How to Make Sure You Wear Everything in Your Closet

You bought something new. Meanwhile, you have a dozen garments in your closet you never wear. You can break the buy-and-never-wear cycle with a few easy tips. Here’s how to make sure you wear everything in your closet. 

Key takeaways

• Keep clothes visible and organized so you don’t forget what you own.
• Use the backward hanger method to identify clothes you aren’t wearing.
• Challenge yourself to wear overlooked pieces before deciding whether to keep them.
• Figure out why you avoid certain clothes. Fit, comfort, styling, or missing wardrobe basics may be the problem.
• Look online for new ways to style pieces you aren’t sure how to wear.
• Plan outfits ahead of time, and save photos of combinations you love.
• Turn getting dressed into a game by creating daily colors, patterns, or outfit themes.
• Wear the everyday clothes you love instead of saving them for a special occasion.
• Keep a shopping list of genuine wardrobe gaps instead of impulse buying.
• Before buying something new, make sure you can wear it with at least three pieces you already own.

Make everything easy to see 

It’s hard to wear clothes you forget you own. Try to arrange your closet so you can see as much of your wardrobe as possible without digging. Avoid stuffing hanging clothes so tightly together that you can’t tell what’s there. 

Don’t create tall stacks of folded clothes, either. The bottom of the stack can quickly become clothing no man’s land. If you use drawers, consider folding clothes so each item is visible with the filing method. This is where you lay each item next to each other, upright, like files in a filing cabinet.  

The easier it is to see your options, the more likely you are to consider them when you’re getting dressed. 

Figure out what you don’t wear 

It’s time to take inventory of your closet. You may wear more of your clothes than you think. Take all the hangers with clothing on them and turn them the wrong way on the hanging bar. Every time you pull something out of the laundry, hang it up the normal way. 

After about a month, take a look at all of the hangers that are still turned the wrong way. These are clothes you don’t reach for immediately.  

Aim to turn the hangers 

For the next month, challenge yourself to get all of the hangers turned around (except for out-of-season and special-occasion clothes).  

Find out why you aren’t wearing something 

If you continually skip an item, figure out why. Put it on and ask yourself a few questions: 

• Is it comfortable? 
• Does it fit? 
• Do I like the color on me? 
• Does it work with anything else I own? 
• Do I have somewhere to wear it? 
• Does it require special undergarments I don’t own? 
• Is it annoying to wash or iron? 
• Do I feel good when I wear it? 
• Would I buy it again today? 

The answers can tell you whether you need to find a better way to style the item or let it go. For example, maybe you love a skirt but never wear it because none of your tops work with it. That’s a wardrobe gap you can fix. 

On the other hand, if you don’t like the fit, color, fabric, or way an item makes you feel, coming up with seven new outfits for it probably isn’t going to solve the problem. 

Get some inspiration 

Don’t know how to style those pieces in the back of your closet? Take a picture of the garment and search for it online. Look at how the item was styled in different photos, then try to recreate one with clothes you already have in your closet.  

To keep the inspiration going, follow stylists on your favorite social media platform and screenshot outfits you like.

Or join Pinterest and make a board called “Outfit Inspiration.” Search for outfits that match your aesthetic, like “edgy,” “girly,” or “sporty,” and pin the ones you like to your board. If you have a certain body size, like petite, plus-size, tall, or extra small, be sure to add those keywords to the searches you use. This will give you better results for outfits that will look good on your body type. 

Stop saving your favorite clothes 

Do you have clothing you’re saving for the right occasion? Obviously, you won’t wear some things to the grocery store. Your formal wear can wait for an actual event. But don’t save everyday clothes because they’re “too nice” for an ordinary Tuesday. 

Wear the sweater you love. Put on the good jeans. Wear the blouse even if you’re just going to lunch. Clothing doesn’t get extra points for spending its life on a hanger.  

If you’re afraid of ruining it, remember, stains can be removed, holes can be patched, and hems can be fixed. If you’re too afraid to wear it, there’s no reason to have it. 

