Home » Organization » Operation Closet Declutter: Before & After

Operation Closet Declutter: Before & After

Feeling overwhelmed by a closet stuffed with clothes, but don’t know where to start? Here’s how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can’t be donated, and transformed my closet from an oppressive space to a peaceful one. Bring on the inspirational “before & after” photos!

Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

*This post contains included Amazon affiliate links for your convenience.

Our walk-in closet went from feeling like the most oppressive room in our home to the most peaceful–so much so that I’m wanting to add a sitting chair in there.

A LITTLE BACKSTORY

I first used Marie Kondo’s “kon-mari method” to declutter our home 6 years ago after reading her masterpiece, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Holding an object in my hands while pondering, “Does this spark joy?” was a paring-down process that just plain worked for me. And I’ve returned to it often. But I was long overdue for another pass at my closet.

Our closet is ginormous compared to all the closets I’ve had before (even my childhood Thinking Closet!), and yet it felt oppressively full. I could barely see the clothes I had, they were packed so tightly. And I was out of drawer space, so stacks of clothes towered precariously on shelves. I had even started to feel like “I have nothing to wear,” which of course was NOT true in a closet packed to the gills. I just had too much stuff to appreciate.

TIME TO DECLUTTER

And so, last week in a rare burst of decluttering energy, I made a mountain of my clothes on our bed. (There’s nothing so motivating as needing to sort through your clothes in order to have a place to sleep at night, amiright?)

"Climb every mountain!" Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

And though things got way worse before they got better…

DURING Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

…I did my preliminary sort of all my clothes that first night. What a rush!

Feeling empowered after that victory, in the days that followed I moved on to shoes, bags, scarves, and jewelry.

It even became a family affair! Mark suddenly got inspired to tackle his side of the closet. Juniper gleefully helped me sort through jewelry. And Pepper instigated a family dance party in the closet, which was the morale boost we needed to finish by Saturday evening.

Juniper: my jewelry organization assistant! Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

BEFORE & AFTER PHOTOS

And because I find “before & after” photos highly motivating myself, I am setting aside my shame at how messy and cluttered I had let things get before in order to encourage those of you who might be in a similar spot.

You can see I had some great organizational supplies from when we first moved in back in 2018…just way too much stuff to house them. And some systems that needed to be re-imagined based on my needs now in 2022.

TO NOTE: I’ve created a special list in my Amazon storefront with all of the bins, totes, and organizers you see pictured below.

THE WHOLE PICTURE

Let’s dive right in and start with the whole picture, shall we? Here was my side of the closet.

(And yes, that was an unpacked suitcase on the floor from earlier that month. Nothing staged here, folks. This is real life.)

Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com
Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

ANNNND FROM STRAIGHT ON:

Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com
Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

It’s driving me a little batty that the bins on the top shelves look so wonky in the after photos, but “done is better than perfect” is my new motto.

ACCESSORIES DISPLAY

Besides purging old jewelry that wasn’t sparking joy, I also decided to save my favorite scarves and display them in neat stacks instead of tucking them away in baskets, “out of sight and out of mind.” Now, I am so much more likely to wear them!

Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com
Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

WIRE DRAWERS

I had waaaaay more bags and purses than one human could possibly need. So I relocated shopping bags to the garage, beach bags to under the bathroom sink, just kept my two purses I use on the regular, and donated the rest.

That freed up drawer space for the girls’ dress-up bin (which they can now easily access on ground level), and I will be purchasing two bins for the top drawer for my hand-wash-ables (one for lights and one for darks).

Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com
Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

T-SHIRTS

Instead of having my t-shirts tightly packed in a drawer where they were hard to see and therefore not often utilized, I decided to hang them up in some newly freed-up space. I can’t even begin to tell you how much joy it brings me to see them hanging in rainbow order next to my camisole tank tops. “Just like me,” Juniper said when she saw the ROYGBIV arrangement. She is the queen of rainbow organization! And with zero influence from social media, I might add. {Tee hee.}

Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com
Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

SHOES

It was high time to say farewell to winter boots and tennis shoes from different climates & different seasons of life…and say hello to designated spots for each pair of shoes and decluttered surfaces!

Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com
Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

OPEN SHELVING

This area feels like it underwent the most dramatic transformation…from Clutter-ville to “Blank Space” a la Taylor Swift.

The shelves still hold much potential, but for now, I’m appreciating the simple displays: a rustic clock with fresh batteries, treasured handbags on display, and the most adorable octopus ring holder you ever did see.

Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com
Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

SHORTS & PANTS DRAWERS

Beneath the shelves are my shorts and pants, now with space for new friends to join the mix down the line!

Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com
Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

NOT PICTURED:

My coats and dresses are on Mark’s side of the closet, which I decided not to picture here for his privacy. But both sections were cut down considerably. And I moved my punny Halloween costumes to the wardrobe in our bedroom. Hooray for breathing room!

CLOSET ORGANIZATION SUPPLIES

Once again, if you are curious about any of the bins, totes, or organizers from the “before & after” photos, everything is linked up in my Amazon storefront HERE, including:

A WEIGHT LIFTED

I probably clocked about 10 hours of closet decluttering total, and my guess is that I cut my entire wardrobe in half.

I feel a weight lifted, and in big part, it was a physical weight lifted:

  • selling clothes for cash: 16 items sold at resale shops here in Orlando, FL
  • donations: 3 huge trash bags donated to The Salvation Army
  • textile recycling: 50 pounds of clothes deposited in H&M’s textile recycling bin

Read-on for the run-down for each….

SELLING CLOTHES FOR CASH

Juniper was my buddy the day I visited two local re-sale shops here in Orlando, FL that buy clothes for cash: Plato’s Closet & Style Encore, which happen to be right next-door to one another in Waterford Lakes. Super convenient. Thanks to my friend Shauna-na for that hot tip!

