For those who joined us in tackling closet clutter this weekend, how did it go? We wrapped up our project with fewer items tucked behind doors and more space for incoming baby gear (and for the things that the baby will eventually displace). We made big progress in the master bedroom first and will share what happened in the other two closets later today. Ready for the highlights?

As I mentioned on Friday, my closet had become messy, mostly from accumulating race shirts and from plain folding laziness.

I started by taking everything out so I could see exactly what I had and what needed to go. Clearing it all out is step one: it lets you evaluate items honestly. Here’s a look at my empty drawers — well, except for the one that actually contains my socks and smaller items. No need to photograph that step.

That pile of T-shirts in the corner was just the beginning. I found far more shirts than I expected. At times it felt like a clown car of tees, or maybe the male equivalent of a large shoe collection. Either way, once everything was visible, I sorted it into four simple categories:

• Everyday T-shirts — shirts I wear casually; button-downs stayed on hangers, though I did slim those down too.
• Workout and running shirts
• Project/paint shirts — work clothes that can get messy
• Donate — shirts that no longer deserved a spot in the closet

We learned long ago that you don’t need a huge wardrobe of paint-spattered shirts. One warm-weather outfit and one cold-weather outfit are usually enough for home projects. So even if you have ten ratty shirts with paint on them, you probably only need one or two. After sorting and paring down each pile, I neatly folded the keepers and returned shorts and pants to their proper places.

The result was a much neater drawer area and an entire shelf above the drawers freed up — perfect for baby things or other items that need space. We also ended up with a generous donation pile.

Sidenote: There was a dog hiding back there the whole time.

For all of our reject items, we used four outcome categories so nothing lingered unnecessarily:

• Donate
• Trash — for items too worn to be useful
• Return to friends & family — we rediscovered borrowed books and belongings
• Pay it forward — things we knew a friend or family member would appreciate directly

I also tackled the top shelf, which had become an out-of-sight, out-of-mind catchall. It contained more shirts, shoeboxes, and a few nostalgic bits (old cassette tapes from a high school band concert, more or less jokingly). Now that shelf is mostly empty; if I wanted, I could add matching bins to corral the remaining items and keep a couple of bins free for future storage needs.

So to recap: the closet went from cluttered to organized, with clearly defined storage space and extra shelves created in the process.

Sherry’s side was never disastrous, but she still cleared out clothes, jewelry, and shoes she hadn’t worn in a while — not only because of her pregnancy but because she’s been editing her wardrobe for some time. We ended up with a pile of donations plus items to return and a few pieces to give directly to friends. We did decide to keep the sleeping chihuahua.

If you’re curious about closet layouts, we’ve shared closet photos before, and it’s always fun to peek at how someone else organizes their space. On our side, we also cleared out a “bonus” closet, which now houses a few of my suits and dress pants along with Sherry’s non-maternity clothing. Two top shelves are completely empty and feel like a breath of fresh air.

By the end of the session we felt accomplished. We cleared out about four shelves’ worth of space and brought a bag full of donations to a local drop-off. We also returned items to friends and dropped off a few books at a neighborhood shop. The bedroom closet purge was a satisfying first step.

We still have more closets to clean later today, but we’d love to hear about your decluttering weekend. Did you pare down your wardrobe or rediscover pieces you’ll wear more often? Any tips for people who haven’t tackled spring cleaning yet? Share your favorite tricks for clearing closets, junk drawers, or kitchen cabinets. If you have photos from your own closet projects, post them to our Facebook page so we can all enjoy the transformations.

Want more closet organization inspiration? Check our previous posts about closet makeovers and how we added built-in wardrobes to either side of the bed for a full story on our approach.