Plan outfits ahead of time 

Trying to put together a creative outfit when you’re already running late isn’t the easiest way to expand your wardrobe. Instead, spend a few minutes planning outfits when you aren’t in a hurry. 

You could plan a week at a time or just decide what you’re wearing the night before. Use the opportunity to include pieces you haven’t worn in a while. 

You can even hang an entire outfit together or put everything you need in one spot so it’s ready the next morning. 

Take photos of outfits you love 

When you put together an outfit that works, take a quick photo. Create a folder on your phone for outfit photos. The next time you don’t know what to wear, flip through it. 

This is particularly helpful when you discover an unexpected combination. Maybe you realize a shirt you rarely wear looks great with a particular skirt. Take a photo so you don’t forget. 

You can also use apps like Google Wardrobe and Indyx that will take photos of your clothes and help you style them into outfits. 

Over time, you’ll create your own personal outfit catalog using clothes you already own. 

Make getting dressed a game 

Turning getting dressed into a game can help you wear more of your closet. Give each day of the week a different theme, such as a color, pattern, fabric, or type of accessory. For example: 

• On Mondays, wear a color that makes you happy. 
• On Tuesdays, wear a pattern. 
• On Wednesdays, wear a monochrome outfit. 
• On Thursdays, wear a floral. 
• On Fridays, wear a fun accessory. 
• On Saturdays, style an outfit around a pair of shoes you don’t normally wear. 
• On Sundays, wear something you consider comfy or cozy. 

You could also sort your clothes into categories (like reds, sporty, patterns, tees, tank tops, etc.) and try a different category each day. Change the rules whenever they start to feel stale. You can also use them as a reason to pull out clothes you like but tend to overlook. 

Make a shopping plan 

Don’t immediately go shopping every time you can’t make an outfit work or you’re bored. This can lead to impulse buying and more clothes that you don’t wear. Instead, keep a list of what’s missing. 

Maybe you repeatedly wish you had a plain white button-down shirt, a black cardigan, or a pair of comfortable shoes that work with several dresses. Write it down. 

After a few weeks, look at your list. Items that keep coming up may be genuine gaps in your wardrobe. This makes shopping more intentional. Instead of buying another random shirt you like, look for a piece that works with several things you already own. 

While you’re shopping, make sure that new items will go with three items already in your closet. This will give you more outfit combinations, keep you from getting bored, and keep all your clothes in rotation. 

Closet rotation FAQ 

How can I make sure I wear all my clothes? 

Keep your clothing visible and organized by category, then regularly rotate less-worn items into easier-to-reach spots. You can also use backward hangers or another tracking method to identify clothes you haven’t worn recently. 

What is the backward hanger method? 

Turn all your hangers backward. After you wear something, return it with the hanger facing normally. After a few months, the backward hangers show you which clothes you haven’t worn. 

How do I stop wearing the same outfits all the time? 

Choose one less-worn piece as the starting point for an outfit instead of automatically reaching for a favorite. Planning outfits ahead of time and saving photos of combinations you like can also give you more options when you’re getting dressed. 

What should I do with clothes I like but never wear? 

Figure out why you’re not wearing them. You may need outfit inspiration, a missing basic, or a different way to style the item. If you repeatedly avoid something even after trying to make it work, consider donating, selling, giving away, or storing it. 

How can I remember all the clothes I own? 

Organize clothes by category, avoid overstuffing your closet, and store folded clothing so individual pieces are visible. You can also photograph your wardrobe or your favorite outfits to create a visual reference on your phone. 

Should you rotate the clothes in your closet? 

Rotating clothes can make overlooked pieces more visible. You can periodically move less-worn clothing toward the front and rotate seasonal clothing in and out as the weather changes. 

How do I know when it’s time to get rid of clothes? 

Consider letting go of an item if it doesn’t fit, isn’t comfortable, doesn’t work with the rest of your wardrobe, or continually gets passed over. If you’ve deliberately tried to wear it and still don’t want to, keeping it probably won’t change that.