Spring Closet Clean-Out: How to Declutter, Refresh, and Revamp Your Wardrobe

Winter is for hibernation and summer is for stepping out, leaving spring and fall as perfectly transitional times of year to take care of just about everything else. As March rolls on, more daylight and warmer temperatures tend to inspire a reset. When I open my windows for the first time in months, without fail, the spring breeze seems to blow in a desire to clean out my closet. I won’t be surprised if it blows me all the way to my local Style Encore with my pile of gently-used clothing and accessories and a spring trends shopping list.

To kick off a closet clean-out, I almost never let go of pieces that can be used in the upcoming season. My spring purge is the time to get rid of winter sweaters I didn’t wear, boots I never reached for and knit dresses that never made it out of the closet. I also pay attention to how clothes fit me and if they don't fit anymore, it's time to switch them out. Before I put away my cold-weather wardrobe, I ask myself about the items I didn’t wear over the last few months. If I did wear it, I ask myself how often, and if the answer is “not much,” I’ll try to uncover the reason why and move them along. It’s not worth items taking up space in my closet just to end up answering the same questions again next year!

The pieces that stick with me tend to be denim jeans, my go-to dresses, and everyday sneakers and flats. However, the pieces I chose to let go of this time are items that could be considered “staples” but are reinvented each year with updated silhouettes and details. A favorite canvas jacket in olive green can be swapped out for a quilted bomber in a similar shade, or your favorite dark skinny jeans can be swapped out for floor-grazing denim with a straight leg. Keep an eye on the seasonal displays at your local Style Encore for outfit inspiration and spring’s best style ideas to see what other trendy swaps you might be able to make. While I have my yearly favorites, I think it’s fun to see the ways in which they get updated season after season. Creating looks using new parameters keeps me inspired and helps me find joy in how I choose to present myself to the world each day.

Blog By: Chelsea Lankford | @truelane