Willow and Hearth

Clearing out your closet is one of the fastest ways to reclaim space and calm your morning routine, and professional organizers are blunt about which items should go first. Drawing on their checklists and seasonal decluttering advice, I have pulled together 12 categories that experts say you can confidently toss this week to cut visual noise, improve storage, and make every outfit decision easier.

1) Unworn Clothes from the Past Year

Unworn clothes from the past year are at the top of many professional decluttering lists, and organizers consistently advise removing them to free up space. Guidance on items you should toss from your closet right now stresses that pieces you have not reached for in a full season cycle are functioning as storage, not wardrobe. That includes jeans still with tags, impulse-sale dresses, and “someday” workwear that no longer fits your lifestyle.

Letting these items linger has real consequences, because they crowd out the clothes you actually wear and make it harder to see what you own. I find it useful to set a clear rule: if it has not left the hanger in twelve months, it goes into a donation or resale pile. This simple filter aligns with expert advice and quickly reveals how much of your closet is dead weight.

2) Stained or Torn Garments

Stained or torn garments are another category that professional organizers say you should discard without delay. Advice on closet items to get rid of singles out clothing with set-in discoloration, frayed cuffs, or rips you have never repaired as clutter that no longer serves a purpose. These pieces are unlikely to be worn outside the house, yet they still occupy prime hanging or drawer space.

Holding on to damaged items also skews your sense of how much usable clothing you actually have. When I remove visibly worn shirts, stretched-out sweaters, and pants with broken zippers, I can better assess gaps that deserve replacement. Experts often recommend keeping a small mending pile with a firm deadline and tossing anything that misses it, which keeps “someday” repair projects from becoming permanent residents.

3) Outdated Seasonal Pieces in Storage

Outdated seasonal pieces in storage function much like forgotten attic clutter, and organizers urge people to treat them the same way. Guidance on things to toss from your attic immediately highlights how rarely accessed spaces fill with decor and gear that no longer fits current tastes or needs. The same pattern plays out with bins of old holiday sweaters, novelty scarves, or dated beach cover-ups tucked at the back of a closet.

Keeping these relics crowds shelves and makes it harder to rotate in the seasonal items you actually enjoy. I recommend opening every off-season box and asking whether each piece reflects your current style and climate. If a coat, swimsuit, or party dress has survived several years of storage without being worn, experts would classify it alongside attic castoffs that are ready for donation or textile recycling.

4) Duplicate Wardrobe Basics

Duplicate wardrobe basics are a quiet source of clutter, and organizers often target them for a September reset. Advice on things to get rid of in September frames early fall as a natural moment to edit extra T-shirts, black leggings, and nearly identical button-downs that overwhelm drawers. When you own five versions of the same item but only reach for two, the rest are effectively unused inventory.

Paring back duplicates has practical benefits, because it shortens laundry cycles and makes it easier to find your favorite pieces. I like to line up similar items and keep only the best-fitting, most comfortable options. The rest can be donated while they are still in good condition, which aligns with expert advice to let go of surplus basics before they become worn-out clutter that no one wants.

5) Ill-Fitting Shoes and Boots

Ill-fitting shoes and boots are another category that professional organizers flag when they walk through a crowded closet. In guidance on how to organize your closet, experts emphasize that footwear you cannot comfortably wear undermines both storage and daily routines. Pairs that pinch, rub, or slip off your heel are unlikely to leave the house, yet they often line the floor in multiple rows.

Keeping them has hidden costs, because they make it harder to see the shoes that do work and can even damage those better pairs when everything is crammed together. I recommend trying on every pair and walking a few steps; anything that fails the comfort test goes into a sell-or-donate box. This approach supports the broader organizing principle that only functional items deserve space at eye level or under hanging clothes.

6) Unused Accessories Like Belts

Unused accessories like belts, costume jewelry, and extra scarves are frequent targets when experts outline items you should toss from your closet right now. The same guidance that highlights unworn clothes in professional closet clean-out tips also applies to these small add-ons that quietly multiply. Belts with cracked leather, outdated buckles, or missing prongs rarely make it into outfits, yet they tangle on hooks and fill shallow drawers.

Editing these pieces has an outsized impact because accessories often live at the most accessible points in a closet. I find it helpful to separate everyday belts and jewelry from “someday” items and then be honest about which pile I actually reach for. When only current favorites remain, getting dressed becomes faster and the remaining accessories feel more intentional, which is exactly the outcome organizers aim for.

