Has your closet become a clothing graveyard? You know, a place where a beautiful blue silk dress once resided, but has now been buried in clutter. To get the most out of your wardrobe, you first need to know what’s in your wardrobe. Here are some simple steps to make your closet more “user friendly”

1. Empty your closet

Have you ever moved to a new residence? As you begin to empty the house and pack things up, you discover that you have more stuff than you thought. The same principle applies to your wardrobe. Most women’s closets are full of things they have forgotten. Many of them still have the tags on. The only real way to take stock of what you own is to empty out your closet and find out what’s been hiding in there.

2. Sort your clothes by category

Put all your dresses, suits, pants, etc… in their own piles. Use a sheet of paper to write down what you have. For example, a black cocktail dress, two red sweaters. This list will help you with the next step, deciding what to throw away.

3. Get rid of excess

Once the clothes have been sorted, it’s time to decide what should go. Here are some questions you can ask yourself during this process:

a) What is out of fashion?

Like most mature women, I have seen the return of many styles. The temptation, therefore, is to keep the clothes because one day they will be back in fashion. The truth is that although the styles return, they do not return in the same way. Most designers update a trend with a modern twist. Another reason to discard old clothes is that although the style returns, you have changed. Either the flared pants you’ve had for 8 years won’t fit you anymore, or they won’t be age appropriate.

b) Do you really like this article?

I can’t tell you how many women I know who keep things they don’t like in their closets. I don’t know, maybe they think that the jacket, the dress or the skirt will suddenly look better, the longer they are in their closet. The usual excuse women give for keeping such clothes is that they don’t want to waste money by giving the item away. The truth is that money is being wasted every day that the item hangs in your closet and no one uses it. If you’re worried about money, take items like these to a resale or consignment store to get at least some return on your investment.

c) Does it fit?

If you have clothes that are too big or too small, consider getting rid of them. Clothing that is too big can be altered to fit you properly. However, if the garment is too big because you recently lost 50 pounds, you’re better off giving it away. Any attempt to alter it may destroy the drape or lines of the garment. Garments that are too small should also be discarded. Avoid keeping an item because it will fit you when you lose weight. Your closet should only contain clothes that you can wear now.

d) Does it fit your lifestyle?

A woman’s wardrobe should reflect her lifestyle. If she’s retired, she can probably get rid of most of her business suits. Maybe you’ve moved from Chicago to Miami. If that’s the case, chances are the thick wool coats and furs from her can be consigned or donated. Regardless of lifestyle changes, make sure her closet only contains clothes that are relevant to her current lifestyle.

5) Do a continuous audit

Once you’ve reorganized your closet, keep it stocked with only wearables by conducting an ongoing audit. An easy way to accomplish this is that every time you wear something, hang it upside down in your closet. At the end of the month, check the clothes that are still hanging in the front position. These are the ones that have not been used and may need to be donated or thrown away.