Orderly Nest Closet Guide

Downsizing with the “Like It, Love It, Over It” Method

If you’re ready to downsize your clothing and shoes on your own, this guide will walk you through the process using a simple method I created at Orderly Nest Organizing called the Like It, Love It, Over It Method.

We know that clothing clutter creates real messes simply because real life is happening:

• busy days
• changing seasons
• shifting styles

And that’s ok. This method offers real help in making thoughtful decisions about what stays and what goes.

Don’t overthink it. Just follow the steps and trust your feelings.

Step 1: Pick One Category

Choose one clothing category and pull out everything from that category at once. For example: all dresses, all sweaters, all tank tops, all jeans, all shoes, etc.

Seeing like items together allows your brain to compare clearly and make more thoughtful decisions.

Step 2: Make Decisions

Go through each item one at a time. Hold it up and ask yourself:

• Do I Like it?
• Do I Love it?
• Or am I Over it?

Sometimes you’ll know immediately just by how you feel. You may have heard the phrase “Does it spark joy?” — a question popularized by Japanese organizing expert Marie Kondo. The idea is simple: pay attention to your reaction. If it brings a positive, confident, happy feeling — it’s likely a keep. If it brings a heavy, uncomfortable, or “ugh” feeling — you’re probably ready to let it go.

Every item served a purpose at some point — even if that purpose was helping you realize it’s no longer for you. If it’s hard to let go, thank it for how it blessed you and toss it in the bag with gratitude and no guilt.

If you can’t immediately tell whether it sparks joy or not, use the following guidelines:

🙂 Like It

• It’s fine.
• I wear it occasionally.
• I reach for it if others aren’t clean.
• I’m unsure.

💛 Love It

• I love wearing this.
• I feel confident & comfortable in it.
• It fits well and flatters me.
• I would buy this again today.

✨ Over It

• I don’t reach for this.
• It doesn’t feel like me anymore.
• It fits poorly or is uncomfortable.
• It belonged to a past me.

Step 3: Process Each Pile

Once you’ve gone through a category:

• Love It items back in the closet.
• Over It items for donation.
• Like It pile aside.

Then move on to the next category. After you’ve gone through every category, move on to step 4.

Step 4: Revisit “Like It” Piles

By now, your decision-making muscles are stronger. You’ve practiced noticing what you truly love, and you have a clearer picture of how much you’re keeping in each category — and how much space you realistically have.

Remember, the goal is to keep items in your home that bless you, bring you joy, serve a purpose, and help you live fully — rather than weighing you down.

Now, return to your Like It piles and choose one category to start. Pick up each item and ask:

• Do I already own something similar that I love more?
• Do I consistently choose other pieces over this one?
• Would I buy this again today?
• Does this serve a clear purpose (yard work, painting clothes, sentimental item)?

Your answers will naturally point you toward whether it belongs in your closet — or in the donate pile.

Congratulations — you did it! 💛

We’ll take it from here! When we arrive, we’ll beautifully organize everything you love and help remove the excess so your closet feels calm, functional, and aligned with your life today.

Together, we’ll create your own Orderly Nest — a space that supports your real life and feels peaceful every time you open the door.

P.S. A Note on Selling

Sometimes it’s hard to let go of something valuable, and yes — selling is always an option. But before you decide to list it, pause and consider the cost: selling takes time and energy. Is the potential return worth that investment? or would your time be better spent elsewhere?

Decide on a minimum dollar amount that feels worthwhile to you and stick to it ($25? $50?). If an item can reasonably bring in that amount or more, list it. If not, donate it.

Once something is listed, give it a short window — lower the price for a week if needed, and if it still doesn’t sell, donate it and move on.

Your time and mental energy are valuable too, and often donation brings more peace than holding onto items for small returns.