Spring Closet Cleaning: Letting Go & Hanging On
As we move into the heat of spring, I can’t help but feel like winter overstayed its welcome. It felt unseasonably colder, and spring started to feel, well, fashionably late. But finally, here it is. And with every seasonal shift, I find myself doing the same ritual: standing in front of my unreasonably small closet, taking inventory of what fits, what no longer feels like me, and how in the world I’m going to make everything work in a space that seems to shrink with every new apartment I move into.
If it doesn’t fit your life anymore, it doesn’t belong in your closet.
There’s that saying: “Out with the old, in with the new.” But I’ve come to realize that a new season doesn’t have to mean a new closet. This time of year isn’t just about swapping sweaters for sundresses; it’s a chance to be more mindful. A chance to reflect, reset, and make intentional choices—not just about what we wear, but how we consume.
I’m starting to shop less on impulse and more with intention. If I’m out shopping or browsing online, I’ve started asking myself questions like: Do I actually love this? Will I wear it more than once? Does it work with what I already have?Sometimes the answer is no—and that’s okay.
Closet cleanouts used to feel like a chore, but now I see them as an opportunity. I almost feel attached to every single item in my closet. Even if I haven’t worn something in forever, part of me still wants to hold onto it. But I’m learning that letting go doesn’t have to mean waste. It can be a reflection of growth — of how my style is evolving, and of how I’m evolving too.
Clothing isn’t just stuff. It’s memory, identity, transition — until it’s time to pass it on.
These days, I try to donate more intentionally, passing pieces along to people or organizations where I know they’ll actually be worn and appreciated. It’s such a simple thing, but it feels meaningful.
When I’m doing a cleanout, I try not to overthink it. I’ve come up with a little system that helps me be honest with myself: If I haven’t reached for it in a year, that’s a pretty clear sign. If I try it on and immediately want to take it off, it probably doesn’t belong back on the rack. And then there are the pieces that hold a certain emotional weight — the jeans I might fit into again one day, or the top I bought for a night out that never happened. I’m learning to ask: Is this serving me now? If the answer is no, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good buy — it just means its time with me has passed.
Closet cleanouts aren’t about perfection. They’re about honesty.
Finding what to do with the things you're ready to part with can feel like the hardest part. But donating intentionally makes it feel less like getting rid of something, and more like passing it forward. Someone else might find exactly what they need in the pieces you no longer wear.
Brands are even making it easier to close that loop. Banana Republic, for example, has partnered with ThredUp to help extend the life of clothing. You can send in gently used clothes and accessories to ThredUp and earn store credit in return — making your closet cleanout feel a little more rewarding.
Another organization I love is Free Fabrik, a nonprofit that offers underserved women the chance to experience boutique-style shopping at no cost. They partner with shelters and safe houses to either bring women into their physical boutique or build one directly inside the organization. Knowing that a piece I no longer wear might become someone else’s favorite thing? That makes the whole process feel bigger than just my closet.
Because as the season changes, so do we. And maybe the best kind of style evolution isn’t about adding more — it’s about letting go. About making space. About recognizing what no longer fits, not just on our bodies, but in our lives.
