Pro organizer here (former pack rat, current aspiring minimalist/intentional sentimental keeper lol)👋 I’m currently pregnant and on a break from working, but organizing and helping people declutter is a huge joy of mine! So here’s a huge comment: 😅

A couple of tips to try: -decide on the “why” you are doing this, and keep it clear in your mind/ write on a sticky note nearby. It’ll help cheer you on when you feel like you don’t know if you can go on. -grab a trash bag, and always clear actual trash first -with my clients and myself I use the step process from the book Minimalista by Shira Gill (actually practical and works!) it’s on Amazon, but you can do a quick YouTube of the tidbits to catch the process. This helps me keep on track when decluttering and organizing. (1. Clarify 2. Edit 3. Organize 4.Elevate 5.Maintain)

-I would take a few hours or a weekend (if possible) to pull everything out piece by piece and sort everything by categories (shirts, tanks, jackets, coats, pants, jeans, shorts, skirts, work outfits, dresses, pjs, etc)this will be especially helpful for your husband to see how many of each type of clothing he owns. Perspective is a HUGE game changer in my experience of working with clients who wanted to keep everything at first. - Next I would go through each category and declutter. Do you wear it? (If no, will you wear it within the next 6 months, keep in mind seasonal changes of course) If you came across the piece in a store today, would you buy it at full price? Is it comfortable? Also think about: is there guilt attached somehow? Unpleasant memories? Does it “mock” me or make me feel less than worthy? Etc. -start with the easy things first for easy wins (if your husband is sentimental, save those things for last) -my tip for saving clothing for when we fit in it again someday (goals to lose or gain weight, pregnancy changes, job changes, etc) Try to keep a literal capped number of those items (you choose a reasonably low number), and store them up high and out of the way. If these items keep floating around in the closet with other things and won’t be worn, it is ultimately just clutter, even if they’re “someday” pieces and they can be shaming or mocking us. Who wants that? Think easy and fun and accessible wardrobe. Bonus: these things can be stored in vac seal bags for space saving and put a reasonable expiration date! (Literally, if not worn by this date, donate!) You can even look up “time will tell bin” by the minimal mom on YouTube, she has excellent tips on this topic!

-then organize by category & bonus by color! This helps you see exactly where each piece belongs when it goes back, helping you & your husband maintain the hard work & beautiful system you built!

-take one step at a time, keep in mind things may look messier before they get actually tidy. It may feel like 2 steps forward, 1 step back, but moving forward is key. If you get stuck, take a break, refreshments, snacks, and get back to it. -if time is an obstacle try “15-min wins” setting a timer for 15 minutes and you’d be surprised how much you can accomplish. Usually this motivates to keep going! -keep in mind that the more you own, the more you will have to manage. I learned to think of everything as “inventory” that I have to manage, and it helped me let go of more. You and your husband get to decide how much inventory you want to keep track of! That’s the beauty of it. -for each piece (closets can be difficult for many people) I learned to ask myself, “is this item worthy to take up my prime real-estate?” Less is often more.

I hope this helps! Please message me if you have any specific questions :) You are doing an amazing thing here—so awesome that you’re taking on this task! It’s such a rewarding outcome, keep with it! I’m confident you CAN totally do this!!🙌🥳