Every year there comes a time in a girls life where a good wardrobe clear out is needed. It’s either as Spring begins or Winter begins. A new season means a wardrobe update and that means ‘Out with the old, in with the new’.
Its logic, we have to adapt our clothes to the changing weather and the changing trends, so really its a necessity (or so we’ll tell our wallets!)
Sometimes its hard to let go of some older articles and we end up building to our already huge wardrobe. This usually leads to us not being able to find anything we want and the old ‘Too many clothes, Nothing to wear’ dilemma.
Well we are hear to bring you some tips on giving your wardrobe a good clear out.
1) First of all give yourself a good block of time to take on this task. There’s nothing worse than starting a clear out and running out of time – Mess. Everywhere.
Begin by taking every item out and categorising them; Dresses, Tops, Casuals, Dressy styles, Pants etc. Whatever categories work for you. Place all these piles clearly around you, like on your bed or a (clean) floor.
2) When you have these piles in order you can begin ‘sifting’. Take each style and scrutinise it. Does it fit in this category? Does it still fit YOU? This is where you should bring in the black refuse sacks. One for donating, one to let friends to root through or to one to sell.
Ask yourself ‘Have I worn this in the last year?’. They say that if the answer is no then you are not likely to wear this item again (unless it’s an absolute gem).
3) This is probably the most crucial part. You might find you are developing a ‘maybe’ pile. These are styles you’re not quite sure of. Maybe you’ve invested some money into them and you couldn’t possibly dump? Maybe you’re waiting for the right occasion to wear? Maybe some are impulse buys that you haven’t quite gotten around to wearing?
This is when you need to try style these items with something. Try build an outfit with that piece from your other items. If you cant match it to anything then you are definitely not going to be wearing it any time soon. Time to let go.
Try on what you can. We’ve all held on to things we might have worn at a different weight, our bodies can change. If something makes you uncomfortable or makes you feel bad about yourself – bin it. It doesn’t matter what size is printed on your tag, it’s what makes you feel nice and comfortable that’s important.
4) By now you should be feeling lighter. Everything you’ve hung on to is absolute.
Refold or re-hang your items. Sometimes a little ironing or washing breathes new life to an article even if it hasn’t been worn in months.
Give your wardrobe a little wipe-down with a damp cloth (no smelly products that might stink your clothes). Invest in one of those little ‘wardrobe fresheners’ to hang in with your clothes – keeps them smelling fresh.
Everything should be neatly placed back in by category. Place older Winter stuff to the back, things that you know you won’t need until later in the year. When things are neat and visible your life will be so much easier in the morning when choosing an outfit. Maybe you’ve come across items you forgot you even had because you couldn’t see through the mess before?
I try to keep my ‘Work options’ together and my ‘Going out’ options together. They never mix and its easier to grab an outfit from them.
5) When all is done and dusted, you probably have a lot of clothes left to contend with. The rejected items per say.
There are several ways you can deal with them. Donating to charity is probably the best choice. Most people get those charity bags through their door for collection. Maybe a local ‘Good Will store’ or shelter will accept them? There are also clothing banks.
You could also sell some items. There are pop-up shops/markets that offer this service where you set up a rail and sell your stuff. If you don’t have the time for that there is Facebook pages where you can ‘Buy, Sell or Swap’ unwanted clothing to others. One mans trash is another mans treasure, as they say 🙂
Alternatively, you can be the greatest friend on earth and let your friends have a good old root. You never know who has been eyeing up your clothing and might jump at the chance to take home that old dress.
So there you have it, a successful wardrobe clear out … well, until next season that is!
(imagesource:pinterest,theonlinestylist)
Sue if that is your wardrobe it is phenomenal! You lucky woman