I’ve been doing a massive cleanse the last two months and I don’t mean the diet type. It was time for me to battle my closet, rifle through my storage bins and proceed with a major spring cleaning overhaul. Purging is always a very scary process and we all tend to save the things in our lives we don’t really need.

Trust me when I say this, once you purge, you’ll feel 20 pounds lighter and your “life” in general will feel less cluttered. Time to take out the old and bring in the new. Here are a few pointers to help you along:

1. I make sure to keep all my nice shoes in their original boxes. I also take Polaroid pictures of them and staple it on the outside of the box so that my shoes are easily visible and accessible.

2. If you don’t have a Polaroid camera, here’s a fun and easy trick. Re-use the large plastic salad containers from the grocery store. They are big enough to hold a pair of shoes (or ankle booties) and they are “clear” so you can see your shoes when you stack the boxes.

3. Store you seasonal clothes away! During the summer you are not going to wear that parka! Box it up and hide it way up at the top of the closet for a few months! Make room for your beautiful sun dresses and silk tunics.

4. Do you have a smaller than normal sized closet or no storage room at all? There is no need to spend too much money, head over to the dollar store and find yourself some large vacuum seal bags. Seal up large items like down-filled coats and heavy knit sweaters.

5. A great process of elimination? For every item you actually wear, turn the hanger the opposite direction. After six months, any hanger you did not turn…dispose of the garment. You are not going to wear it!

6. Have a clothes and accessories swap party with your friends. Gather your friends over for some wine and cheese and exchange items you don’t want. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

Sunny Shum, Your Industry Insider