How A Closet Cleanout Can Change Your Life

After I graduated college, I brought home four huge boxes packed full of clothes. A week later, after much deliberation. I sent three of those boxes to a donation center. The sheer volume of stuff I cleared away was impressive, but what really stuck with me was the feeling afterward. I felt more like me.

Since I was experiencing a clear transition in my life, I was able to access a lot of intentionality. I reflected on the person I wanted to be after the cleanout as I touched each article of clothing: What did this future me feel like? What did she wear? And with a clear picture of her in my mind, it wasn’t just my biggest declutter ever but also my easiest.

“I reflected on the person I wanted to be after the cleanout as I touched each article of clothing: What did this future me feel like? What did she wear?“

A few other times in my adult life, I’ve done other cleanouts — moving across the country, moving abroad, the one time I got really into a spring cleaning challenge — but none felt as liberating as that post-undergrad declutter.

I’ve come to realize that when a closet cleanout is the physical manifestation of an internal transformation — like it was that first time for me — it can be transformative. The goal isn’t just less stuff, it’s creating a life based on intention and following through to become the person you want to be. And yes, you can get there by sifting through your old clothes.