You’re standing in front of your dorm room’s tiny closet, looking at its burgeoning contents, and all of a sudden it hits you:  Something’s got to give. There isn’t space to put another hanger in there, your clothes are invading each other’s personal space in a major way, and everything is simply out of control. Put simply, it’s time for a change and it’s time for some reassessing.

So you look in your closet at the items you already have and yikes, you see tons of clothes you haven’t worn all semester! Now’s the time in this scenario where you have to ask yourself some difficult but important questions: Will you ever wear these clothes again? Do they serve a purpose? What are they doing in here? You may not realize it, but these unused clothes are doing more than just taking up valuable space in your closet; they’re actually affecting your thinking! Sound crazy?

Just think about it: Everything in life is interconnected. You are connected to and affected by your stuff, especially the things closest to you. If the space you live in is small, your closet is very close to you and you are really affected by it. Getting a little more philosophical, your closet itself is a small room or cabinet where you store your things. Once these items are inside your closet, you can no longer see them. But out-of-sight doesn’t automatically mean out-of-mind. Symbolically, your closet represents what is hidden inside you, including your thinking. So if your closet is overstuffed with clothes, your mind is probably overloaded with thoughts!

You’re in college to accumulate knowledge and to further develop your original thinking, but like that favorite shirt you can’t find in your crowded closet, your brilliant ideas may be hard to access when you have too much on your mind. So when your closet is out of control, it’s time to make some changes. Begin with the C-U-T process: Clear Unused Things from your closet turning it into Container forUseful Things.

Step 1: Assess Look at what you already have in your closet.  Answer these questions: Have I worn it this semester? Will I wear it this semester? This year? Ever again? Does it fit? Does it make me feel good? Do I love it?

Step 2: Release If you answer the above questions with a “NO,” chances are you don’t need this item. Time to let it go! Take it out of your closet and place it in a box or bag. Now continue to assess everything in your closet using the questions in Step 1 before moving onto Step 3.

Step 3: Share Someone else will love to wear your unused clothing. Here are some ways to make sure they get it. 1. Tell your friends you’re looking to get rid of some of your clothes. 2.   Donate your excess clothing to charity. 3. Have a clothing exchange or swap with friends or family. 4. Take to a consignment shop.

Best times to C-U-T clothing from your closet 1. Style change – You’ve changed your personal style. For example, you now want a more chic look but your current wardrobe is far too childish. 2.  Short on space – Your closet is overstuffed with too many things. 3 Limited access – You can’t access or find the clothing you want to wear. 4. Nothing to wear – Time to release old and make room for the new. 5. Change of season – Move in your cold weather clothes and remove your warm weather clothes. 6.  Exam time– Clean out your closet and clear your mind. 7. Too much on your mind – Clear unused items from your closet and take a load off your mind. 8.  Writing papers – Make space in your closet and create room in your mind for ideas to incubate. 9.  Moving out – Don’t mindlessly take outdated clothes with you. Take this opportunity to CUT your outdated clothing. 10.   Weight loss or gain – Let go of the clothes you wore at your former weight. Keep the clothes that fit you now.

Closet Purge for the ready, willing and able If you want to make big changes in yourself and your thinking and you have a chunk of time to spare, try a closet purge.  Take everything, yes, EVERYTHING, out of your closet and clean the shelves and walls with a natural household cleaner and a microfiber cloth. Then follow Steps 1 through 3 of the C-U-T process.

Closet Organizational Tips Although closets often have only a single rod for hanging clothes, with ingenuity, it’s possible to create more space for effective storage in almost any closet. Here are some suggestions! 1. Use the closet wall to hang flat items like jewelry and accessories. 2. Hang shoe bags and sweater bags from the closet rod. 3. Organize with storage containers, shoe racks and shelves. 4. Fold clothes. A folded garment takes up less room than a wadded up garment.

Redefine “Closet” If your closet currently functions as a stagnant mini warehouse where you deposit and accumulate stuff, get a fresh outlook. Start to see your closet as a dynamic and spacious environment that holds what you currently use. Like actors in a theater or a team on a playing field, your clothes are “players” that are ready and waiting to help you look the part, express your essence, and perform at your best.

Tame your mind Because your closet represents the hidden parts of you, when you clear out and organize your closet, you clear your mind and sharpen your focus. Once you’ve done that, you can efficiently complete your work and have time to enjoy yourself.

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