5 Closet Clutter Problems (and How to Fix Them)

I’m going to encourage you to do something that you do every single day, but now with a different lens of thinking on. Open up your closet…and take a good look at what’s inside.

You probably see a handful of items you wear on a regular basis. But what about the rest?

Are there items that haven’t been touched in ages? Shoes that no longer fit? Jeans that you once loved but no longer wear? 

I’m guessing that you probably have a closet full of clothes, yet really only wear 20% of them 80% of the time. This stat refers to the Pareto Principle– or better known as the good old 80/20 rule. It’s commonly talked about in business, but let’s think about it in regards to our wardrobes.

Often, we treat our closets like a museum, likely containing pieces from the past 5-10 years that we once enjoyed but no longer wear. This could be clothes from a previous profession, a different body size, or a style that was popular but no longer is.

Last year, I asked my followers on social media whether they found their kitchen or bedroom closet harder to declutter. The results were unanimous– the clothing closet taking the win.

So why do we struggle with the dilemma of feeling like we have nothing to wear, yet we’re unable to part with items that have been hanging in our closets for years?

In this post, I’ll share 5 common problems with our closets and some ideas of how I’ve personally learned to tackle them.

5 Common Problems with Our Closets

1. We have too many items.

When my home feels cluttered, it’s likely the result from one problem– too much stuff. I’ve found this to be the root cause of clutter. My closet is no different. It holds pieces I love and wear regularly, but they’re crowded out by the dozens of other items I haven’t worn in the past year (or even longer).

Keeping only the clothes that I currently wear and enjoy has allowed me to feel less overwhelmed when I open my closet, making the decision of choosing my clothes for the next day so much more simple.

Tip: If you haven’t sifted through your closet lately, I’d encourage you to start here– take everything out of your closet. Only put back what you love and currently wear. Get rid of pieces that no longer serve a purpose or stash items away for a few months if you’re not sure you still want to keep them.

2. We hang onto items because we once loved them.

I was guilty of hanging onto many clothes, jeans, t-shirts, and shoes that I once loved and had fond memories of. For example, all my bridesmaid dresses that I wore in my friends’ and sisters’ weddings the past decade. They held so many great memories, but did I wear them since that day? Nope. 

It’s okay to have items that you once loved, but if they no longer make their way into your regular wardrobe, it’s probably time to let them go. Don’t let your closet become a museum of archived clothes!

Tip: If you have a hard time parting with pieces that hold sentimental value, give yourself a small section of space (a bin, another part of your closet) where you can keep a select few. This will make it easier to gradually reduce the amount of sentimental items you keep.

3. We feel guilty about the money we spent for items we no longer wear. 

During my senior year of college, I began preparing to interview for teaching positions. Like any informed applicant, I went out and bought an outfit, because that was the thing to do. Having only worn it a handful of times, it continued to hang in my closet for the next decade.

Each time I looked at it, I knew I’d likely never wear it again. Having it remain untouched (collecting dust) in my closet was the theraputic support I thought I needed to validate that I wasn’t wasting money by no longer wearing it. A couple of years ago, I finally donated it.

Had I spent more money on this outfit than was necessary? Probably. But there’s no reason to feel guilty years later by holding onto items you no longer wear.

Tip: Learn to recognize what you wear on a regular basis and apply the “48 hour rule” to avoid those costly impulse buys (waiting 48 hours to purchase an item to decide if you truly need it). 

4. We’re in a transitional season and might someday wear it when the time is right.

Our bodies change as we age and what fit us before might not continue in the next season of life. Or what was once in style may no longer be, but we hang onto these items “just in case”.

I finally let go of an old pair of hiking shoes I wore during college while studying abroad in the English Cotswolds. Since returning, my regular sneakers met all of my casual hiking needs, but I hung onto those hiking shoes “just in case” I ever got back into more serious hiking. 

Tip: If you’re hesitant to get rid of items because you’re unsure if you’ll want to wear them eventually, I recommend creating a “just in case bin”. Place all the items inside this bin that you can’t yet part with. Store that bin out of sight. After 6-12 months if you haven’t had a need for the item, it’s probably safe to let it go. 

5. We think more choices are always better.

When it comes time to select our outfit for the next day, we tend to think that the more choices we have, the better off we’ll be.

But I’ve come to find that the opposite is true. 

When my closet contains my favorite few pairs of jeans, a handful of comfortable, good-quality sweaters, and some shirts that I know fit well, the decision of how to put together an outfit takes less than a minute. I’m not faced with a sea of options that drown out my favorites, but can see what I regularly wear and enjoy without the added clutter. 

Tip: Try limiting yourself to a set number of items and see if you can make do with only that amount for one month. A wardrobe challenge is part of our “Declutter Your Life” course and it’s been one of the most helpful ways of decluttering my closet and streamlining the decision making process.

Start Small to See Big Improvements 

If opening your closet is a constant struggle for you, I’d encourage you to choose a few of these “problems” to work through. Start evaluating what you actually wear and learn to let the excess go. See how you can use your unwanted items to benefit others who are in need. When we learn to live with less in our closets, it encourages us to continue those habits elsewhere in our lives as well. 

Choose to live with less to make room for what matters most. It’s a rewarding feeling to let go of what merely takes up physical and mental space.