How to Do a Closet Cleanout for a More Conscious Wardrobe
When was the last time you opened your closet and genuinely loved everything inside?
A Closet Cleanout isn't about throwing everything away or creating a minimalist wardrobe filled with boring basics. It's about rediscovering what you own, refining your personal style, and making room for pieces that truly reflect who you are.
At APD, we believe a more Conscious Wardrobe should be just as expressive as it is intentional.
What Is a Conscious Closet Cleanout?
A Closet Cleanout is the process of evaluating your clothing to determine what to keep, repair, repurpose, resell, donate, or responsibly recycle.
Unlike traditional decluttering, a conscious approach prioritizes Conscious Consumption, meaning making thoughtful purchasing and ownership decisions that consider quality, longevity, and environmental impact.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 11.3 million tons of textiles entered U.S. landfills in 2018.
The solution starts with appreciating what we already own.
Step 1: Rediscover Your Wardrobe
Before purchasing anything new, take inventory of your clothing.
Ask yourself:
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Does this piece still fit my body, age, and lifestyle?
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Have I worn it within the past year?
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Can I style it at least three different ways?
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Does it reflect my personal style today?
Don't automatically discard something because you haven't worn it recently. Sometimes a forgotten favorite simply needs fresh styling.
Step 2: Sort With Intention
Once you've evaluated your wardrobe, organize your clothing into four categories:
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Keep: Pieces you love, wear regularly, and feel confident in.
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Repair or Reinvent: Garments that need tailoring, alterations, or creative restyling or upcycling. Sometimes a simple adjustment can transform an overlooked piece into a new favorite. Take a look at APD's No Waste Collection all items in this collection are all made from leftover desdstock fabrics and materials in our Rhode Island studio.
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Resell or Donate: Clothing in good condition that deserves a second life in someone else's wardrobe.
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Recycle: Worn-out garments, damaged textiles, and items unsuitable for resale or donation.
Resell Your Clothing and Earn Money
Just because a garment no longer works for you doesn't mean it has lost its value. Reselling clothing supports Circular Fashion, a system designed to keep clothing and materials in use for as long as possible.
Better yet, you might earn money to invest in your next thoughtfully chosen wardrobe addition!
Where to Resell Your Clothing:
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Poshmark: Photograph, list, and sell clothing, shoes, handbags, and accessories directly to buyers. Particularly useful for designer pieces, statement garments, and recognizable brands.
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ThredUp: Prefer a hands-off approach? Send eligible clothing to ThredUp, which handles photographing, listing, and selling your pieces. Payouts depend on the items sold and applicable fees.
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The RealReal: A luxury consignment platform specializing in authenticated designer fashion, handbags, shoes, and accessories.
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eBay: A resale marketplace worth considering for vintage fashion, rare pieces, and unique designer finds.
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Local Consignment Boutiques: Many independent boutiques accept gently worn designer clothing and offer cash or a percentage of the sale price.
Donate Clothing to Give It a Second Life
If selling isn't worth your time, donating wearable garments is another excellent way to extend their usefulness.
Where to Donate Clothing:
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Goodwill: Accepts clothing and accessories at participating donation centers. Sales help support employment and community programs.
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The Salvation Army: Accepts eligible clothing and household donations at participating locations, with pickup options in some areas.
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Local Thrift Stores: Independent thrift shops, charity resale stores, and nonprofit organizations may welcome gently used clothing.
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Dress for Success: Supports women seeking economic independence. Check your local affiliate for specific professional clothing needs and donation policies.
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Community Clothing Closets: Churches, shelters, and neighborhood organizations may distribute clothing directly to people who need it.
Conscious Fashion Tip: Donate clothing that is clean, wearable, and in reasonably good condition. A stained or badly damaged garment may create additional sorting costs for charities rather than helping someone.
Recycle Clothing That Can't Be Donated
What about those worn-out leggings, hole-filled T-shirts, mismatched socks, or sneakers that have seen better days?
