In the previous posts, we reviewed how to find your personal uniform, how to assess your space, determine how much clothing you should have, and decluttering your clothing by removing pieces that are unwearable, don’t fit your personal uniform, kept ‘just in case’, or are sentimental. Now, it’s time to deep clean your wardrobe and storage spaces.
Starting with a clean slate will set the foundation for an organized wardrobe. During the cleaning process, you might find additional clothing pieces that you missed earlier. By now you’ve gained experience in reviewing pieces and deciding whether to keep or retire them. Be prepared to make a few more decisions along the way. You’ll also likely find non-wardrobe pieces during this process as well. We’ll cover what to do with those in this post as well.
Before beginning, review your available storage space (as completed earlier in this process) and plan accordingly. I’m guilty of tackling an ambitious project without proper planning and have learned that it’s easy to lose momentum midway. To avoid creating a mess that disrupts your household or makes your space unlivable, break the wardrobe cleaning into manageable phases.
If the wardrobe areas you identified earlier feel overwhelming to complete in one setting, start with the smallest space first. Completing this will boost your motivation to clean the remaining closets and spaces.
Steps to deep clean your wardrobe
Empty the space completely. Take everything out of the closet or storage area.
Remove dust. Use a vacuum or a dust rag to clean surfaces.
Wash surfaces. Clean shelves, walls, and floors with an appropriate solution. I recommend mixing one part white vinegar with one part water, but any gentle all-purpose cleaner will work. Make sure the surfaces are completely dry after you wash them by using a dry cloth and fan, if necessary.
Deodorize the space. Sprinkle baking soda, let it sit for 15 minutes, and then vacuum it up.
If you discover non-wardrobe pieces, such as holiday decorations or gym equipment, in your clothing storage places while cleaning, ask yourself:
Is this something I truly need?
Is there anywhere else I can store this that makes more sense, such as a hallway closet, bathroom or kitchen cabinet, bookshelf, basement, garage or storage unit?
For those of us who live in small living spaces such as apartments, we may need to store non-clothing in our wardrobes, but challenge yourself with the above questions before putting everything back where you found it. While going through this exercise, I decided to get a storage space in my building for my holiday decorations and other infrequently needed things, but kept my gym equipment as it's used frequently in my bedroom.
By starting small and working methodically, you’ll create a fresh space to store your newly decluttered, personal uniform wardrobe.
Coming up next
Storing clothing for maximum wear
Unlock a clutter-free closet!
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