How to Get Rid of Clothes (and Decide What to Keep) | A Simple Closet Clean Out Method
Most people have a closet full of clothes they never wear. Say you own 100 total pieces of clothing. You might actually wear 20 of them on a regular basis. Chances are you have a few things you haven’t worn in a few years. You think you have lots of options, but in reality you don’t.
Why do we hold onto this stuff? Maybe you're holding onto clothes because they were gifts or because you spent a lot of money to buy them. These aren't good reasons to keep things! But how do you know if you should keep something or let it go?
In this video, I’ll teach you the simple process that I use to cleanse my wardrobe, at least once a year. My advice is not to buy anything new until you’ve done a cleanse, because this illuminate the gaps in your wardrobe and help you figure out what to buy.
To learn more about what can and can't be tailored (and how much it will cost) check out this guide - www.themodestman.com/clothing...
#closetcleanout #getridofclothes #wardrobecleanse
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Anyone else doing a wardrobe cleanse right now? Btw, here's a "shop the video" list: T-shirt - go.magik.ly/ml/st0r/ Storage bins - amzn.to/2T4lBcO Wooden hangers - amzn.to/2Wwx8UI Pant hangers - amzn.to/2WvypLx (affiliate links)
I’m in the process but have to do a lot of it on the DL because my wife just can’t get past item “a)” at 3:21.
Step one. I have to lose weight before I make any decisions. I’m giving myself 6 months to get my summer body and then I will clean out my wardrobe in the summer :)
I’ve been cleansing and rebuilding my wardrobe to have less excess and more quality essentials. I needed to hear that it takes time to rebuild. I’ve been rushing in my head, “I need this piece for this season and when this season comes around I have to buy that.” It takes time (and money!) so thanks for that reminder.
2:21 Brock's chart is missing an arrow under why you haven't worn it: "I don't have the balls to pull it off even though I like it and it looks good on me because I'm too insecure about trying new stuff."
Nope, don't let that be an option
i don't have balls
This method is much more practical than choosing clothes based on the intention to rid those that don't "spark joy"!
In addition to purging, as you're suggesting, the most underrated aspect of closet renovation (especially if you have a really small closet): add a nice looking rug that fits the floor space perfectly. It helps make it look like a nice men's store.
Great to see someone made a video like this. This philosophy is what I have been following for the past 5 years. I love this minimalist approach to fashion. Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
A closet tour is appreciated Brock
Will do soon!
The Modest Man amazing !waiting🙏🏻
Could you make a video on how to maintain the quality of your clothes, shoes, etc?
SOLID advice. Need to hear this and now’s the perfect time to start while easing out of lockdown 🙏🏼🙏🏼
I have a good way of ensuring I never have too many clothes, I own a very small closet! It’s 6ft high, 2ft deep and 2 feet wide. It has two shelves with shoes on top of the shelf and on the floor of the closet and underwear and socks on the second shelf. I have colder weather clothes and warmer weather clothes and depending upon the weather I generally swap over in early May. I place the seasons clothes I’m not using in a vacuum sealed plastic bag and away they go under my bed for the rest of the season they are not for. I also wear my clothes till the wear out. I just went to C&A in Vienna yesterday to get two new Polo shirts and two new TShirts. Good quality and made from organic cotton they were on sale so I spent well under €30 and from my previous experience they will last a good four years. Like you I go for solid colours with no brand names and timeless design so they never look old fashioned.
Really helpful Brock! Gotta love the nod to step one of the Marie Kondo approach of laying everything out on the bed first 👊🏼
Literally just in time. Thank you, Brock!
This is literally exactly what I needed, thank you
Perfect timing! I'm planning to do this this weekend
Would be cool to see what your clothing collection has gotten to over the years. I know every year, people grow and such, and find out what is the most versatile and what some things you need are, such as ties or coats, but how many of them you need for how often you use them. Some people don't use a lot of them, but may want a few quality pieces for the one occasion they actually do need them. I have pretty much my whole wardrobe sorted out, but trying to close it off with some gaps in my shoe collection and my accessories, such as ties, hats, etc. Keep up the great work Brock!
Excellent video, great tips... perfect time to work on it!! Thanks!
I love this video. The best way I found to improve my wardrobe was to donate almost all of my clothes to charity. Then follow Brock’s advice on refining a smart conservative minimalist fashion sense concentrating on the classics and fit. While I enjoyed the method advice, asking the “does it bring me joy question?” really isn’t where it’s at. More like do I like the way this looks, is it my style, and does it fit. These aren’t metaphysical choices. Brock makes fashion a lot easier and practical. I really appreciate that.
