more than just cleaning out my closet

A metaphor for personal growth and how a wardrobe maps emotional evolution

Writing this piece at 23 almost feels unserious, considering I’m still in the early stage of my twenties with so much room left for growth. But as I reflect on the short time I’ve lived and then glance at my wardrobe, I can’t help but ask myself: How many times have I cleaned out this closet, and how many different phases did I go through?

As simple as it sounds, your closet really is a reflection of who you are in the present moment and all the versions of you that led up to it. It’s a map, almost a journal of one’s emotional and literal evolution. Every time I feel that desperate urge to clean out my closet, I know I’m in a moment of transfiguration. I’m transitioning into a new identity or “tapping into a new era.” Sometimes it’s aesthetic; sometimes it’s literal.

When I first started college, I leaned more into streetwear. Then, somewhere in the middle, I became a full “clean girl.” Now, after graduating, working professionally, and learning more about myself, my interests, my values, and my personal taste, I’ve turned into a more classic, minimal style. That could always change as I change, but the shift itself revealed something bigger: my wardrobe wasn’t just changing with my life; it was helping me understand where I was emotionally and literally.

Cleaning out your closet isn’t just organizing. It’s self-acknowledgment. It’s confronting the versions of you that felt comfortable at one time and realizing that you’ve suddenly outgrown them. When you sort through old clothes, you’re really sorting through your past identities and deciding what still serves you, what still feels authentic, and what was only meant to exist for a season. And when you finally remove what no longer reflects who you are, it feels like a subtle form of self-cleansing, a way to prepare yourself for the next era.

Looking into my closet today, I see more professional workwear: trousers, button-down blouses, loafers, heels. Neutrals and muted colors that actually flatter me than the bright colors I used to have. Basics that function for multiple outfits. Fitted tops, denim for every occasion, dresses for dinner or events, even athleisure for the lifestyle I didn’t have a year ago. Back then, my wardrobe was mostly tees and sweats, crop tops, and going-out outfits, not bad, just unstructured, without range, and without intention.

Now my closet looks like someone stepping into early adulthood. Someone choosing pieces that align with where she’s going rather than where she’s been. More intentionally and carefully, considering fabrics, fit, and whether a piece is necessary or simply from impulse. Your wardrobe isn’t just a collection of clothes you own; it’s a physical timeline of your growth. It reveals your transitions before you even have the chance to explain them.

It’s more than just cleaning out a closet. It’s literally seeing my own evolution hanging on a clothing rack. And maybe that’s the beauty of it: we change subtly, without even realizing it. Our wardrobe is the first to tell us that we’ve stepped into a new version of ourselves; it’s a gentle reminder to appreciate all the different stages of life we’ve lived through.

So next time you clean out your closet, what part of your story is hanging there waiting to be acknowledged?