How To Declutter Your Wardrobe Of Accessories Clutter
Today's mission is to declutter your wardrobe of accessories, such as excess ties, belts and scarves, to clear the clutter from your closet or clothes drawers.
This mission is designed to be done while we're focused on the Organize Jewelry & Accessories Challenge here on the site, which is one of the 52 Week Organized Home Challenges. Of course, it also dovetails into two other challenges we've recently done, the Organize Master Bedroom Closet Challenge and the Organize Master Bedroom Challenge, depending on where you keep any of the accessories we'll focus on during this mission, within your home.
As always, I try to break down these daily Declutter 365 missions into smaller, more manageable chunks of activity, so you can get it done within a shorter period of time, and without feeling overwhelmed or tackling too much at once.
Since this is somewhat of a catch all mission, if that means you need to focus on just one type of accessory at a time, instead all of your accessories at once, and then repeat the whole mission again with another type of accessory, that's exactly what you should do.
What Types Of Items This Mission Encompasses
Deciding what types of "accessories" this mission is focused on was a bit difficult, since it's, as mentioned above, a catch all mission. It encompasses whatever types of accessories you've got in your closet or clothes drawers that don't fall into one of the other Declutter 365 missions I've laid out.
Specifically, I had these items in mind when I decided to create this mission:
- Ties, including neckties and bowties
- Belts, for both men and women
- Scarves (the fashion variety, not the winter gear variety, which are decluttered in this mission)
The mission can also encompass any other types of accessories not listed below, but the "accessories" that are listed below have their own mission day or even week on the Declutter 365 calendar.
That means you should feel free to declutter the specific accessories listed as they appear on the calendar, instead of as part of today. (If there's a link provided that means I've already written the decluttering mission article for these items, so feel free to check those articles out for more specific instructions.)
- Jewelry
- Shoes and boots
- Hats and caps
- Purses
- Tights and hosiery (this is included within the declutter undergarments mission)
- Hair accessories
- Glasses and sunglasses
7 Questions To Ask When Deciding What Accessories To Declutter
To do this mission first gather up any of the accessories you do have, so you can see everything at once that goes into a category. For example, gather all of your belts into one place, all of the neckties, and all of the scarves. Then, ask yourself these questions to decide what to get rid of, versus to keep.
1. Is it broken or damaged? If the answer is yes, and it's either not repairable, or you honestly know you won't repair it because of lack of time or money, it's time to let it go. (See the mission about decluttering broken objects for more details.)
2. Do you have duplicates of this item? You might need to ask yourself, really, how many scarves do I need? Five, ten, or more? Even if they don't look exactly alike, but you've got a large number of them, do you really need them all?
3. When was the last time you wore it? If it's been more than 6 months, or definitely more than a year, seriously consider getting rid of it.
4. Is it both in style, and your style? (In my opinion, being your style is actually more important than whether it's in style.)
5. What clothes can you wear this accessory with? (If you've been getting rid of a lot of clothing clutter lately, make sure you still have the outfit or clothing you originally planned to wear with the accessory. If you've gotten rid of the outfit, it may be time to get rid of the accessory too.)
6. Is it flattering on you, and do you feel comfortable wearing it? You should keep accessories that make you feel good about yourself, and also don't cause discomfort which would at least subconsciously make you not want to wear it.
7. Does it fit into the storage space you've got alloted for this type of accessory? This is the question where the rubber really meets the road. If you've got a belt hanger, for example, that has space to hold five belts, and you have seven belts, even if the other questions didn't make you get rid of any of the belts, this question will cause you to prioritize and get rid of two of the belts you don't like as much, because you don't have space for all of them within your belt hanger.
If you're having trouble with decluttering it's always best to start out with something easy, like something you know you haven't worn in years, or that you always pass over because you really just don't like it very much. Once you have the decluttering ball rolling it's remarkable how much easier the decluttering process gets after that!
Photos From Participants Who've Done This Mission
Here's some photos from Declutter 365 members who've already done this mission, to get you inspired to do it for yourself.
Below is a photo from Melody, showing how her husband decluttered excess ties.
In addition, below is a set of photos sent in by another member, Amanda, who decluttered, and then organized her scarves. She said, "I did it!! I love my scarves and wore them all the time before the pandemic. But they were such a pain to get to before. I decluttered 16 scarves, and now have 40 that I will absolutely wear, and in these clear bins from the Dollar Store! I am so overjoyed right now!"
Are You Ready To Declutter Your Home?
I hope these instructions have inspired you to get rid of your accessory clutter, in whatever form(s) you've got it, so your wardrobe and closet contain only the items that you love, and look and feel good on you.
When you begin to declutter the feeling you get is contagious, so if you're loving the results you're getting I would encourage you to keep going.
I've got a whole series of 15 minute decluttering missions (eventually 365 of them!) that you can do.
Just pick and choose the ones you want to do, that will make a big impact in your home. But if you want someone else to tell you the order you can also grab the 15 minute daily decluttering mission calendars and follow along as we all get our homes clutter free together!
In addition, here's a round up of all the Declutter 365 missions on the site for decluttering clothes of all kinds.
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Share Your Comments, Tips & Ideas
I would love to hear from you, sharing your thoughts, questions, or ideas about this topic, so leave me a comment below. I try to always respond back!