It’s hard to imagine that it is about to get a bit warmer in Boston, but spring will soon be here before we even realize it. Aside from warmer weather (and hopefully no more snow!), more green and fresh air, spring also brings us something we want to avoid at all costs: spring cleaning.

Although it may seem a bit daunting initially, spring cleaning can make you feel refreshed, organized and ready to welcome the new season. Your closet, most of all, needs extra love and attention, so here are some special tips to help you clear out the clutter in your wardrobe.

 1. Clear it all out. Take every last sweater, dress and pair of socks off of every hanger and out of every drawer. I’m sure that there will be at least one item you find that you thought you’d lost, or don’t remember even buying in the first place.

 2. Look it over. Look at every piece you recovered from the depths of your wardrobe, and check for holes, snags, rips or stains. Toss it in the laundry, or if it is beyond repair, throw it out.

3. Group them. Divide all the pieces into categories depending on item, season, color or occasion. This will make it much easier for you to assess what items should stay and go, and whether you own any pieces that are too similar. I mean, how many pairs of jeans is too many?

4. Try them on. Yes, everything. See what doesn’t fit, what doesn’t look right, what you just don’t like anymore. For each item you try on again, ask yourself “How do I feel in this?” If the answer is anything less than fabulous, you should consider getting rid of that piece. The major issue with clothes, unfortunately, are the sentimental attachments you have to certain pieces. A certain blouse, dress or pair of shoes may remind you of a certain memory, but if it doesn’t fit or make you feel good about yourself, then there is no point in keeping it around to just take up space.

5. Invest. Now that you’ve chosen what stays and what goes, it’s worth investing in some closest organizing tools, like thin, velvety hangers, bins, shoe ranks and scarf or belt organizers (tie organizers for the guys, too!). Take some of your best stuff to the dry cleaners for a fresh wash before the start of the season. Also, it’s a fun idea to get a virtual closet app like Closet+ or Stylebook where you can plan outside from your refreshed wardrobe on the go. You’ll feel just like Cher Horowitz in the opening scene of Clueless.

6. Hang back up. Anything you’ve decide to keep, hang in order of item and color. That way, you’ll have a specific place where everything belongs, making it easy to remember where something goes after you’ve worn it. You wouldn’t want all of your hard work to go to waste, would you? 

7. Donate or sell. Take what you’ve decide against to a local consignment store like Second Time Around to get a little extra cash for what you don’t want. The rest, donate to charity.

Have any closet clearing or spring cleaning tricks of your own? Feel free to share them in the comments section below!

Image via. weheartit.com