Spring Closet Refresh: 9 Things to Get Rid of RIGHT NOW to Make Space for Spring

Spring is the perfect time to lighten up your closet and make space for the season

ahead. If you’re ready for a refresh, here are nine things you can let go of right now.

1. Ripped, Stained, or Otherwise Damaged Items

We’ve all had that favorite sweater that gets a snag, shoes with a too-scuffed toe, a bra

with a protruding underwire, or a blouse with a grease stain that will never come out.

Even if the damage is small and no one else may notice, you will know it’s there. If you

feel self-conscious about it at all, chances are you won’t reach for it again.

2. Clothing from a Past Life

Lives change and evolve. I used to work in a corporate office, and my daily wardrobe

changed dramatically when I left that job. Even if I returned to that type of work, the

dress code would likely be different—and honestly, I wouldn’t want to wear the same

well-worn pieces from years ago anyway.

The same goes for formal wear. Even if you can still fit into what you wore in college,

ask yourself: would you actually choose to wear those (often mini) dresses now?

3. Aspirational Clothing

It’s wonderful to have goals. If weight loss or gain is one of them, that’s great—but

keeping a large amount of clothing from a different size can feel discouraging.

When I help clients declutter a closet, I often recommend skipping the try-on session

and instead remembering how you felt the last time you wore the item. If you felt

uncomfortable then, you’ll likely feel uncomfortable again. And if you do reach your

goals, chances are you’ll want to celebrate with something new anyway.

4. Uncomfortable Shoes

This one is simple: life is too short to wear shoes that hurt. No matter how cute they are,

it’s just not worth it.

5. Outdated Trends

Fashion trends come and go quickly. Fast fashion is a $150+ billion industry, and most

of us have fallen into the trend cycle at some point. Keeping low-quality, trend-specific

pieces “just in case” only takes up valuable space.

Instead, consider investing in higher-quality, timeless pieces that truly stand the test of

time.

6. Mismatched or Holey Socks

We all know the dryer feels like the real enemy here. But if you’ve accumulated baskets

or drawers full of unmatched socks, it’s time to take action. Match what you can and

recycle the rest—or start fresh and recycle the whole bunch once and for all.

Here’s the method I use at home: when folding laundry, if I find an unmatched sock, I

put it directly back into the laundry basket. If it’s still unmatched after a couple of weeks,

I let it go.

7. Excess T-Shirts (Especially the Free Ones!)

Free T-shirts are hard to turn down—I get it. I’m offered several each year. But

gathering all your T-shirts into one place can be eye-opening. Let go of any you never

actually wear.

If you’re keeping them for sentimental reasons (sports teams, school, sorority, etc.), you

could consider turning them into a blanket. However, pause and ask yourself if you

would truly use that blanket. Once you invest the time and money into creating a

keepsake, you’re committing to keeping it long-term.

When I downsized my own T-shirt collection, I kept only the most meaningful, stylish,

and comfortable ones—the few I genuinely reach for. Depending on your lifestyle, you

may not wear T-shirts much at all. If that’s the case, your keep pile should be much

smaller.

8. Too Many Duplicates

Having a “uniform” can make getting dressed much easier. But when you rely on a

default outfit formula, it’s easy to accumulate too many versions of the same item.

Even if you wear black T-shirts daily, there’s still a reasonable limit. I recommend

considering how often you do laundry or dry cleaning and limiting the number of a single

item accordingly. And realistically, even if you do laundry every other week, 14 of the

same thing is probably still more than you need—but it’s a starting point.

9. Single-Occasion Items

Bridesmaid dresses are the most common example I see. There is no shame in not

loving—or re-wearing—these pieces. Your friend may have loved the look, but that

doesn’t mean you did.

If you know you would never choose that item over something else in your closet, no

matter the occasion, you don’t need to feel guilty about letting it go.

Closets are a great place to start when organizing your home, and I would love to help

you get you moving in the right direction.

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