7 Things That Are Probably Taking Up Too Much of Your Closet Space

Something you should know about me: As much as I love acquiring clothes, shoes, accessories (and more), I equally love ridding my limited closet space of pieces I no longer need or wear. I guess it’s a good thing… If I didn’t, I’d literally be drowning in RTW, and not in a fun way. So which items to I find myself selling or donating more regularly than others? While certain investments such as gowns and handbags tend to stay in my closet for longer periods of time, the below items are those which either deteriorate faster, fall out of favor more quickly, or are simply easier to collect over the years because of their accessibility. To read about the pieces I can bet are taking up way more space than needed and, of course, do some shopping along the way (because it wouldn’t be a Who What Wear story without that), just keep scrolling.

1. Outdated Denim

As someone who has a (very) large drawer dedicated to jeans and an equally large section of her closet taken up by jean jackets, I know firsthand how much space denim takes up. And it seems like every time I go through my collection, I find at least one pair of jeans, shorts, or anything else denim that feels inexplicably outdated (and unlikely to make it into one of my outfits any time soon). If you haven’t combed through those sections in a while, I highly suggest doing so. You’ll be shocked by how much space you can free up.

Shop my denim picks:

2. Old Socks, Underwear, and Bras

Individually, a few mismatched socks, a couple pairs of faded underwear, and some misshapen bras don’t seem to take up that much space. However, combine all three categories (and assess any other hosiery or lingerie you have while at it) and you should be able to make quite a bit of room for new undergarments—or at least help an overcrowded section become more organized.

Shop my sock, underwear, and bra picks:

3. Not-As-Good Dupes

When you love a basic, it’s only natural to acquire multiples of the item in question. I, for example, have at least 20 white tees, almost as many black ones, and countless black sweaters. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with variety, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit there are some dupes in those categories that I never reach for because they’re just not as good as the others. Take the time to assess what these underperformers are and get rid of them.

Shop my basics picks:

4. Uncomfortable Shoes

Whether you unknowingly bought them only to realize after the first wear that they’re intolerable or thought you could get past the pain because they look so good, I think we can all agree that once you know a pair of shoes is painful, it’s hard to ever reach for them again—even when they look perfect with your outfit. Admitting defeat is hard, but staring at a waste of money day after day is even harder. Kick your uncomfortable shoes to the curb and make space for more functional choices.

Shop my comfortable shoes picks:

5. Pajama Tees

Even if you did laundry every two weeks, you wouldn’t need more than 14 T-shirts to sleep in. In fact, if you own any real pajamas (I know opinions vary on those), you’d need even less. So why is it we all own dozens of old tees we claim are for sleeping? My guess is that a lot of them are sentimental, and my advice is that you go through them, weed out any you don’t feel emotionally tied to, and get them out. You’ll feel better after that stack is reduced—trust me.

Shop my pajama picks:

6. Worn-Out Workout Clothes

We all have those old leggings we keep around but never reach for when getting dressed for the gym or a workout—and I’m here to tell you it’s okay to let go. If you love all your newer athleticwear more, you’re never going to use those old pieces anyway. Donating them will be a win for your closet space.

Shop my workout clothes picks:

7. Anything That Doesn’t Fit

Too big and too hard to tailor? Bye. Too small? Sayonara! It’s hard to let go of something that could be really cute if only it fit, but the relief of getting rid of it will more than make up for the pain of parting. Your clothes and closet should make you feel good, so save your space for items that fit just the way you want them to.

Shop my well-fitting picks:

Next: What to buy now that you've freed up all that space.