Fall Closet Clean Out: What to Keep, What to Toss

With changing seasons comes ushering summer clothes out of your closet to make room for your favourite fall pieces. If you’re like most people, you have a pile of clothes that you forgot you owned or those that have seen better days. Make room in your wardrobe for some new fall shopping with a few easy tips for cleaning out your closet. —Jeanine Gordon

say no to stains. No matter how much you love it, if a piece is stained or damaged, it’s got to go. Consider the environment and donate pieces that aren’t suitable for donation to shops like Value Village, where damaged items are sent to be recycled.

go for 10s. A dress or top may be a pretty piece or beautifully made, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for you. Maybe the colour isn’t your most flattering or the fit doesn’t make you feel confident, and these pieces are taking up precious space. When cleaning out your closet, ask yourself, “is this a 10?” If you’re honest and rank something as less than a 10 out of 10, then pass it on to a thrift or consignment shop. Your closet should only contain pieces that make you look and feel like your best!

hold on to hero pieces. The “get rid of clothes you haven’t worn in the last year” rule applies to most of your wardrobe, but we all have special items that should be kept and treasured. These include clothes that have sentimental value, pieces you want to pass on to your kids, or that old figure skating costume that’s filled with great memories. The key is to hang on to a few of these pieces only, not to fill your closet with them.