It is that time a year, ladies and gentleman, and to be quite honest with everything going on (social distancing and self quarantining), you have PLENTY of time. Yes, you already know some hacks—if you haven’t worn it in a year, toss it. And like every tired old piece of one-size-fits-all advice, there are gaping holes in the logic. That old rule doesn’t account for what you do with, say, an heirloom fur coat or a truly unique designer piece that you know you’ll wear, but just don’t have use for regularly.

I used the steps mentioned and I honestly knocked out purging my closet with about 3 hours. Now, I know it can be done in less time, but I am very picky. I’m giving you all not only my key steps, BUT an addition free cheatsheet that you can use.

Step 1: Treat your wardrobe like a capsule collection.

Sure, you may love the colorful array of clothes greeting you every time you open your closet, but how often do you still wear that bright yellow shirt? Beth Zeigler of Bneato Bar said it best:  “Essentially, it should be 30-40 pieces of clothing that can be mixed and matched to create a feast of outfits, and those number include shoes”.

Step 2: Ask the really hard questions.

• How did I feel the last time I wore this?

• Is upkeep for this piece a pain? (i.e. do I have to iron this every time I wear it, does it easily show wear and tear, is it dry clean only? Is all of the hassle worth it?)

• Is this a representation of my ‘fantasy self’? or will I actually wear it?

• Do I need to be a certain weight to wear this and feel good in it?

If your answers are mostly “negative or no”, consider getting rid of it.

Step 3: Grab a friend and make it a closet purge party.

Cleaning out your closet alone can be a tense affair with wool, cashmere, and cotton flying every which way as your brain sneakily tries to convince you to just hoard everything, already. So why not have a close friend come over and help you get out of your head?! Trust me.

Step 4: Save time and (possibly) money by donating.

The inner you is seeing $$$, but that might not be the best option. My advice: just donate and be done with it.And after all of that, you still may not have a sale. And donating has the added perk of tax write-offs, depending on how much you donate.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO NEXT:

1. Download my cheatsheet

2. Purge your closet, NOW!

3. Take a picture of all the things you’re purging and send it to me at info@thenewmixx.com

GOOD LUCK!