How to clean a messy closet: Pile method

I'll admit that I am a messy person. I may even be a hoarder. And, when I do have company over, I tend to throw everything I can't hide into my closet. But every few months, I cannot stand my own mess and force myself to clean my apartment/house. So, to start with, I begin with my closet. Cleaning my closet provides me with a few major benefits:

• More room for new clothes
• Organizing the closet makes you reflect on the rest of your bedroom and then the rest of your house --> you then begin a cleaning frenzy that results in a great living and entertainment space.
• Donating your clothes can feel really good
• You can potentially make $$$ at a garage sale, if you have stuff worth selling (I'll post on how to set up a great garage sale later)

So, now that we have goals in mind, let's talk about how you attack your messy closet:

1. Take a "before" picture: Any progress is good progress, so keep a reminder why you decided to clean the closet in the first place.
2. Set up 3 piles: Piling is the fastest method and forces you to just dump stuff and keep going. I usually get hung up with memorializing each shirt I've ever owned. The piles you want are the following:

• Donation: These are things that are in great condition and are worth giving to other people. Don't put underwear or socks in this pile (would you buy used underwear or socks???)
• Trash: If it isn't worth selling or keeping, trash it. And when I say "trash it," feel free to compost and/or recycle what you can. It's just easier to think "trash" pile and then sort the recycling/composting after you've piled.
•  Keep: Since I'm a bit of a hoarder, I force myself to keep only 30% of what I own. Another method of setting the keep pile limit is that you should only keep what you've used in the last 6-8 months.

3.     Once you've designated your piling areas, start dumping your stuff into these piles. Try going relatively fast so there is no opportunity to "think twice" about any object. Let your gut be your guide and just say, "All my needs are met. Do I need this?"

• You can also follow the motto: "If it doesn't fit, get rid of it."

4. After you've finished piling, go through the "Keep" pile and repeat the same process. This ensures that you're really, really sure about what you're keeping.
5. Divide your "Keep" pile into what goes back into the closet vs. what goes elsewhere.
6. Put your "Keep in the closet" stuff back into the closet.
7. Move the "Keep elsewhere" stuff into the places they belong.
8. Put all your donation stuff into boxes and bags. Throw those into your car so that you can drop them off at Goodwill
9. Take your "Trash" pile and sort it into garbage, recycling and composting. Then "dispose" of your piles.
10. Take an "after" picture. Knock off and have a beer/sundae. You've just cleaned your closet.