Needed a video like this! Most of the clothes in my closet simply don't fit my well due to me not knowing about proper fit, others choosing clothes for me, and losing a lot of weight in the past two years.
Solid video man, thanks for getting me started on this journey. I just want less clutter in my Mind and Home.
Great tips & practical. When I retired, I realized that my closet was full of clothes that I wouldn't be wearing on a daily basis. I followed your tips and donated so many clothes (now I still have all my beautiful ties which I plan to sell on Ebay)... thanks for a great video
My guy made a flowchart. Awesome videos man, keep it up.
Best video out there for clothes sorting
Great advice, thanks man! 👍🏼
Great video!! Have liked and saved to my watch again list. Thanks!
Thank you. Doing this task today!
Thank you for this insightful video! I've seen several other female bloggers' content, but often found them focusing too much on personal anecdotes and challenges, which I couldn't quite relate to. Your video, however, provides valuable suggestions and practical tools, including a useful list of questions. I must admit, I have an abundance of clothes, with some still sporting their tags after years of neglect. Surprisingly, I only end up wearing about 20% of my wardrobe. This issue extends to my shoes as well, where I barely utilize 10% of my collection.
Very Informative video. Even I want to be a minimalist. Very helpful for me.
8-bitryan outtro is fire 🔥
Your minimalist approach has influenced my wardrobe for sure. I now have fewer items but each piece has far more significance and value because I have less clothing. I think that’s an important philosophy - the more of something you have, the less overall value you put on them.
Wow this was a really helpful and informative video...I really appreciate this video man!
Glad it was helpful!
It is very good combining with Konmari´s method
Nice video. The only items of clothing I get rid of on a regular basis are socks, underwear and t-shirts everything else I tend to keep for instance I have ties which are 20 years old. I have a peacoat which I’ve had for 10 years and I still wear it in cold weather.
I do a closet clean out evert 6 months to coincide with the change from fall-winter to spring -summer. However, I will have to confess that it takes two or three clean out cycles to finally admit on some articles of clothing or shoes that the chances of wearing the item are zero and it needs to go...
Good video. Only exception (and there's always one!😂) would be "specific event wear" I have a black dinner jacket (Tux to our American friends) that I have worn maybe 2 or 3 times in the last 5-6 years. Simply because I don't do Black Tie all that often. (though I should perhaps get some patent leather shoes for such events now I think about it) So it falls foul of the flow chart. I'm sure some will have suits they only wear for Weddings/Funerals as they don't wear a suit for work.
#STAYSTYLISH... love it!!
I have clothes that I've worn for almost a decade. They are faded and honestly, just a hot mess. I'm so cheap haha. So, I'm cleaning out things and updating my wardrobe. Time to put effort into my appearance. Thanks for the vid!Subscribed!!
Isn’t those worn out shirts the most comfy to wear at home ;)
You should make videos what brand online best for men and what items should we buy!
Awesome. Helpful video
I’m working on this right now, after a recent move and working from home, I really don’t need much. It’s also been a mindset shift, I’ve noticed that women’s fashion has so many choices and I get overwhelmed when I have too many options. I look best when I wear simple and classic pieces, so all the extra fluff will be donated ASAP.
Tig Notaro makes some really good points here
Thank you!
Thank You!
I’ve slowly been trying to refine my closet. I am in the same exact boat however about my size and weight. I’m 5”5 and around 115lbs. On the one hand it makes shopping for new clothes really difficult, on the other, my closet isn’t filled with many clothes because I never really buy anything if it doesn’t fit well. Right now I am just trying to save up for key pieces from Peter Manning, and Ash and Erie. 👌🏻
I think your approach makes a lot of sense. And yes, having a harder time finding well fitted clothes does have some benefits!
Insightful🙏
Nice video, Brock!
Thank you!
Thanks 👍 very useful☺
Very useful video ✔️
YES
Thanks 🙏
I've been into fashion and tailoring my clothes for about a year now and I'm going back and realizing that half my jeans are way too tight are tailored way to short for what I'm into now. It sucks but its better to give them away or sell them and I've gained a great amount of experience in what my style is and how to alter things to my needs.
If the hem is only too short by an inch or so and the hem isn't too worn, most tailors can lengthen the hem by adding a piece of twill tape to the underside. If you really love a specific pair, it could be a way of keeping them!
