The Deeply Therapeutic Art of Cleaning out Your Closet
After five+ cross country moves, I’ve become quite the self-proclaimed expert at cleaning out my closet and packing up all of my things. I’ve also become pretty disciplined about not acquiring things I don’t really need. Yet, every single time I begin the process of cleaning out my closet, it’s deeply therapeutic, gratifying, and fulfilling.
Over the past two weeks, I’ve been doing a deep clean of my closet, since I’m moving abroad to Germany. (You can follow along in Instagram Stories @ChelseaDinen). So many thoughts and epiphanies come up as I’m standing in the deep abyss that is my awkwardly-shaped triangular walk-in closet. Such as, “Why on Earth did someone think a triangle-shaped closet would be an efficient use of space?”
All jokes aside, cleaning out my closet really is a deeply therapeutic practice and here are some of those epiphanies that come up for me in the process:
1. If I’ve been holding onto so many items that I do not need, then how many non-physical items have I been holding onto over the years?
Relationships, thoughts, beliefs, habits, etc. If I’ve been holding onto this pair of boots because I might need them one day, what more important/potentially life-altering things have I been holding onto as well? And what would happen if I decided to free myself and let go of not just those boots but those limiting beliefs or those old habits or surface-level friendships that truly are only dragging me down over time? Game changer.
2. It’s not really even about attachment. I’m more than willing to let go.
Yes, I’ve read ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,’ and though I don’t use the KonMari Method of decluttering as I purge my wardrobe, the idea of “what sparks joy” is definitely helpful. But again, bringing my semi-nomadic lifestyle into play, it really comes down to, how badly do I want to lug this thousands of miles? It becomes a lot more cutthroat. Cutthroat – who uses that word to describe the process of cleaning out their closet? Well, apparently I do. But it’s true! This go-around, I’ve been ruthless (I’ll explain more about that in a future post.) Anything I “might” wear in the future, gets the boot.
3. Seeing how much you’ve transformed
For me, as I’m going through older items in my closet, I may come across clothes from specific events or times in my life. For example, I found the last pair of my favorite dance pants that my mom had gifted to me just before she died. It brought up a slew of emotions, realizing just how much a pair of pants could reignite emotions you’ve otherwise suppressed. Because, you know, grief never really goes away. It’s always there, bubbling just below the surface.
I’m a pretty sentimental person, so I remember exactly where I was and what was going on in my life during the time I purchased most items in my closet. So, as I’m going hanger by hanger, I’m immediately taken back to the person that I was when I bought that blouse or that coat or those running shoes. It’s an interesting way to reflect on your transformation. Where you were then mentally, physically, and even spiritually back then versus now. It’s an interesting way to look at our personal development over the years.
4. It’s all about letting go
Oh, the freedom we feel from letting go. It’s almost never actually that article of clothing we are holding onto. It’s the memory, the money we spent on it, the brand name, the person who gave it to us, the possibility of maybe needing it even though it’s been sitting in your closet for four years and you haven’t needed it… yet.
5. The freedom that comes as soon as you do let go
It always hits me immediately. The weight is lifted when you can confidently say “goodbye and good riddance!” It feels good to make decisions that free you.
I’ve found that over the course of time, when I started becoming a bit more “nomadic” and making multiple long distance moves as well as when I started working from home and simplifying my lifestyle, my wardrobe became more streamlined. Now, it’s about having items of clothing that I can dress up or dress down if need be, and less extremes of super casual or super formal. And I think going through my closet and seeing items that I purchased when I wasn’t as streamlined with my wardrobe reminds me of why I’ve chosen this more intentional lifestyle.
It’s for the freedom.
I’m not a minimalist, though, in the past I talked a lot about simple living. To me, there is a difference. To simplify does not mean you must become a minimalist and get rid of alllll of your things. It should be a freeing, gratifying process of letting go with ease and grace. I also don’t have a capsule wardrobe nor could I fit my entire life into a backpack, simply because that’s just not the lifestyle that I desire. My point is that you don’t have to have extremes. You can simplify without having a panic attack that you’re going to immediately regret donating the five bags of clothing you just dropped off at Goodwill. Okay, maybe the first time you drop off those bags you’ll panic, but in my personal experience, the more often I was willing to let go, the easier it became
I think a major reason for that is because of the positive impact the practice of cleaning out my closet has on me. It reminds me of what matters. It reminds me to never let physical items dictate what I can and can’t do with my life. Life is a series of decisions. Make empowered decisions. Make intentional decisions. Make decisions that are aligned with your values. For me, freedom is a major value. But so is being able to express myself through my personal style and the way I design my home. So, I’ve found the balance between letting go and keeping what serves me. And, oh, what a gift that has been.
[Tweet “Life is a series of decisions. Make empowered decisions. Make intentional decisions.”]
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