7) Faded Lingerie Sets

Faded lingerie sets and worn intimates are another category that professional organizers insist should be tossed immediately. Advice on closet essentials to discard singles out stretched-out bras, elastic-shot underwear, and discolored camisoles as items that no longer provide proper support or comfort. Because these pieces are used daily, they deteriorate faster than outerwear and can quietly dominate a drawer.

There are hygiene and confidence stakes here as well, since worn-out lingerie can affect how clothes fit and feel throughout the day. I recommend checking for frayed straps, faded fabric, and bands that ride up, then setting a firm limit on how many backups you truly need. Removing the rest not only aligns with expert guidance but also makes it easier to track when your remaining essentials need replacement.

8) Old Hangers and Organizers

Old hangers and organizers, especially those that are bent, cracked, or mismatched, function like broken storage in an attic and deserve prompt disposal. Advice on attic items to toss immediately notes that damaged containers and fixtures no longer protect what they hold, and the same logic applies to warped wire hangers or collapsing fabric shelves. These pieces can distort clothing, snag delicate fabrics, and create visual chaos.

Upgrading to a consistent set of sturdy hangers instantly improves how a closet looks and works, even if you do not change the number of garments. I like to gather every spare hanger from the house, keep only those that match my preferred style, and recycle or donate the rest. This small infrastructure change supports the broader goal of making your closet feel intentional rather than improvised.

9) Gifts Never Worn

Gifts never worn, such as sweaters in the wrong color or shoes in the wrong size, often linger out of guilt, but organizers increasingly place them on September’s ASAP discard list. Seasonal guidance on items to get rid of in September frames this month as a chance to reset emotional attachments and make room for cooler-weather pieces you will actually wear. Keeping unwanted presents does not honor the giver; it simply eats up shelf and hanger space.

Passing these items along while they are still current and in good condition increases the odds that someone else will enjoy them. I suggest removing tags, if you are sure you will not return them, and moving them directly into a donation bag or resale listing. That small act aligns with expert advice to prioritize function and fit over obligation when deciding what earns a place in your closet.

10) Bulky Winter Coats Out of Season

Bulky winter coats out of season are a classic culprit when closets feel overstuffed, and organizing pros routinely recommend rotating them out. In guidance on pro-approved closet tips, experts highlight the value of storing heavy outerwear elsewhere during warmer months so everyday clothes remain easy to see and reach. Parkas, puffer jackets, and long wool coats can consume an entire rod if they stay put year-round.

Moving them to a garment rack in a spare room, an entry closet, or breathable storage bags under a bed frees up hangers for current-season pieces. I also use this transition moment to inspect each coat for missing buttons or worn linings, addressing repairs before the next cold snap. That way, seasonal rotation becomes both a space-saving tactic and a maintenance check, which supports longer garment life.

11) Mismatched Socks and Underwear

Mismatched socks and orphaned underwear are small items with outsized impact on drawer clutter, and organizers frequently suggest tossing them now for efficiency. The same expert advice that urges people to remove unworn clothes in closet clean-out checklists also applies to single socks that have lost their partners and undergarments that no longer belong to a complete set. These pieces slow down dressing and laundry because you keep shuffling past them.

Creating a short-term “missing mates” basket can help, but the key is setting a deadline after which any unpaired items are discarded or repurposed as cleaning rags. I find that once these stragglers are gone, folded stacks stay neater and it becomes easier to see when you truly need to buy replacements. That clarity is exactly what professional organizers aim for when they target micro-clutter.

12) Expired Dry-Cleaning Bags

Expired dry-cleaning bags, along with other lingering plastic covers, are a final category that experts say should be discarded at once. Advice on items you absolutely must toss warns that these bags trap dust, restrict airflow, and can even contribute to fabric discoloration over time. When garments stay wrapped for months, the plastic can degrade while the clothes inside never fully air out.

Removing these covers improves ventilation and makes your wardrobe look more cohesive, since you can see fabrics and colors instead of a row of cloudy plastic. I recommend unbagging everything as soon as it returns from the cleaner and recycling the plastic where facilities exist. That simple habit aligns with professional guidance and helps ensure that the pieces you invest in are stored in conditions that support their longevity.