Now that winter has almost past and spring is arriving, it’s almost time to consider cleaning out your closet for spring. It’s easy to let your closet, both at Elon and back home, get out of control, so it’s best to clean it out once a year. What better time than spring to do so? Plus, once the weather becomes warmer, you can send home your winter coats and sweaters to give yourself more room.

The key to cleaning out your closet is keeping your clothes in clearly labeled piles as you work. Use either boxes or bags labeled “Fix,” “Give Away,” and “Sell,” and place the clothes that you want to keep back into your closet. Go through all of your clothes, shoes and accessories to make sure that you still want everything that you have. If items are broken or stained, either throw them away or put them in the “Fix” pile if they are salvageable. Clothes, shoes and accessories that you no longer want can be sold or given away.

Junior Brenda Reavis advises, “Think about when the last time you’ve worn an item was. If you can’t remember, you probably don’t need it.”

Don’t keep anything that doesn’t fit, is unflattering or is out of style.

Freshman Stefanie Miller said, “When you’re going through your closet, if there’s the slightest doubt in your mind that you’re not going to wear something, you’re probably not going to wear it.”

There are many options for how to get rid of items that you no longer want. For items that don’t fit or are unflattering, having a clothing swap with friends is a great idea. Everyone contributes clothes and gets to choose things from their friends’ unwanted clothing. You can also sell clothes to local consignment stores or, for nicer clothing, look into an online consignment site like Bib&Tuck (www.bibandtuck.com). Clothing can also be donated to the Burlington Goodwill or Salvation Army.

After cleaning out your closet, put in some effort to make your closet look great. Use clear containers to house nice shoes, belts and other small accessories. Buy nice hangers of the same type and color to keep your closet streamlined. Consider investing in a shoe rack to keep your shoes organized and un-scuffed. Mend any clothes that were placed in the “Fix” pile and return them to your closet. With all the new room in your closet, you have a totally legitimate excuse to go shopping for cute spring clothes!