Simplify your wardrobe

The changing of the seasons is always a good time to take a look at our wardrobes and see what is and is not worth storing for another six months or so.  Deciding to streamline your clothes is often a great way of not only adding a fresh look to clothes you already have but to get rid of things which are taking up space and energy in your life and not enhancing it.

A day or so before tackling your wardrobe:

Before sorting out your wardrobe go through magazines or catalogues and pull out some pictures of how you would like to dress.  Or go online and download some pictures from fashion sites or people whose style you admire.  Create a montage of the pictures to give you an overall feel for the look you would like to achieve.

Also pick three words to describe how you wish to look/ present yourself/feel eg: tailored, classy, polished or funky, arty, fashionable or modern, professional, comfortable etc.  You can add these words to your montage or put them on another piece of paper in big letters.

On the day of simplification:

1. Stick your ideas montage and words up in full view of the mirror you will try stuff on in front of.

2. Set up 3 piles and 1 large bag

Pile 1 Clothes to keep ~ clothes that make you feel and look the way you want

Pile 2 Clothes to keep that need attention ~ ones needing to be mended, altered or washed

Bag Charity shop ~ if it isn’t good enough to give to a friend it isn’t good enough to give to a charity shop (you are not helping them by giving them items that are not fit for sale)

Pile 3 Recycling ~ anything that is not good enough for the charity shop

3. Take everything out of your wardrobe including all clothes, shoes, bags, accessories etc and place them on your bed, a rail or even on the floor if you have to

Start trying on clothes

4. Anything that doesn’t fit anymore = charity bag or recycling pile

If it doesn’t fit now it’s no good to you.  If you loose weight to fit into it, you probably will want something new anyway so release it from taking up energy and space in your life.

5. Anything that is ratty or has had it’s day = recycling pile

You may have loved it, you may still love it but if it doesn’t fit in with how you wish to portray yourself from now on it is best to get rid of it.  If it’s not good enough to give to a friend then it isn’t good enough for you to wear!

6. Anything that doesn’t make you feel your three words = release it…just let it go

If a piece of clothing is not making you feel how you want to then you are allowing into your life something which detracts from how you want to live.  It is taking away from your life not adding to it.

You should be left with clothes that fit you and make you feel your three words or tie in with the pictures you picked out

7. Try on a few combinations of outfits and accessories – experiment

8. Anything which is only used once you should seriously consider if  it really deserves the space in your life

What to do with the piles

Keep Pile

Place all items back in your wardrobe keeping items of similar length together, shirts, trousers and so on, further sorting into colours within each length.  When replacing them put all the hangers facing the hook inwards; as you wear each item turn it the other way.  At the end of the month you can see just how many pieces you have actually been wearing and can reassess which items are really worth the space in your life.

Keep and fix Pile

Place items into the wash or take them to the dressmakers (or do it yourself if you are handy) – do this as soon as possible.  If they are not tended to within 2 weeks then they are not that important to you or your wardrobe and should be let go of.

Recycle Pile

Sit down and cut up any old clothes suitable for cleaning cloths or rags and cut off the buttons for your button jar.  Throw out the leftovers or use as one use cleaning cloths for dirty jobs.

*Button jars are handy if you need to find a spare button to sew on a garment.  They are also handy for children old enough to play with them – threading onto wool, sorting into colours etc (hours of free enjoyment!)

Give Bag

Take your bag of clothes and donate to a charity shop.  Do this as soon as possible to remove this now unwanted energy from your home.

This is a great habit to get into at the change of seasons: spring and autumn.  Each season when you reassess your clothing you streamline your wardrobe possessions.   After a few times of doing this you will end up with a wardrobe that works and is totally flexible and wearable.  It is amazing when you work out a good sized wardrobe it seems so much easier to find something to wear each day.  Less choice often means what you do have is used to a much greater extent.

Enjoy

(image source: Darwin Bell)

Other posts you might like:

Simplicity tip #2

Simplicity tip #3

Life is in the doing not the having

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