Is your closet packed with so many clothes that you can’t find what you need? Does it take you FOREVER to get dressed? Do you find yourself changing outfits before you finally happy with what you are wearing? Did you know that the average woman wears only about 20% off everything in her closet? The other 80% of clothes in a closet may be trends that are no longer in style, clothes that don’t fit or ones that we may have bought on a whim but no longer wear.
As we start the new year, now is a great time to assess our closets and “reboot” our closets so that you will love what you wear, have a neat and organized closet and get dressed quickly everyday!
Get your free Detox Your Closet worksheet below!
My own closet with the Simplified Style®: French Wardrobe Staples capsule wardrobe
The #1 Closet Hack For 2026: Use A Capsule Wardrobe
By using the “capsule wardrobe” system, your closet will be neat and organized! A capsule wardrobe is a set number of clothes that mix and match with each other to create many outfits. I have been using the capsule wardrobe system in my own closet since 2015 and year after year, it consistently keeps my closet neat and organized!!!
By having a set amount of clothes each season, you limit your shopping, therefore you save money! You can find many capsule wardrobe articles here on fashionelo.com. I also have several seasonal capsule wardrobe guides in my Capsule Wardrobe Store, each one a different style according which style suits you best!
I use the capsule wardrobe system in MY own closet! Since I have been using the capsule wardrobe concept for a few years now, I:
- Have saved $1,000’s each year from buying unnecessary clothes!
- Get dressed quickly
- Always wear my favorite clothes
- Have a neat closet
- Have many outfits ready to wear
See the photo below! The photo on the left was my closet before I started using a capsule wardrobe. The photo on the right was how organized my closet was when I started using a capsule wardrobe ⬇️
Transform YOUR closet!
With Over 400 Outfits For The Year
You may be interested in:
How To Start A Capsule Wardrobe: A 5-Step Visual Guide
How To Reboot Your Closet
Take transforming your closet a step further with the following tips! If you want a completely neat and organized closet, follow the tips below to transform your closet. Turn on your favorite music playlist and get ready to declutter your closet! Trust me on this, you will feel so much better, you will want to declutter your whole house after doing this!
1. Donate gently worn items you no longer wear
Items that are gently worn can be donated to a local charity or thrift store. It benefits those who need them, plus you will consolidate your wardrobe.
2. Sell items you no longer wear and make money
You can sell your clothes, shoes and accessories that you no longer wear in consignment shops or online at sites like Poshmark, eBay and Thredup. You can earn some money back plus be on your way to a neat closet!
3. Get rid of clothes you haven’t worn in a year or more
If you have not worn some of your clothes and shoes in a year or more, chances are you may not wear them again. Rather than them just sitting in your closet, either donate, sell or toss them, depending on their condition. Clothes that are heavily worn or torn that cannot be donated or sold may can be repurposed; for example, a worn tee can be cut and used as cleaning rags!
4. Get rid of duplicates
Having too many of the same item in your closet, fills up your closet and leads to decision fatigue! Rather than having 5 pair of black jeans, keep your favorite pair and either give the others to a friend, donate or sell them.
5. Only keep items you love wearing and feel confident in
By keeping only the items you love wearing, you will love what you wear everyday and you can also get dressed quickly. Wearing clothes that we love and feel good in gives us confidence too!
6. Store off-season clothes in crates or bins
Have you ever heard the term, “Out of sight, out of mind?” When it comes to your wardrobe, the least amount of clothes and shoes you see in your closet will eliminate decision fatigue. If you use a seasonal capsule wardrobe (I have several available in the Capsule Wardrobe Store) and keep 35 or less clothes and shoes in your closet at a time, and all the others stored away, you will have a neat and organized closet and you’ll be able to get dressed everyday in minutes! You can use storage bins or crates with lids to store your off-season clothes and shoes, then stack them on either side of your closet or under your bed.
Get a Free Mini Capsule Wardrobe just for subscribing to my newsletter of new post notifications! This free guide shows you how 9 classic and timeless clothes and shoes will create 9 outfits! When you subscribe, you will receive an email containing a link to download your free guide. You can subscribe below…
Download the free “Detox Your Closet” worksheet below to help you clean out your closet! You can use this worksheet on your phone or computer, print it to have a hard copy and also save it to your device for later.
I found that the best way for me to clean out my closet is to find either a friend who can use the items or a women’s shelter. If I know that someone can use the items, I will get rid of way more and feel great about letting items go. I just learned this about myself when my yoga studio did a clothing and jewelry swap. Anything not taken was donated to a local shelter. Finally, all those items I thought I would use again, felt I should keep because they were “perfectly fine,” or were within a few pounds of fitting flew out of my closet. I am glad to have supported women in my own circle and farther afield.
That’s great that you did a clothes swap and donation! When I do a closet cleanout, I like to donate to our local thrift stores and charities. 😀❤️