12 Things to Toss From Your Closet ASAP, According to Pro Organizers

Take this as a sign to finally toss those too-small sweaters.

A cluttered closet can make it difficult to get dressed each morning, and harder still to express your personal style. But the changing of seasons marks the perfect time for some reorganization via a closet clean-out. Removing items you don’t want or need is the best place to start getting your closet in order , but sometimes it can be hard to decide what stays and what goes. That's where we come in.

We turned to a fashion stylist and two professional organizers to learn what you should toss into that donation pile ASAP. (Yes, you should take this as a sign to finally get rid of those shoes that pinch and those scratchy sweaters.) Follow their advice during your annual closet clean-out and it'll be looking neat and tidy in no time.

Meet the Expert

• Sarit Weiss , certified professional organizer and owner of Neat & Orderly , a professional organization company
• Mindy Godding , certified professional organizer, owner of Abundance Organizing , and president of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals
• Audree Kate Lòpez , fashion stylist, editor, and influencer

Related: Organizers Share the Items That Should Be Banished from Your Bedroom

Clothes That Don't Fit

It’s understandable to want to hang onto old clothes that no longer fit—especially if you’re hoping they might fit once again—but they take up precious closet real estate.

Closets cluttered with pieces that don’t fit can distract from items you could wear today, says Mindy Godding, a certified professional organizer. Either place them in bins labeled by size in a long-term storage spot, like an attic or garage, or donate them to open up space in your closet.

Damaged, Stained, or Ripped Items

No matter how much you may love a piece of clothing, how likely are you to wear it if it’s damaged, stained, or full of holes and tears? If you've been meaning to put your sewing kit to use or take them to a tailor for months now, it's time to do so, stat. Otherwise, those damaged items have got to go.

“Donate wearable items, repurpose holey socks and old t-shirts for dusting and cleaning, and toss old underwear and anything that cannot be fixed,” says Audree Kate López, a fashion stylist, editor, and influencer. Additionally, old blankets and towels can be donated to animal shelters where they can get plenty of use even if they have holes or stains.

Related: Visible Mending Ideas That Give Worn Clothing New Life

Wire Hangers

They may be free from the dry cleaner , but wire hangers don’t belong in your closet. “While wire hangers are slim and don’t take up much room in your closet, they are super flimsy and can distort the shape of your clothes,” says Sarit Weiss, a certified professional organizer.

During your closet clean-out, replace wire hangers with equally slim but sturdier alternatives, like velvet hangers. As an added bonus, they’ll keep your closet looking cohesive and clean.

Bulky Hangers

Just like wire hangers have no place in your closet, neither do bulky ones. They take up valuable closet space, and should also be replaced with slim but sturdy hangers . Weiss does, however, recommend keeping a few larger, more substantial hangers for suits and other formal attire to better hold their shape and weight.

Dry Cleaning Bags

Chances are you’ve got at least a few dry cleaning bags lurking in your closet—but they should go right in the trash. The odors you smell at the dry cleaners are the result of airborne chemicals used in the dry cleaning process. “Dry cleaning bags trap those potentially damaging chemicals against your fabrics,” explains Godding. Additionally, the thin, flimsy plastic can make your closet look untidy.

Shoes That Hurt Your Feet

Many people have a pair of shoes (or two, or three) that are super cute but extremely uncomfortable to wear. Consider donating or selling them during your closet clean-out so you can have more room for things you enjoy wearing, advises Weiss. This also creates space for you to get another cute pair of shoes that are both stylish and comfortable!

Related: How to Clean White Shoes So They Look Brand New Again

Costumes

If you're a big fan of Halloween or costume parties , you might have a bunch of old costumes on hand. Even if you plan to wear them again, they don’t belong in your closet. "Costumes can trip people up because they are technically clothes," says Godding. "However, these seldom-worn and often bulky items can steal precious storage space from day-to-day clothes."

Either store costumes in a secondary space away from the rest of your wardrobe or donate old costumes that you’ll never rewear.

Items That Don't Fit Your Personal Style

More is definitely not more when it comes to your closet—especially if it's filled with pieces that don’t reflect your personal style. “You don’t have to keep something just because you bought it,” says López. “If you always skip an item in your closet because it doesn’t fit your personality or style anymore, that’s OK!”

Consign, donate, or gift these types of pieces to friends to make room for pieces that you love. “Trust me, you won’t miss them,” Godding says.

Extra Tote Bags

If there is one thing we all have in our closets, it’s an absurd number of tote bags we’ll (likely) never use. Tote bags can pile up quickly, especially from events and special occasions, says Weiss. “Sort through all your bags and decide how many are a reasonable number for you to keep, based on how often you use them and how often you like to switch them out.” Recycle or donate the ones you don’t use.

Freebies

Free t-shirts from events, swag bags, and hand-me-downs from friends are all thoughtful and generous gifts, but just because it’s free doesn’t mean you’ll want to wear it.

If you don’t wear them within a certain period of time, "donate them so someone else can give them a new life," recommends López.

Formal Outfits You've Only Worn Once

Formalwear is tricky because it can often be expensive, but typically sees very little wear. If you have suits or dresses you’ve worn once and likely won't wear again, Weiss recommends donating or selling them to free up precious closet space. Alternatively, you can loan your rarely-worn formal wear to family and friends who may be able to put it to good use at upcoming events.

Related: 7 Charities That Will Give Your Donated Wedding Dress a Second Life

Gifts & Sentimental Items

Getting rid of gifts and sentimental items can be hard, but it’s important to remember that you don’t have to hold onto something forever just because it was a gift or has fond memories attached to it. “If you have 20 shirts from college but never wear them, donate, pass down or keep your favorite two,” suggests López.

Take photos of particularly meaningful items so you can treasure them forever without having them take up space in your closet.

Read the original article on Martha Stewart .