New Year, new style: Tricks to help get rid of clothes you haven't worn

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Do you constantly find yourself running out of hangers? 

Do your closet doors not fully close anymore? 

Are your dresser drawers practically bursting at the seams? 

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it's probably time for the dreaded task of cleaning out your closet.

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Getting your closet organized my feel like a chore, but you will fill you with relief once it's done. 

This guide provides tips on how to get rid of clothes, what to do with unwanted items and how to keep your closet organized throughout the year. 

If you have an unorganized closet to the point where no new items can even fit, it's probably time for a clean. (iStock)

When it's time to say goodbye

Impossible-to-remove stains

If you have a stain that you have spent months trying to remove with no luck, it's time to get rid of it. Let's face it, that stain isn't going anywhere. 

Smelly items 

Some clothing items hang onto a certain odor that never seems to go away, no matter how many times you run them through the wash. 

If you have clothing items that fit the bill, it's time to let them go. 

'I forgot I had this!'

If you are going through your clothes and stumble upon something that makes you say, "I forgot I had this," chances are you aren't going to wear it again.

Now, if you truly feel a sense of excitement when you pull those leather pants out of your drawer that you completely forgot you bought, hold onto them for a couple of months. At the end of those two months, if you still haven't worn the item, it's time to say goodbye. 

An organized closet starts with going through each item of clothing and deciding if it's worth keeping. (iStock)

Things you didn't wear last year

If you have clothing items that you haven't worn in a year, chances are you aren't going to start wearing it now. 

This could be clothes that are simply out of style or things you bought because they looked great on the rack but a lot different once you put them on yourself.

Whatever the reasoning may be, if you haven't worn it in a year, it's time to let it go. 

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Process for cleaning?

Once you are ready to start cleaning your closet, one of the easiest routes to take is simply splitting things into three piles. Have one pile for "must keep" items, one for "maybes" and one "get rid of" pile.

While going through your clothes, separate them into piles to easily determine what is being kept and what is not.? (iStock)

As you go through every item of clothing in your closet, place the items into one of these piles.

If you come across something that you know you want to get rid of, put it in that pile. For things that you can't decide quite yet what to do with, put them in your "maybe" pile. You can go back to those clothes later. Everything that you love and wear frequently goes into the "must keep" pile.

Once you've got your piles all set, it's time to go back to your "maybes." Each item of clothing in this pile should be tried on. 

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One reason for trying on clothes in this pile is to make sure they fit. A lot of things in the "maybe" pile are likely items of clothing you haven't worn in a while but aren't ready to get rid of quite yet. If an item of clothing doesn't fit, there's an easy excuse to get rid of it.

Another reason for trying things on is to see if the clothing items are still your style. If you don't feel confident in the item of clothing you try on, get rid of it. 

An additional factor to keep in mind when it comes to organizing your clothes is to know the difference between items suitable for everyday wear and items that simply hold sentimental value.

For example, you may not wear your "I love New York" shirt you got from a trip years ago or a Justin Bieber concert tee, but you probably don't want to get rid of these items either.

Find a new place for your sentimental clothing items. Keeping them in your closet is a waste of space, since these aren't items you wear frequently. (Christina Horsten/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Instead of allowing items like this to take up space in your closet, pack them away in an attic or basement. That way you still have access to them, but they aren't in the closet you use daily.

What to do with old clothing items

You have a lot of different options for what to do with clothing you no longer want. What you choose to do with old clothes is largely going to depend on their condition.

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Recycle clothes in poor condition

If you have clothes that are in poor condition, such as stained or teared to the extent that they can't be used by another, your best bet is to recycle these items.

Earth911.com has a recycling locator in which you can enter the type of items in need of recycling and your zip code. You will then be provided with a list of suitable drop-off locations for your items.

Sell lightly used items to a consignment shop 

If you have items that have only been slightly worn, you can sell them to a consignment shop for additional cash. 

Items must be in good condition for a consignment shop to take them off your hands and pay you in cash. (iStock)

Keep in mind that a consignment shop may not take all of your items, so you'll need a backup way to get rid of clothes for the items they don't buy from you.

Hold your own yard sale

If you want to be in complete control of the selling process of your items, hold your own yard sale.

Make signage to hang around the neighborhood, so that people are aware of the event, and put your clothes out in your front yard.

Any clothes that you are unable to sell can be donated.

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Sell online

Sites like ThredUP and Poshmark are great outlets to turn to for selling your unwanted clothes.

To use these sites, all you have to do is upload photos of your products, information about the item and the asking price. Then just wait for the items to sell. Once they do, you'll be responsible for shipping the products to the buyer.

Donate used clothes 

Bringing clothes to a donation bin is a great way to help those in need. Make sure your clothes are in decent condition before donating.

Bring your old clothes to a thrift shop or donation center for others to use. (iStock)

How to keep your closet clean

The backwards hanger approach

The backwards hanger approach is one way to keep your closet organized in the years to come.

Flip all of your hangers backwards in your closet. Once you wear an item of clothing, you can then flip that hanger the appropriate way.

At the end of the year, go through your closet and see if you have any clothing items still hanging from backward hangers. If you do, get rid of that item of clothing since you have not worn it in a year.

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This method clearly shows what items you are frequently wearing and what items you are not.

The buy bye method 

The buy bye method is very simple. Every time you buy a clothing item, you say goodbye to one you already have.

Every time you buy new clothes, get rid of old pieces to make room in your closet and keep things clean. (iStock)

Buying new clothes can very quickly overflow your closet. 

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Getting rid of an article of clothing as you freshen up your closet keeps things organized and up to date.

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