I’ve been planning the Closet Cleanout of 2008 for about four months. Typically, I like to go through my belongings every year and toss the things that haven’t seen daylight in six months or more, but I had lofty goals this time. I wanted order, inner peace, and extra drawer space.

Of course, the process of purging several seasons worth of unwanted clothes was going to be anything but zen. My five-by-four-foot closet was stuffed with outmoded dresses, stretched sweaters, and ill-fitting pants. The drawers were even worse; my roommate Emma, who sometimes borrows clothes from me, was increasingly put off by the shoddy folding and near impossible task of re-shutting the drawer.

I couldn’t even tell what clothes I had anymore;everything was just lost in a mad jumble of wrinkled fabric! Clearly something had to be done. Anyone who’s tried to clean out a closet before knows it’s not a task for the faint of heart, so I enlisted Brian Kramer, contributing editor of Better Homes & Gardens Storage magazine, for a few tips.

Here’s what to keep in mind when you siege your stuff:

1. Take it slow. “People expect too much of themselves when cleaning out a closet,” says Kramer. “They think they can get through an entire closet in an hour or an afternoon, then realize that they aren’t going to get everything done as quickly as they’d hoped, so they give up.” Instead, clear out one section, one bar, or one shelf at a time. Spread out your organizing into 3 or 4 hour-long work sessions spread out over a week or weekend to keep from losing your sanity.

2. See ya, wouldn’t wanna be seen dead in ya. “People often have emotional connections to what they wear. You remember particularly good or bad times when you wore something,” says Kramer. Don’t look at it as getting rid of the clothes that got you through the hard times. Think of it as making up for whatever evils you inflicted on yourself in the past. Denim miniskirt from high school? Peace out. Trendy fringed polyester top from Forever 21? Buh-bye. Rank gym shoes from last year? Good riddance.

3. It’s time to let go. Listen, I get it; it fit you once, and if you think if you just hold onto it a little longer, you will somehow get it to fit once again. I’m all for optimism, but if you please, look at it this way: Your closet space is prime real estate. Would you ever share your apartment with a roommate who didn’t pay rent? Those size 2 jeans are that flaky roommate. Evict them, and start loving the clothes that love you back.

“I love organization guru Peter Walsh’s tip for figuring out what you actually wear in your closet,” says Kramer. “At the start of a season, flip all your hanging garments so the hook faces out. As you wear items, hang them up in the closet with the hooks facing in. At the end of the season, get rid of everything with an out-facing hanger.” For shoes or folded items, try marking them with stickers to see what you do and don’t use.

4. Share the wealth. You should have seen the feeding frenzy my roommates had when I told them anything I didn’t want anymore was up for grabs. Invite over a few friends, tell them to bring clothes they don’t want/need/fit into, open some wine, and let the free-for-all begin. You really didn’t want to spend your hard-earned cash at the mall anyway.

Now that you cleared the clutter, it’s time to organize the stuff you actually like. Here are a few tips for getting the closet of your dreams (wait, I’m not the only one who dreams about the perfect closet, am I?):

1. Match made in heaven. I know it sounds like a minor detail, but when all your clothes are hanging the same direction on matching hangers, it’s like you live in a fancy boutique you could never afford to buy anything from. Except—and here’s the kicker—you already own it all! The same goes for boxes and bins: “A decent quality white or clear container can move between various rooms and fit in with lots of different styles over its lifetime,” says Kramer. “Also, you can paint, paper, or eventually pitch a basic container without feeling guilty.”

2. Coordination nation. Okay, you probably associate people who color code their clothes with people who have to brush their teeth 87 times, but in this case, being type A can only help you. Think of it: You know you want to wear a blue shirt, but you’re not sure what to wear with it. If only you could find all of your complementary options in the same place…I think you know where this is going. Plus, it makes a pretty rainbow in your closet. Who doesn’t like rainbows? That being said, don’t try to force yourself into a system that doesn’t work for you. “The general solution, I think, is to come up with specific, personal and appropriate storage solutions tailored to each item or person,” says Kramer.

3. Accessories, accessories, accessories. No, I’m not suggesting that the answer to your clutter conundrum is loading up on more Kate Spade and Steve Maddens. I’m talking storage accessories here, and if you haven’t discovered them, prepare to have your world rocked. For relatively inexpensive prices (check out Target and Organized A to Z for the motherload of cheap organization), you can load up on extra hanging rods, shoe racks, and collapsible shelves.

“[I have] specific spaces for just about everything,” says Kramer. “When one section gets too tight, I know it’s time to do some editing and re-organizing.” Feel free to get creative: That over the door shoe holder is the perfect place to store small things like bracelets or socks. Hanging “sweater” shelves make a great home for purses. Invest in a few detachable hooks to get bags, ties, belts, and umbrellas off the ground. And unlike that pricey custom shelf installment, if you change homes, you can take these little beauties with you.

When you have finally achieved ultimate fashion feng shui, sit back and admire your handiwork. You undoubtedly unearthed a few pieces you forgot you had, so it’s almost like getting new clothes. As for how to maintain this serene set-up, you’re on your own for that one.