The Laundry Series 1.1: Have Less Clothes (1)

Here’s tip #1:

#1: Parallel Decluttering

Get a huge donation bag, bin, or tote——and a huge trash bag——and put them next to your closet. (Ikea bags are perfect.) You don’t have to do a formal decluttering at any point; just throw unwanted clothes in the bag whenever you see them.

Let me say that again: You don’t have to set aside time to declutter. You just get rid of things of things on the fly, if and when you notice them. If you’re going through your closet to find a certain sweater, and, while looking, you see a pair of pants that’s not your style anymore, stick it in the bin. This is the principle of “parallel decluttering.” Simple, no?

“Unwanted” includes clothes that you just don’t love, for whatever reason: clothes that don’t flatter you, are annoying to put on, require complicated care; that don’t match anything else, are out of style, or are more than one size away from your current size. It should also include items that have needed repair, return/exchange, or drycleaning for months. “Declare amnesty” and just let them go, in the immortal words of the Flylady. (Remember, you can always take them back out of the bag!)

Put good-condition clothes in the donations bag and damaged clothes in the trash bag. Once a bag is full, move it to the car to drop off when you can, and replace it with a new bag to live by your closet permanently.

Don’t worry about the waste; it’s in the past. The first step toward making more mindful purchases in the future is a clean home, a clean slate, and a clear mind.