re ready to move back into your remodeled room and closet, the wardrobes can be easily sealed and relocated.
Also keep in mind how often you plan to do laundry. The quantity you pack can be influenced by your laundry schedule and how often you can refresh your clothes.
Also keep in mind how often you plan to do laundry. The quantity you pack can be influenced by your laundry schedule and how often you can refresh your clothes.
Long-term remodel. If you anticipate a long-term remodel, you may need to consider packing for different seasons. You may want to pack your seasonal clothing separately and keep only one season’s worth of items with you at a time. When that season is over, you can repack those clothes and replace them with the next season’s to help keep your temporary closet minimal and tidy.
If your remodel is expected to take several months or more, it may be worth purchasing an inexpensive but sturdy clothing rack.
Browse clothes racks
If your remodel is expected to take several months or more, it may be worth purchasing an inexpensive but sturdy clothing rack.
Browse clothes racks
Finally, Prioritize Your New Closet Organization
Since you’ll probably have to clear your entire closet before the remodel, this is an opportune time to plan the organization of your new closet. As each item passes through your hands while you pack, think about the priority of it and where it should reside in the new space.
Lower-priority items may include sentimental pieces you don’t wear but want to keep (such as concert T-shirts), seasonal items that don’t get year-round use (such as ski clothing) or special-occasion items (such as dress heels you wear only to weddings). It makes sense for these items to be placed in less-accessible parts of your closet, saving the most convenient spots for higher-priority items.
If you won’t have space in your new closet for everything to fit on the racks, drawers and shelves, consider packing your lower-priority items in storage containers by category. Even though your lower-priority items may be placed in a harder-to-reach spot, the storage containers can corral them in one place so you can still quickly have access to each category as needed.
Shop for closet storage products on Houzz
Since you’ll probably have to clear your entire closet before the remodel, this is an opportune time to plan the organization of your new closet. As each item passes through your hands while you pack, think about the priority of it and where it should reside in the new space.
Lower-priority items may include sentimental pieces you don’t wear but want to keep (such as concert T-shirts), seasonal items that don’t get year-round use (such as ski clothing) or special-occasion items (such as dress heels you wear only to weddings). It makes sense for these items to be placed in less-accessible parts of your closet, saving the most convenient spots for higher-priority items.
If you won’t have space in your new closet for everything to fit on the racks, drawers and shelves, consider packing your lower-priority items in storage containers by category. Even though your lower-priority items may be placed in a harder-to-reach spot, the storage containers can corral them in one place so you can still quickly have access to each category as needed.
Shop for closet storage products on Houzz
Your everyday items, such as pajamas, undergarments, exercise clothing, work clothes and daily shoes, are high-priority and deserve prime spots in your closet. Be sure to plan for these items to be placed in the most easily accessed locations.
One Last Note
For items that will be stored away during your remodel, I recommend packing by category if possible to enable a smoother and more organized unpacking process. You may want to label the boxes clearly in case you need to look for something in the interim.
If your clothing will be packed away for a long period, be sure the items are clean when packed, to prevent attracting pests. If you’re unsure of the conditions of your storage location or facility, you may want to consider using weathertight containers as extra insurance against moisture and pests.
More on Houzz
Professional Tips for Organizing Your Clothes Closet
How to Work With a Professional Organizer
Get design ideas
Find a professional organizer in the Houzz pro directory
Browse products
For items that will be stored away during your remodel, I recommend packing by category if possible to enable a smoother and more organized unpacking process. You may want to label the boxes clearly in case you need to look for something in the interim.
If your clothing will be packed away for a long period, be sure the items are clean when packed, to prevent attracting pests. If you’re unsure of the conditions of your storage location or facility, you may want to consider using weathertight containers as extra insurance against moisture and pests.
More on Houzz
Professional Tips for Organizing Your Clothes Closet
How to Work With a Professional Organizer
Get design ideas
Find a professional organizer in the Houzz pro directory
Browse products
I highly recommend paring down your unwanted clothing before you pack for a remodel. That way, you’ll know how much you have remaining and can plan your new closet accordingly. If you declutter first, you may also be able to pack less and store less during the remodel, which may result in reduced packing supplies and storage facility costs.
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