40 Hanger Closet Challenge!

Good morning, savvy savers! I hope you are all well rested, and in the mindset to save this morning!  So today, in keeping with this month’s cleaning trend, I want to focus on another problem area in many homes, our personal closets. Yes, our little caves of wonder. If you are anything like me, your closet is nothing short of a time capsule of the last decade of your life, and probably in need of an overhaul today! 

So today, I challenge you to purge your closet. But there is a catch to today’s challenge, you can only keep 40 items.

Now before anyone gasps in horror, this is a proposed experiment. I am challenging you to limit your closets to 40 hangers, 40 items so that your closet only contains clothes you can currently fit, look great in, and simply love! All of the clothes being purged can be donated, sold, or upcycled, too! 

So here are a few tips to help you purge your closet:

• Purge veraciously.  Keep only the items that you absolutely love, can comfortably fit, and wear on a regular basis.  
• If something doesn’t fit “just right,” has holes, stains, is out of season, or you haven’t worn in one year, toss it! 
• Skinny Bin. For clothes that you are five pounds from fitting, create a bin or basket which can be placed in the top of your closet; no more than ten pieces. 
• Think Fabric. Torn or stained items, made of interested fabrics, can be reprieved from the donation bin, and instead may be cut into strips or squares for crafting; think pillow cases, framed vintage tees, tee-shirt rugs, and more! 
• Invest in great hangers.  Think smaller, huggable hangers for clothing, and bendable hangers for swearers; plastic hangers can be re-purposed to hang fabric in your craft room, and wire hangers can be stored for wreath forms.
• Maximize your losses.  Purged items can be sold via Craigslist, eBay, Facebook, consignment shops, Threadup, or garage sales.  

So, here’s how I did today’s challenge:

We each are allotted: 40 hangers, a skinny bin, and that’s it!

For me, I was able to clean out my closet and had eight hangers left over, after work in an hour and a half several days ago, woohoo! As well, all of my purged clothes will be used next week during our “selling week;” all of the clothes being purged can be donated, sold, or upcycled, too! My closet, which was already small, went from having the rod bowing in the center, to being freed up! I can now see all of the pieces I love! I forgot I still had my Burberry wrap! How awesome is that! 

Now, before anyone asks, my boxes shoes are located above my closet, and I have an awesome, huge set of built-in drawers which house my house clothes, pajamas, scarves, and more. But my closet, long the place where garments were pressed together so tightly they could not move, is now free-flowing, organized by fabric, and I now feel that despite losing a few dozen items, I have more options, as every item I kept I can fit, and just love! 

As I organized my closet I kept three piles: A pile of wearable outfits, a pile of donations, and a pile of clothes which can be sold. And when I was finished I tried on each and every outfit in the keep pile, and guess what? Three outfits were too large for me currently, which was an awesome affirming moment for me! All-in-all, this was painless, and left me feeling elated! 

The 40 hanger system is a keeper for me! 

So, here’s the before and after:

 

Don’t think of this as a chore, but a life lesson. By purging the things we don’t need, want, or use, we are making room for all of the clothing and accessories that make our bodies look and feel better. Today we are freeing ourselves for the bigger, better deals. So today, let’s see how we can change our perspectives, one closet at a time! 

Here’s to saving,