Selling clothes at Plato's Closet | Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com
Selling clothes at Plato's Closet | Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

It’s always a bit of a blow to the ego when they return your full boxes of beloved clothes that aren’t “on trend” or in good enough shape. Womp womp! But I was honestly satisfied with 16 items sold total between both stores for about $42…which we promptly put to good use buying school uniforms at another resale shop, Once Upon a Child!

“It’s the circle of liiiiiiiife!”

DONATIONS

We donated three big bags of clothes, bags, jewelry, and shoes to our local Salvation Army store, valued at over $600. Their website has a list of estimated value per item so you can easily document your donation for a tax write-off at the end of the year. Woot woot!

3 bags of donations for The Salvation Army | Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

TEXTILE RECYCLING

Okay, so are you ready for me to blow your mind?

Did you know that any H&M clothing store will recycle your old textiles in exchange for a store discount?!

H&M TEXTILE RECYCLING DONATIONS | Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

Here’s how I learned about this amazing resource:

I had about 50 pounds of clothes not up to donation standards (clothes with holes, stains, stretched out elastic, or old undergarments). And while Googling sustainable alternatives to sending bags of clothes to the landfill, I learned about H&M’s textile recycling program!

You can read more on their website HERE, but the short of it is that H&M partners with a company called I:CO that helps give your old clothes a new lease on life. If textiles can’t be repaired and re-worn, they will either be turned into rags or recycled into other materials like wall insulation.

How cool is that?! Game-changer, I know.

So, I packed up the bags of old clothes into a suitcase…

H&M TEXTILE RECYCLING DONATIONS | Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

…headed to my local H&M store at the mall with my two sidekicks…

H&M TEXTILE RECYCLING DONATIONS | Operation Closet Declutter: how I cut my wardrobe in half, discovered a sustainable alternative to trashing clothes that can't be donated, and transformed my closet from feeling like the most oppressive space in our home to the most peaceful...all in one weekend. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a closet overflowing with clothes, but don't know where to start, my story & "before & after" pics are here to inspire you and jumpstart your own decluttering spree! via Lauren at ThinkingCloset.com

…and we deposited all 9 bags into their textile recycling bin behind the counter. And by “we” I mean Juniper and Pepper did it all themselves while giggling up a storm. You can see that moment in action in THIS short reel I shared on Instagram.

WATCH THE REEL

Don’t blink! The video is only 8 seconds long.

A RESTFUL SPACE

A week later, I find myself walking in to our closet just to look at it: the clear surfaces, the spaces between hangers, colorful stacked scarves, the t-shirts hanging in rainbow order.

Why does it feel like such a restful space now?

Well, I’ve been thinking about it, and here’s where I’ve landed:

What’s left behind is true to me RIGHT NOW. The pants size I’m wearing right now. The clothes that match the climate I live in. The styles I’m comfortable in. Not the things I once loved or sizes I once wore or styles I wanted to rock, but were someone else’s version of cool.

Decluttering can be emotional work. I know it’s why I so often avoid it. But as someone who is starting to wade into the waters of emotion with more courage than ever before (thanks to my counselor and close circle and God’s leading), I must say, there is a calm on the other side that is worth the wading.

A calm that comes when we square up to who we are NOW. And embrace that person.

And THAT is why I want a sitting chair in my closet….

YOUR TURN

Are you on a decluttering kick? Can you think of a time when decluttering a space helped you feel more at rest and more yourself?

I’d love to hear from you in the comments below or over on this post on Instagram! Chattin’ it up with kindred spirits like yourself is one of my favorite things to do.

FAVORITE BOOKS ON DECLUTTERING

And for some recommended reading on this subject, here are three books I read and loved:

Cheering you on... –Lauren
How to start a fun family tradition of creating a summer bucket list. Glean inspiration from our lists with 80 unique family activities ideas. Get ready for a summer full of memory-making & quality time together! via thinkingcloset.com

*Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase after clicking through, The Thinking Closet may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping to support this site!

| |

4 Comments

  1. Lauren, you are such an inspiration! And you know what I also noticed in an AFTER photo? From the ’80s? That sweet, tiny photo of the three of us next to your organized necklaces and bracelets!
    Decluttering can surely make all things new! A good life-lesson here!

    Well done and thanks for sharing!

    1. Ha ha, great eye, Mama! “All things new” indeed. I have SO much more appreciation for that little relic from the past now that it has room to breathe, free of clutter. Makes me smile to see you and Lisbeth every morning when I’m getting ready…perhaps it will even inspire some 80s fashion choices!

  2. Lauren, thank you for sharing this journey with us all!!! I applaud what you have accomplished in this purging. It IS so liberating!
    Do you have a plan in place for discerning what to bring home from the mall, to prevent repopulating your closet with stuff? It’s a good next step I’ve discovered!!!
    Now can you pray for me to part with Rubbermaid after Rubbermaid of old photos that my kids don’t want of their childhood(s)? I literally NEVER look at them nor does my husband plus they NEVER ask to see them either. What a sentimental mom to do?
    Take care!!
    P.S. Your girls are super darling!

    1. Thanks for the cheers, Kathy! And ooooo, that’s a great next step you mention. I like the 1 in, 1 out rule…that way, you don’t end up accumulating too much stuff to appreciate. But I welcome your tips and tricks, too! Ugh, and that is SO hard dealing with the old photos you’ve saved. That’s my next horizon to conquer: organizing my digital photos and one day, my hardcopies. Fist bump of encouragement coming your way!

Your comments make my day!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *