Our closets can be our best friends and our worst enemies. Sometimes, things just get away from us, and the clutter starts to pile up inside. Once you’ve figured out that it’s time to declutter and dedicated yourself to fixing the problem, the real work starts. Where do you begin when your clothes and shoes are stacking up like a mountain in your closet? We’re going to give you a few tips on how to start decluttering your closet to make the process easier for you.

Set Aside Time

You might think that you can get through your whole closet quickly, and maybe you could if it was a very bare closet. However, it’s likely gotten out of control over time. Don’t go into the decluttering process thinking it will be a quick one. Going through and evaluating every piece of clothing you own can seriously waste some time. Try to put aside a specific amount of time to declutter so that nothing else distracts you.

Limit Your Number of Hangers

To make sure your closet doesn’t get out of hand again, you’ll need a new organizational system. One of the best ways to start decluttering your closet is to limit yourself to only a specific number of hangers. Getting rid of the excess hangers will force you to consider what garments you actually want to keep on the hangers that you have left. You can also consider breaking your clothes into categories and only keeping a specific number of items per category.

Have a Plan for What You Get Rid Of

You’ll probably surprise yourself with how many things in your closet you no longer like or need. The best practice for these old clothes and shoes is to donate them, so make sure you have a plan of attack for those donatable items. You could also consider selling some of the nicer pieces you no longer want. Try to keep the “trash” option as a very last resort. A lot of people could use those clothes effectively, and discarded clothing seriously harms the environment as it piles up in landfills.

Trust Your Instincts

Deep down, you know what you do want and don’t want to keep. The decision-making process can go much smoother if you just trust what your gut tells you about each piece. If something you pull out doesn’t immediately make you start thinking of how you’ll wear it next or how much you like it, you probably don’t need to hang onto it. Use your intuition, and you won’t end up with regrets once you’ve finished organizing.