Hi Brock, you really look good in those jeans - I don't see your jeans listed in Shop the video. Thanks
I'm just now finding your channel!?! Come KZhead, you're better than this. Thank you! This video is awesome!
Pls video on how you fold clothes
I just starting doing this the past year. If it doesn't fit exactly how I want it to, I got rid of it. But I did keep the pants that were 36, since i moved down to a 34 after exercising. So just incase I'll keep them. When I noticed i only wore the stuff that fit good, I had to clean out my closet.
Thank you , I have to let some things go
Very good suggestions . One question , are jeans and chinos with folds at the bottom an acceptable style ?
You may be modest, but I’m six feet tall and I’m learning a lot from your videos and blogs
Great video! How can I do what you do? What’s the process?
Love this mate, I have built up a great wardrobe over the past year however when I open the doors nothing really inspires me and I tend to go for the staples: 1.White, pink, sky or navy blue Oxford shirt 2.White,grey or black slim fitted Tshirt 3.Navy, grey, tan, green or black chinos 4.Grey, black blue washed out jeans 5.Black, grey, burgundy track suit 6.Grey, black or navy sweater 7.RM Williams Chelsea in black 8.Thursday Captains in brown 9.Artisan Lab white, black or tan Italian leather trainers 10.Nike Air Max 270 black Some great combos right there but like I say I have other items that I want but don't wear 😂
Great idea - until you have that job interview, funeral, wedding, day at the races, first date, day out on the river, camping trip etc etc
This is great advice for women too! There are three side categories you need to add: 1. I haven't worn this in over a year because of life change, AND I expect to change back. I'm not going to get rid of all my office clothing just because I've worked at home for 2 years. But I can move it to the back of my closet or box it up. 2. I no longer wear an item, I will never wear it again, but it has too much meaning to get rid of. I have *one* Memory Box" for things like this. Only one box, and if it fills up, I get rid of some of the things in it. 3. Things that I need to replace because they're almost worn out. I keep them, but add replacements to my shopping list, and when I buy the replacement, I get rid of the old item.
In my culture, it is customary to donate clothes during this particular annual festival. So ever since my twenties, I've been systematically donating thousands of clothes i had during my teens, which i never wore, and rebuilding it very very slowly. I've a long way to go, cause my fashion sense is a mess, but I'm trying !
I have 3000 pieces ..a great wardrobe....💯
Do you know any Peter manning alternative in Europe? I can't find anything that good...and shipping to Italy is not the best idea ^^
nice video
I’ve been decluttering but there are items I’ve only worn once or twice that I feel great in and love wearing but the issue is, they’re not work clothes, and I only ever leave the house to go to work, they’re also not lounge clothes so I only wear them when going out. I leave the house so little I’ve only worn some once. But I don’t want to get rid of them because the second I leave the house for anything other than work I go straight for them
Try the spark of joy 😁
Ehem... a nice foot locker makes an excellent coffee table, and is great for storing that stuff you don't wear very often but can't quite bring yourself to get rid of just yet.
My problem is all my clothes fit well and look good🤣
I have a very big problem as I am pretty young in the context of my family, so I have TONS of gifted tshirts from places. So I have tshirts from the trips of my sisters to rome, of my dad to london, of some uncle yo some other place... I'm pretty sure at least 60% of my wardrobe is composed of my very high quality school clothes and these gifted -around the world- t shirts.
Bro I recently discovered your channel and stuff and bought like 5 T shirts from Levi's and Hilfiger and they're all XLs but now I know I'm a medium. I don't wanna give them away already since I spent a good bit of money and this sucks
I bought a bunch of XL T-Shirts cause I thought they would shrink up to a large but no. So now I have clothes for when I’m in a XL
Time to start gourging on cosmic brownies.
@@danelisslow3269 lmao true
My easy method. Pick out the stuff that you never wear and put them in a separate space of your closet. Write down the date. Wait one year and throw out everything you didn’t year that year. Easy and good method
Nice! Agreed the one year test is a good one.
3 days ago I donated 5 or 6 bags of clothes. I feel so much realif.
by your logic i should throw away like 90% of my clothes. almost nothing fits me well and its all awful minus the newer purchases i consciously made EDIT: just threw away 9 pieces (of trash) and made a distinction between my summer and warmer clothing and now i see how little i actually have for summer. very much agree with this video.
Shop the video. Where to find the jeans?
