A Conscious Closet Cleanse Is A Work In Progress

About a month ago I wrote a post about my Conscious Closet Cleanse: Part I and went to work clearing out unwanted garments from my wardrobe. I really tried to challenge myself to consider whether or not I would EVER wear the things that were hanging in my closet. I thought I was being pretty ruthless. Today, I did a recount to compare what I had before to what I currently have. Conclusion: I am pathetic in my ability to ruthlessly cleanse my closet. See below for my “before” and “after” numbers.

I only reduced my closet contents by 18%!!!!! My goal was to reduce by 50% I knew this would be a process but I really felt like I had done much better than this. It probably didn’t help that I ADDED a blazer to the count! Oh, and I am not sure why I have one more skirt. I may have miscounted last time. 

I clearly have a problem!

BTW – I forgot to count shoes the first time around. So, that is why those numbers are not reflected here. But, in case you are wondering, the shoe count is currently as follows:

• Boots = 4
• Booties = 4
• Flats = 8
• Sandals = 6
• Pumps = 1
• Sneakers = 14
• Oxfords = 3
• Total = 40

The sneakers kind of makes sense to me. I have had multiple foot surgeries on my right foot and for a while, sneakers were all I could wear. So, I bought a lot of them. The pumps are a joke. I can’t wear them. They have no business being in my closet.

Based on all this, clearly, there will need to be a Part III blog post cuz I’ve got more work to do. If you are also trying to cleanse your closet of unwanted items, and struggling as I am, I think we can all take comfort in the fact that this is clearly something that takes time and patience. A conscious closet cleanse should be done carefully. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be very “conscious” would it?

The Eighteen Percent

What I can take some solace in is the fact that I was able to discard my unwanted clothes responsibly. Here is where it all went:

• Clothes that were in good condition but not worth my time to try to sell individually went to Swap Society.
• Items that were worn out or in bad shape were sent to either For Days or Universal Standard for recycling.
• Items in good condition and worth resale value got listed on Poshmark, Mercari, Kidizen and Depop
• Some random items went into a garage sale fundraiser we had to raise money for my daughter’s school trip to South Africa.

What Sold

Here are a few examples of what I was able to sell. At the top end, I got $20 for the Express jeans and at the low end I got about $7 for the pink Knox Rose top. It was part of a 3-item bundle of items that I honestly thought would sit in my closet for a long time. So, I was happy to make someone a deal!  I wasn’t expecting to make a ton of money, and I didn’t, but I’m happy anytime I can get a little money for my old unwanted clothes. 

What’s Next?

After I started writing this post, I shared with my family what my closet count was.

I thought my husband was going to fall over.

He’s always been a minimalist with his wardrobe. He doesn’t shop often but when he does get something new he tends to wear it until it wears out. No wonder he only needs one-fifth of the closet space that I do! I told him my commitment to reduce my closet by at least half so….now I HAVE to do it!

What Have I Learned?

There are a few takeaways from this experience that I hope can help you with your closet cleanout.

1. Set a goal that is realistic for YOU: I set a goal to reduce my closet by at least half. That felt do-able enough for me. If I had said that I was going to reduce my closet by 95% I probably would have quit before I started. I needed to start with something that felt significant but do-able for me. Once I reach that goal. I will set a new one.
2. It can be a marathon or a sprint: If you want to clean out your closet responsibly, it will take a little time to make sure the items you are rejecting don’t end up in a landfill. Give yourself some grace if you don’t reach your goal overnight. Go at a pace that works for you and lets you do this cleanse responsibly.
3. Create accountability: I was embarrassed to tell my husband how many clothes I have. He can obviously see it all since we share a closet. Buy it was super cringy to say it to him out loud. So, whatever your own personal goal is, share it with someone else and ask them to check in on your progress.

If you’re on your own conscious closet journey, I hope that sharing my process is helpful for you. I am convinced that everyone can have a more conscious and more sustainable wardrobe with just a little bit of effort, and without spending a lot of money. If you’re interested in building a sustainable wardrobe on a budget, check out this FREE CHECKLIST.