It can be difficult to let go of pretty little things that once made your heart flutter. The sparkly sheath you wore on NYE '12, which soon felt the wrath of champagne overfloweth and a rambunctious dance floor. Worn-down denim that once were favorites, but have since retired to the back abyss of the closet. The pair of gorgeous heels scored during a massive sale that have yet to leave the shoe box due to being a half-size too small. But hey, you never know—feet may randomly shrink overnight, right?On the other hand, justifying keeping pieces you no longer need—particularly ones that involve hard-earned money or sentiment—is easy. Plus, let’s be real; there are plenty of other, more appealing ways to spend a Saturday than sorting through clothing and shoes. Yet when closet space fails to expand correspondingly to a growing wardrobe or the thought "I have nothing to wear" persistently runs through your mind despite an overly stuffed dresser, it's time to assess which items still fit, in terms of size and style.

Clear time in your schedule to really get down to the nitty-gritty of purging what you no longer wear. Dedicate a hefty chunk of the day to go through every single item in your wardrobe, while keeping in mind you will need additional time for the follow-up duties (e.g., driving to the post office to mail out packages or dropping off bags brimming with clothing at a local charity). hoodie allen ryan nolanOr, if the idea of tackling everything in one fell swoop is terrifyingly overwhelming: divide and conquer. dethklok hoodieSort through your shoes one day, followed by tops and outerwear the following weekend.devildriver hoodies ukAs you scrutinize each piece, ask yourself the 7 following questions:If you answer a firm "no" to any of the above, it’s time to say sayonara and decide whether to sell, donate, swap, or toss the item.mr and mrs personalised hoodies

When balling on a budget, it’s typically not financially possible to get rid of a mass amount of clothing and shoes and then immediately purchase brand new replacements (alas, a girl can only dream). rome sds hoodie camoParticularly when the items in question are still in style, brand new, or just gently used, selling through a third party business is a way to make profit with ease.mlb hoodie sling purseBesides going the classic route of selling goods on eBay, there has been a more recent, thriving emergence of social marketplaces for buying and selling fashion. Each online community provides a streamlined experience, guiding users step by step. Simply list your items, ship them out to buyers when sold, and then earn money or credit toward your own on-site purchases.One of our favorites is Poshmark, which has a 20 percent commission fee, flaunts Pinterest-like boards, and hosts virtual “Posh Parties” for users to list, browse, and buy with friends.

Another is Threadflip, which also has a 20 percent commission fee and utilizes a comparison shopping-esque feed.Consider donating unwanted items that are still in good condition to those who could truly use them. In addition to Goodwill Industries International, Inc. and The Salvation Army, there are many worthy, not-for-profit institutions that appreciate your help.If wary about donating, we recommend using tools such as Charity Navigator and Charity Watch to thoroughly evaluate organizations and quell any concerns. Outside of websites in which you sell and buy clothing, there are also ones that encourage "swapping" instead. Bib + Tuck has a highly curated selection (i.e., doesn't allow items from fast fashion retailers such as Forever 21 and Target) and doesn't give the option of cashing out. Rather, you can sell no longer wanted pieces and fund your next find. Swapping can also be a fun in-person social experience. Play hostess for a swapping party of making one Everygirl's trash into another's treasure! 

Include a simple spring brunch spread if during the day, or ask attendees to bring a bottle of vino and cheese if at night. It's enjoyable to see how something that no longer strikes your fancy can make someone else ecstatic with retail-induced delight.  This option hardly warrants an explanation. Nevertheless, think of it this way: If you personally would not want the item due to substantial tears, stains or scuffs, throw the item in the trash pile rather than the sell, donate or swap piles. However, if a broken zipper or a missing button is behind the deliberation, consider getting the minor flaw corrected and then weigh out all of your options once more.For items that still don’t quite match any of the aforesaid routes, such as a teetering stack of T-shirts from high school soccer, Greek social events and the like, keep a few for nostalgia’s sake — but you probably don’t need an entire drawer full of them. Upcycle the remainder into cleaning rags or perhaps create a cozy and sentimental DIY quilt out of T-shirt squares.

So, what's your strategy to manage annual spring cleaning? Know of any other great charitable locations deserving of fashion items or user-friendly websites for selling unwanted clothing and shoes?READ: How to Create a Capsule WardobeREAD: How to Create a Beauty Capsule CollectionREAD: How to Make $1,000 This Month Selling Your Clothes on eBayCan you wear Topman at 67? An interview in the Guardian with Nicky Haslam and his sense of fashion and style. Old men dress cool From one of my favourite bloggers, Style Salvage. Take That:Style Icons for Older Men An article in the Guardian. Must be some mistake, surely? Groovy Old Men: The Rise of the Silver Swingers From the Independent, 'nuff said. Can Middle-Aged Men Have Long Hair? From that excellent blogger, That's Not My Age. Styles Middle-Aged Men Should Avoid If They Don't Want to Look Old: These Fashions Don't Make Anyone Look Young Middle Aged-Men Who Dress Like Teenagers Newbie Fashion Tips for Grown-up Men

This may seem a bit proscriptive, but is worth a read - most of the rules are sensible. The Almost Shocking World of Older Men's Fashion In a Grand Fashion reviews advice for older men. The article mentions Grey Fox as follows, "While there are many blogs for young, definitely under forty, I could find only one aimed at older, middle age men.  Grey Fox stresses dressing for one’s self instead of  for the latest fashion trend". Why do men over 50 dress like tramps?For personal reasons I avoid the Daily Mail. The standard of journalism is appallingly, with damaging and hurtful articles published with no proper research or regard for the truth. However, this is an unusually (for the Mail) sensible analysis and it is recommended reading. Men stop caring about clothes at 37 Apparently the conclusion of a survey, apparently based on a survey, but I'm a bit suspicious about this one - it may be a dubious publicity stunt. Reported in the Daily Mail here and the Guardian here. 