Hey,I like your videos. I'm a thin guy too at 5 foot 11 inches. I have my style pretty well locked down with the exception being shorts. I have been searching for a slim fit just above the knee. I'm a mail carrier and I am over wearing pants all summer because of my skinny legs. Do you have any suggestions. Something good for work. Slim or skinny with a good tapered look. Thanks. keep up the good work.
Try Everlane slim chino shorts and Topman slim/skinny chino shorts. More info here - www.themodestman.com/how-to-wear-shorts/
Doing this now. It's painful and rewarding!
I wonder if I should take out my wife’s stuff now that we’re divorced.
do it
You're joking, right?
not if you have worn it the last year :-)
So when have you come out of the closet?
Depends if you still sleep with her things in bed or not.
Need to add a step for people in relationships: Does my significant other like it? I have a striped oxford cotton shirt that I just don’t like, but it’s literally my girlfriend’s favorite shirt of mine so I wear it for her ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Duuuude I have the same problem (and it's also a striped button up shirt...).
I’ve been through this but in the end, I tell the wife “Sorry but I can’t stand the shirt. I’m not wearing it.” Standing my ground, LOL!
You shouldn’t be concerned about what your significant other thinks as long as the out fit or clothing objectively looks good and appropriate on you.
Noticed there's no opportunity "Not had an opportunity to wear it" category..... how do those fit in with this approach?
I know you're more of a minimalist (I tend to lean that way, too), but what is your opinion on having one or two more one-off items that really can only be worn as statement pieces?
I don't think that's bad thing. For me it might be a floral print short sleeve shirt for summer.
@@BrockMcGoff Thanks for the reply! I'll need to look into floral prints more. I just bought a red towel shirt as a one-off and wanted to get some validation :)
I pretty much live in shorts😊 And I only have 1 pair of pants 😊
And best was keep coffee or some drink with u , lolz
im having a hard time letting go of clothes that i think are sooo beautiful (sparks joy like maricondo says) but i don't have confidence to wear them and that's why i never did. ive had them for a year and i don't know if i should keep them or not.
Start wearing them at home, by yourself, and see how it feels. Then wear them for quick errands (grocery store, etc.). Ease into it. If you still don’t feel comfortable, they might not be for you.
@@BrockMcGoff good idea! thank you:))
What do we do now that no places are taking clothing because of COVID? Including donations
I'm just saving things until places open back up.
That's hard to do when you have all 4 seasons, diverse terrain, occupational changes and many social occasions. Also, when you buy $$$$ clothes that last and actually take care of them 🙃
i lov u
Does anybody know if I can get tailored jackets? Like Fake Leather jackets or Denim Jackets?
You can get jackets tailored. Denim jackets are easy to tailor. Leather is a bit more difficult depending on the sleeve style, lining, etc., but a good tailor can do it.
How do you deal with sentimental items of clothing?
It's usually best to let them go. You can take a picture so you don't forget about them.
I use them as pajamas or just as stay at home clothes.
I have 10 times more than what you began with... the majority i got as gifts... its a nightmare... i probably wear 30 items regularly but own 300+ items, nobody needs these clothes in my area not even charities, they will go straight to landfill if i throw them away and i hate that
I really want that jean jacket lol possible poshmark it or some other site or if you can reach out to me and I can venmo you if it is reasonable price ?
cause i can pay for shipping so you don't have to!
Hit me up on IG @modestmanstyle
What if you've outgrown a piece of clothing length wise but not width wise?
Some pants can be lengthened if they have extra fabric (your tailor will be able to tell). Same with jacket sleeves. Shirts can't be lengthened. Usually if something is too short, it's time to let it go. With pants, you can also turn them into shorts!
@@BrockMcGoff I have a few pairs that have not extra fabric left,and outside of business casual or dress wear,is it ok in causal street wear to have the hem a few inches ~3in higher than my ankle?
I gained weight and my whole wardrobe dont fit, what do I do?
So,if you don’t absolutely love it, let it GO! 😀
Don’t buy clothes if you don’t need it currently just because it’s on sale. They will just end up being in your excess clothes. Been there and trying hard to change such bad habbit.
I'm losing some pounds, so I just bagged up a bunch of smocks that used to be really nice shirts.
$20 to alter a $30 shirt seems odd. Yes...those $30 shirts are nice. Stop judging.
20!? Make that 7
My problem is once i get my paycheck I suddenly become allergic to my clothes at home so need new one.
For my problem, all the clothes are important to me because it was given by my family..