10 Things You Don’t Want To Get Caught Doing In Your Closet
Are you guilty of doing any of these things in your closet? If so, you could be wasting money. Take a look to see if you need to correct any of these costly closet faux pas.
by Shari Smith
Whoa! I’m not talking about that!
Whatever you choose to do in the privacy of your own closet is up to you. I’m talking about those things that hurt your bottom line.
Here are ten things you shouldn’t get caught doing in your closet because they could cost you money.
1. Hold On to Clothes You Never Wear
Fashion experts tell us we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. Yet, our closets and drawers often remain full of options.
Do this instead: Turn all the hangers in your closet backward. As you wear an item, turn your hanger around. By the end of the year, you’ll be able to tell at a glance what you haven’t worn and know what to prune from your wardrobe.
2. Leave Closets and Drawers an Unorganized Mess
Do you just stuff clothes into drawers and the closet when you put them away? As long as the doors close, you’re good to go, right?
Do this instead: Organize your clothing by type and color. You can get ready much faster and know what you have.
3. Snap Up Duplicate Clothing Items on Clearance
We tend to buy the same things over and over. But don’t waste money on another black skirt if you already own ten.
Do this instead: Think about what you have before paying for something almost identical.
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4. Own More Shoes Than You Can Reasonably Wear
Yes, as much as you may love shoes, there is such a thing as too many.
If you need a spare closet just to house your shoe collection, take a moment to decide if you really need that stiletto heel shoe in fuchsia and orange.
Do this instead: Meet a friend for coffee instead of going into debt for another pair of gorgeous but totally useless shoes.
Related: 8 Ways To Overcome Retail Therapy
5. Buy a New Outfit for Every Invite
You’ve been invited to a wedding or the party of the year, so rush out to find the perfect outfit. Who cares how much it costs?
Do this instead: Stop and take a moment to figure out the cost-per-wear ratio. If it is a one-of-a-kind dress, you may not want to plunk down a month’s salary on it. If you can wear it more than once, the cost decreases.
6. Keep Clothing “Just in Case”
Why get rid of those skinny jeans or moto jacket you never wear? They’re bound to come back in style.
Do this instead: Go through your closets every few years and pare down the items you know you’ll never wear again. Even if you could fit into that slinky prom dress from 1989, would you really want to?
7. Toss Your Old Clothing
Do you throw out anything you decide you’ll never wear again? Hold on a minute! Anything in good condition has a few possibilities.
Do this instead: Get some cash from your closet by selling your cast-offs online or donating them to a secondhand store or a charity like DressforSuccess.org.
8. Store Important Items in Old Shoe Boxes
That stuff stuffed in the top of your closet could be destroyed or ruined by fire or flooding
Do this instead: Invest in a good safe. It will protect your documents and other important items in case of fire or flood and also keep everything together so you can grab it on a moment’s notice.
Note: Closets are among the first places thieves look for valuables, so consider putting the safe somewhere else that’s still accessible.
9. Buy New Styles as Soon as They Hit the Stores
It takes a while for a store’s new inventory to go on sale. But, it is silly to pay full price for clothing, as you can get the same item on sale in just a few months or find fabulous designer duds at consignment and secondhand stores.
The markup on new clothing is unbelievable. It’s usually around 300%! That’s why the stores can offer such deep discounts and still make a profit.
Do this instead: Shop used or off-season for the best deals.
10. Buy Items That Match Nothing in Your Current Wardrobe
Whenever you find an item on sale that you like, do you snap it up?
Do this instead: Think about what you already have hanging in your closet. Do you have anything you can wear it with? Or will you need a whole new outfit to make it work? Pass up the deal if it will only cost you more in order to wear the item.
Closets are a convenient place to store our clothes and valuables. Avoid these clothing snafus so you don’t get caught doing these things in your closet!
Reviewed October 2025