Despite my doubts,  there is probably a degree of accuracy in these reports. Fashion Tips for the Older Man From the Belfast Telegraph - some interesting and useful comments about older men dressing well and not so well. How to be a Middle-aged Man The Financial Times looks at middle age. Only partly about style, but nicely written (in 2007, so a bit dated - talks about Facebook, but not Twitter). Medallion Man is Back - The Rise and Rise of Middle-Aged Vanity From the Independent - not too bad, in parts. I agree with the warning that '...dignity is in danger of being jettisoned in the rush to drink at the fountains of eternal youth, or at least the rush to the hair dye kit, which is the next best thing'. The humble Mamil: why we need 'middle-aged men in Lycra'A nice defence of the MAMIL (middle-aged men in Lycra) by one of my favourite cycling writers, Matt Seaton. Why do fathers insist on dressing like their teenage sons?In my experience it's often the other way round (crisp shirts, chinos and brogues) - and that's confirmed by the picture illustrating the article which shows Tom Cruise and his son.

The Sartorial Geniuses aged 60 plus At the age of 37, you needn't start dressing like J*r*my Cl*rks*n From The Guardian, a newspaper that I doubt Clarkson has ever read. Skateboarding Past a Midlife Crisis From the New York Times. your bones have become more brittle as you get older. Has your man just bought a new bike? Looks like he's having a mid-life crisis From The Mail Online. The content doesn't really reflect the headline - but then the Mail is looking for sensational headlines, not interesting content. Jeremy Paxman in tweeds is typical of the affliction that grips men in middle age Hadley Freeman in the Guardian discusses older men's style. All about men reaching an age where they want to try something new. Some vestiges of truth here; Why men over 40 are fashion disasters How to dress well after 50Sensible with some interesting discussion; Guys don't be a fashion disaster Men should ditch low-slung jeans and embrace middle-age

Middle-aged men and their sad self-regardSadly close to the bone; but then all ages are guilty of self-indulgence, not just older men. Baseball caps, backpacks and an unlimited supply of flannel shirts: How middle-aged Silicon Valley CEOs compete with their twenty-something rivals From the Mail Online - given that it's the Mail, it's a surprisingly good read (assuming it's not all made up). It reports, for example, how, 'One tech CEO admitted that he probably wouldn't be in his job if he had not shaved his grey hair and swopped brogues for sneakers to blend in.' Dad dancing may be the result of evolution, scientists claim Funny and unfortunately probably true. What's a man to wear when his pecs turn to 'soft peaks'? Dressing your age - 40s Dressing your age - 50s Posts on Fashionbeans - I don't agree with everything here, but basically sensible advice. Marc Jacobs at 50 Showing that there's hope for us all in changing our lifestyles and getting fit.

Male celebrities with grey hair In case you find comfort in the thought that even they are getting older. I want to feel like a new man Guardian columnist has a makeover (apparently paid for by Hennessy - some makeover!) A middle-aged man gets used to the idea of still wearing jeans. From the FT's How to Spend It. The Vintage Years: is the fashion world starting to respect the middle-aged market? More about the women's fashion market, but much is applicable to us chaps. Are You Too Old For Your Outfit? From Details magazine, by Katherine Wheelock. How to avoid age-inappropriate looks. How I Became a Fashion Don't A lovely response to the above Details magazine article. Simon Doonan describes Katherine Wheelock as 'some kind of conservative anti-flamboyance watchdog for the colostomy-bag brigade'. Dressing Up is a Sign of Vitality New York Times. Ari Seth Cohen, of the Advanced Style Blog, comments on the Wheelock and Doonan articles above.

Fashion Tips for the Older Man Belfast Telegraph. Why older men are more stylish than young men A nice piece in The Telegraph, October 2014. Men's style dilemma: Am I too old to wear this? This Telegraph piece makes some good points and concludes, correctly in my view, that the question is, 'Does this suit me?', not, 'Am I too old for this?' Men become invisible at 39: Now they know how women feel. Again, from The Telegraph. Reports the conclusions of a survey, but then, as the man said, there's lies, damn lies and surveys. Is it OK for men not to care about fashion?  The Telegraph (I'm impressed how this newspaper writes about age and style so much). Confuses fashion and style, doesn't add much to the discussion. What makes certain men more stylish? A thoughtful piece by David Gandy which comes to the same conclusion as I have in my writing. As I say in my comments at the top of this post, style is about dressing to suit your personality, not following trends.

Stylish older men prove age is no barrier for fashion Executive Style. This is what we need more of: a round-up of older men interested in style. How to Dress you Age - Forties British GQ. Good, emphasises style rather than fashion and highlights fit. How to Dress your Age - Fifties British GQ. Good stuff, based on advice not to give up and again emphasising the importance of fit. How to Dress your Age - Sixties and Beyond British GQ. Based on the inaccurate (I think, anyway) assumption that most men over 60 want to look younger, but this doesn't affect what is essentially good advice. 20 Things No Man over 40 Should Wear Daily Telegraph. I don't like writing that tells a man what he should and shouldn't wear. We may make suggestions and give our opinion, but not presume to tell others what to do. This verges on that approach. However, I agree with much of it! Is it time Johnny Depp ditched the leather? The items of clothing men over 40 should NEVER wear - including hoodies, baseball caps and skinny jeans Mail Online.