Instead of automatically throwing them away, explore Textile Recycling, the process of recovering textile materials for reuse, repurposing, or recycling into other products.
Several retailers and specialized recycling companies make this easier than you might think.
In-Store Clothing and Shoe Recycling Programs:
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Nike Recycling + Donation: Participating Nike stores accept eligible used athletic footwear through the Reuse-A-Shoe program. Select locations also collect Nike apparel for donation or recycling.
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H&M Garment Collecting: Participating stores collect clean, unwanted clothing and textiles from any brand. Materials are sorted for resale, reuse, repurposing, or recycling. Check whether any member rewards are currently available.
Fashion Brands Giving Old Clothing New Life
Some fashion brands are taking responsibility for garments long after the original purchase.
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Patagonia Worn Wear: Trade in eligible Patagonia clothing for store credit or return worn-out Patagonia products for recycling or repurposing.
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Smartwool Second Cut: Recycle old socks from any brand, even those with holes. Recovered materials can become new socks or other useful products.
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Eileen Fisher Renew: Return Eileen Fisher clothing in any condition for a $5 reward per garment at participating stores. Pieces are resold, recycled, or transformed into new designs.
These programs demonstrate how Circular Fashion can extend beyond resale and donation, giving unwanted textiles an opportunity to become something useful again.
Mail-In Textile Recycling Programs
For clothing too worn or damaged to donate, mail-in programs can provide a convenient alternative.
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Trashie Take Back Bag: Purchase a bag, fill it with eligible clean, unwanted clothing, shoes, accessories, or textiles, and return it through the designated shipping service. Trashie accepts many damaged items and offers rewards redeemable through participating partners.
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Retold Recycling: Order prepaid recycling bags, fill them with eligible unwanted textiles, including worn-out clothing and fabric scraps, and mail them back for sorting and processing.
These services can be especially useful for items that traditional donation centers may reject.
Important: Not every collected garment becomes new clothing. Depending on its condition and fiber composition, an item may be resold, repurposed into industrial materials, recycled, or sent to another recovery process.
Always check each program's accepted materials, fees, current rewards, and processing policies before participating.
Step 3: Identify What's Missing
Now examine your wardrobe for genuine gaps.
Perhaps you have plenty of basics but lack distinctive pieces that make an outfit feel complete.
This is where Wearable Art transforms everyday dressing.
An APD statement jacket, artistic print, or versatile wrap can breathe new life into clothing you already own.
Rather than purchasing five forgettable pieces, consider one thoughtfully chosen design that elevates multiple outfits.
Step 4: Invest in Longevity, Not Trends
Building a conscious wardrobe doesn't mean sacrificing individuality.
It means embracing Slow Fashion, an approach that values thoughtful production, quality, and longer-lasting clothing over constant trend-driven consumption.
Research from WRAP highlights how extending the useful life of garments can significantly reduce their environmental impact.
Choose pieces with lasting appeal, versatile styling possibilities, and designs you'll want to wear repeatedly.
This philosophy celebrates Curated Luxury, where every addition earns its place in your closet.
Step 5: Make Conscious Shopping Your New Habit
A successful Closet Cleanout is only the beginning.
Before your next purchase, ask yourself whether it complements your existing wardrobe, reflects your values, and offers lasting enjoyment.
Explore our guide, Conscious Consumption: The Future of Fashion, to discover how intentional fashion choices can make a meaningful difference.
And before making your next purchase, consult our Conscious Shopping Checklist: 15 Questions to Ask Before Buying Any New Clothing.
Your Closet, Reimagined
A more conscious wardrobe isn't necessarily a smaller wardrobe. It's a more intentional one.
By rediscovering what you own, giving unwanted clothing a second life, and investing in pieces you genuinely love, you can create a wardrobe that reflects your individuality while supporting more thoughtful fashion choices.
Ready to rediscover your style?
Explore APD's collection of limited-edition, wearable art and find distinctive pieces that complement what you already love.
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