6 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Closet -- and how to maintain it!

One of the pitfalls of being a bargain hunting addict is that you tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. This is no different for clothes. I find myself buying at least something every other week (or just every week), so I have had to devise a way to cut down on the clutter. I am going to be graduating from college soon, so I have been trying to kick that into overdrive so I don't have to haul as much back home.

Here are some good "rules" for purging the exess in your wardrobe:

1. If you haven't worn it in at least six months, then it's toss-worthy. Now, there are certainly a lot of exceptions to this rule, but it's a good way to help your re-evaluate how much you really like an item of clothing. If you take a look at your dirty laundry over the course of a month, you'll get a good idea of what items you really wear often.

2. If it doesn't fit, ditch it. I break this rule a lot. I tend to hold on to things that are too big or too small in case I somehow gain or lose weight. Not only is this unhealthy thinking, it causes you to have a lot of clothing lying around that you simply can't wear. Just live in the moment, and wear clothes that fit you now.

3. If it's damaged, throw it away. This goes for undergarments as well. We've all got a treasure trove of holey socks. Just think of it this way: throwing stained, ripped, or torn clothing will give you room for new, nice clothing.

4. Don't overlook accessories! Make sure to go through your handbags, shoes, jewelry, etc. so that you maximize your free space.

5. Every time you buy something new, get rid of something old. If you find your self running out of space and hangers in your closet, you're probably due to get rid of some things. This rule is a good way to maintain a decently sized wardrobe after the initial purge.

6. When shopping for new clothes, ask yourself, "Do I absolutely love this?" or, "Do I need this?". I use this rule a lot, as I tend to buy clothing on impulse when it's cheap. Then, I come home, and realize I don't really like the stuff I bought all that much. Try to think realistically about how often you'll wear the item, where you will wear it, how much wear you can really get out of it, and so on. I try to pass on items that I'm not absolutely in love with.

Once you get done purging, you'll have more space to organize the pieces that you really love and wear often. As I said, I am in the middle of this process myself, and honestly, it hurts at first to get rid of old things, but after you've done it and you can see the difference, it feels pretty rewarding. Any items in good condition can be donated to your local charity thrift store, for some other thrifty shopper to find. Or you could host a clothing swap!

These tips are kind of obvious, but the trick is getting yourself to really obey them. Once you can overcome your desire to hold on to old clothing, you'll be golden. If you'd like more tips, Apartment Therapy has some more helpful tips on wardrobe purging here.