I reclaimed over 400 hours just by purging my closet. Here’s how I did it.

My closet, my beautiful dream closet filled with tops, dresses, pants, jeans, accessories, belts, purses, shoes, jackets, blazers, and a makeup area, took me about 10 years to accumulate.

It took me another 5 years to add to and recently 9 months to purge finally.

Since middle school, fashion has always been a creative expression for me. I even won Runner Up for Best Dressed in High School.

Fast forward to adulthood, and that love for style grew into:

• Buying cute clothes just because

• Becoming a style blogger (which meant buying more and being gifted even more pieces)

• Turning an entire spare bedroom into my dream walk-in closet

At the time, it felt exciting.
But eventually, it became overwhelming.

What I didn’t expect?
The more clothes I had, the more time I lost to organized clutter and the mental weight of a packed closet.

As I was recovering from burnout, losing the 60lbs it gifted me with, and shedding what no longer fit—literally and emotionally—I made a different choice.

I PURGED IT ALL!

• Donated

• Sold

• Let friends shop my closet

As I purged, I was also mortified to see the tag on a few sweaters that said 100% acrylic. Yes, we know about Ms. Polyester and Rayon, but these are types of materials our fast-fashion or trendy clothing is made of, clothes that are on our bodies for hours a day, but that’s a conversation for another day.

Here’s what I reclaimed:

🕒 Time Saved Annually:

• Intentional dressing: ~43 hours/year

• Less organizing: ~20 hours/year

• No more mindless shopping: ~18 hours/year
  = 80 hours/year → 400+ hours over 5 years

But what I really gained back:

• Dedicated Art Space – I now have space in this bedroom to create

• Time + Energy – Less clutter, more clarity

• Easeful Dressing – Every piece fits and reflects who I am today

I’m currently focused on building my capsule wardrobe and focusing on key pieces with quality materials, 100% cotton, organic cotton, linen, cashmere, and silk.

Yes, it's an investment in resources but also an investment in my time and energy and pieces that can literally last a lifetime.

Getting your time back doesn’t always mean doing more.
Sometimes it means letting go of what no longer serves you in the season you’re in.

So I’ll leave you with this:

If your closet or life feels overwhelming, what’s one small thing you can let go of today?​
Start there.

Reflection for You:

Take a moment to reflect:
What’s one item in your closet (or life) that no longer serves you?​
It could be physical, mental, or emotional clutter. What’s weighing you down, silently taking up your time and energy?

Now ask yourself:
​How would you feel if you let it go? What would that make space for?

Today, make one small intentional decision to let something go, whether it's donating an item, clearing a mental task, or setting a boundary. Let it be the first step in reclaiming your time and energy.

With you in the letting go,
​Erica Prevell