For those working on purging, here are a couple of thoughts that might help. I had to do a lot of it, and quickly, in preparation for the sale of my house and my move 5 years ago. My daughter came and helped me go through my closets, and we packed up my late hubs. clothing, as well. It was an emotional couple of days, but it really lightened my heart knowing that so much was going to people that could truly benefit from my discards. And, the emotional support of my daughter helped, too.
Start by bringing a roll of trash bags (large and sturdy) and a couple of laundry baskets into your bedroom. You'll need one trash bag to hold items that are beyond repair, a basket for items that need to be laundered, and another basket for hangers.
Start with the closet. Take everything out of your closet. Everything! Do a QUICK sort into 2 piles on the bed -- 1. your "regular" wardrobe -- clothes you've worn regularly in the last 3 to 6 months, and 2. clothes you haven't worn in eons. Only spend 5-10 seconds max per item on this task. Shoes go in a third laundry basket or out-of-the-way pile to be dealt with after the clothes.
Wash/wipe/sweep down the inside of the closet, including hooks and shelving, so it's ready to have items put back in -- but don't dwell on anything more than making sure the cobwebs and dust bunnies are wiped away. Speed is of the essence for this round! If you have an extra set of hands that this can be delegated to, do so. Your focus needs to be on the contents.
Next, quickly go through your "regular wardrobe" (the ones that have been worn in the last 3-6 months) and sort the "like new / good condition" from those that are showing wear. Re-hang (in an organized manner) those that are "like new / good condition." Those with wear showing, move to a different room, as they need to go. If in too bad of condition, put them directly into a trash bag for discard. You always want to put your best foot forward, and if it's showing wear, it's time to go, regardless of how much you like the item. Thread-barren elbows don't earn you points with the boss, even if it is your favorite silk blouse. Believe me, there's nothing more embarrassing than splitting an elbow in the conference room.
For the remainder -- the ones you haven't worn in months upon months upon months, look at each piece. Is it in good condition? Yes or No. If the answer is No, it goes in the trash bag. If yes, is it in style? Or, a style that has strong potential to come back? Yes, or no ... Does it fit right? Not sure, quickly try it on to see. Truly look at yourself in the mirror. Is it comfortable through the shoulders? Can you zip/button it? Is the waistline comfortable? Do you like it enough that you'd wear it in rotation with your "regular wardrobe" pieces? Do you like the fit and color? Do you have other pieces that you could wear it with? If so, re-hang it in your closet in the middle of other similar pieces so that it goes into rotation If not, donation pile. Would you be caught dead wearing that big-shoulder-pad blazer from the 1980's? Or that hot pink chunky sweater from 10 years ago? If not, move them to the donation pile. Do this for each piece. Rehang any keeps, and at the end move the remainder to the other room for donation.
Go through drawers one or two at a time, checking for stains, rips, stretched out elastic, etc. If too wrinkled, but a "keep", put it into the laundry basket; if not, move to donation. If a shirt has lots of stains or a few holes, discard into the trash bag. If still usable, but not a good fit, put it in the donation pile. After each round, move the donation pile to the other room. and go onto the next set of drawers.
Go through undergarments and socks -- remember that momma always told you to wear good underwear in case you were in an accident and wound up in the emergency room. Would you want a handsome doctor seeing you in those undies???? With holes in your socks??? With mis-matched socks???? Any bras that no longer fit, put in the donation pile. Charitable organizations always appreciate women's bras in good condition. Sort and match socks, trash bag for any without matches. Try on half and full slips to see if they still fit, and fold if they'll still work, or donate if not. I know a lot of people like to keep old socks for dusting. But, seriously, how many do you need? The "sock heaven" pile will continue to grow after this purge, so just get rid of them this time around.
And that pile of shoes ... do the exact same thing. Quickly sort out the ones you always wear on a daily/weekly basis from those that are worn infrequently. Try them on, if you haven't worn them recently. Any cracks or holes? Discard. If they're pinching your toes in your bedroom, how will they feel after 8 hours at work? Your feet deserve better! Line the keeps up in the closet, discards to the trash bag, others to the donation pile in the other room. I still had my wedding shoes in a box at the top of the closet. I no longer wear a size 7, and they were 3" chunky heel, rounded toe, Mary Jane's. Yes, they were sentimental. My daughter looked at me, holding the open box, and said "Seriously Mom? They don't fit ... and if they did, you'd break an ankle." Donated so that another bride may enjoy them, along with two other pair of 70's platforms.
As your last step of the day, move the trash bag to the rubbish bin. Then place all "donate" items into trash bags for ease of moving to the donation place. AND THEN GET THEM OUT OF THE HOUSE. Load them into the car and take them immediately for donation or have someone do it for you Do NOT keep these bags in the house.
Lastly, reward yourself with a nice dinner for purging that closet and those overflowing drawers. Yes, the closet and dresser will seem empty. But use your time and money going forward to only purchase what you definitely NEED, that fits and is a color you love, and is something that you will wear. No more buying simply because it's on sale or a good deal.
I will add that, if the item you are discarding is a top-line label ONLY and you can EASILY sell it online through PoshMark, or other similar service, move the item out of your closet/dresser and into a place where you tackle your hobbies. If it doesn't sell within 10-14 days max, move it into a donation bin. The time you spend marketing the item and the space that it's taking up are worth more than what you'll get for it. Your time and space are valuable. Let it go to someone who will utilize the item more than you have in the last couple of years!
My daughter and I took 2 days and went through 3 closets and 4 dressers. We sent 42 bags for donation at the end of the first day, and another 38 bags and 6 formal gowns the 2nd day. It was like a weight was lifted at the end. I had no idea how slim my work wardrobe was (I'd lost nearly 30 pounds the first year after my husband passed) and this exercise really showed me how I'd been presenting myself at work in slacks, tops, and jackets that were 2 sizes too large. When I rebuilt my work wardrobe, I did it with two suits, an extra sport coat, and an assortment of blouses that could go with any of the base pieces. And I only got two pair of jeans at that time, since they were primarily for evenings and weekends and could be dressed up or down. I've since switched things around -- more jeans than dress clothes, since I've retired. My DD did keep several of her dad's shirts and had them made into a pillow and cuddle bunny as a remembrance. Some other favorite T-shirts were set aside at my sister's house for a baby quilt, should she and DSIL decide to have children.
When it came time to pack up my kitchen, I used a similar process. No sense in paying to box and move items I'd not use on a regular basis. I kept a couple of keepsake baking implements from my DMIL, but other items went into a donation box for someone else to enjoy. Seriously, how many casserole dishes did I actually use on a regular basis? And, if I really need an extra one for a special event, I can grab one at Goodwill, and donate it back when I'm done with it.
Hope this helps!
