Purge. Donate. Refresh. | Why You Should Do Seasonal Wardrobe Makeovers

The beginning of a new season is the perfect time to give your closet a makeover. Let’s face it, we all go to those same favorites in the easy-to-get-to section of our closets.  We wear them over and over again.  Often, the rest of our closet is filled with things we never even look at.  Some of them probably need to go, and others may be classics we’d wear again — IF we could see them.

Purging and simplifying your closet will only help your overall style, allowing you to see more of your favorite pieces and create coordinating looks.  It will also reveal where your needs are for adding in new items.

So . . . what do you get rid of?  My advice: if you haven’t worn it in over 2 years, chances are you’re never going to wear it again and the “but, what if..." perfect situation for it is unlikely going to come. Unless — if you’re like me — you have a trove of past costume / theme party attire. In that case, I suggest you get a specific bin for those pieces and label them.  You never know when you’ll need a last minute costume!

Items like suits, jeans, or shoes that you’ve had for over 5 years may need to move out, as trends have usually changed.  In men’s fashion, it can be hard to notice that the silhouette (or shape and fit of the garment) is changing ever so slightly each season. It may suddenly feel that your jeans have too much fabric at the bottom leg opening, or your sport coat may feel slightly oversized and the proportions just aren't looking right anymore.  However, some timeless pieces — like denim shirts, classic leather jackets, and some accessories  — are wardrobe staples you can keep for as long as the item stays in good shape.

Why do this at the beginning of the season and not at the end?  This is the perfect time of year to take what you don’t wear anymore and either sell it to a consignment shop and/or donate it to charity.  Most places won’t take out of season items, so you should try to donate your old gear that's relevant to the current season that's starting. Go ahead and shift your old out-of-season gear to the back of your closet or in storage and then clean it out when they're relevant to the current season, again.