What is closet purging? Closet purging is when you take a hard look at your closet and decide that it is time to reevaluate some pieces and let go. This can be hard for obvious reasons, mostly being that it can be daunting trying to decide what to keep and what to get rid of. 

Does the emotional value of a piece of clothing cancel out the literal value? What if an event comes up that would have been perfect to wear that one thing, but you just threw it out? 

It sounds like a lot of static noise or an echo chamber of ‘what ifs.’ This in itself can be a bad practice to continually reinforce — rationalizing something that you don’t need or creating a scenario that likely will not happen. 

There can be a lot of benefits to purging your closet out, and while some are surface-level (like creating more space in your home or having an excuse to go shopping) there are some serious benefits for your mental health, too. 

In an article from Apartment Therapy, a study found that those with chaotic living spaces, largely due to their lack of organization or an abundance of materialistic items, were more likely to have higher levels of stress. 

Not only that, but it was specifically how the subject perceived their space that affected their hormonal levels. This meant that those who referred to their own place as clean, decluttered or organized were seen with lower levels of stress and depression than those who acknowledged their mess. 

In another article from Psychology Today, writer Jennifer Baumgartner emphasizes that by cleaning out your closet and organizing it, you gain a learned technique that “can be applied to all areas of life.” 

However, some experts acknowledge that cleaning out your closet is easier said than done, and almost always encourages the subject to continue to buy more in order to fill the empty void that they have just created. 

Oset Babur, author of “Why You Should Resist the Urge to Clean Out Your Closet,” expands on this by suggesting that closet purging should instead be acquired as a regular habit in order to break the cycle of getting rid of things in order to get more, newer things. 

“Regularly evaluating and tossing things as needed, as opposed to big yearly clean-outs, can make it easier to keep track of new purchases and avoid the pressure to rebound shop,” Babur said. 

So now comes the question: How can I purge my closet in a healthy way without regretting it later? 

While there’s no surefire way to maintain your emotional stability as you go through decluttering your material possessions, there are many steps you can take in order to promote a healthy habit.

In an article from InStyle, professional organizer Jen Rowe suggests implementing a rule that you can only buy as much as you get rid of, meaning that whatever you part with must remain equal with whatever you bring into your closet. 

This is meant to reinforce the idea that you should not get rid of your things just to validate getting more after the fact. 

When cleaning out your closet, it can be helpful to keep a checklist in mind as you go. Have you worn this in the last six months? Do you have something similar to it? Are there other pieces that come to mind when you think of putting it with an outfit? 

Most often, the answers to these questions are more honest than you trying to rationalize keeping it. Depending on your own situation, even organizing your closet can make it feel brand new. 

And if you struggle to part with something that you never wear, just remember that somebody out there will love it as much as you do.