 |
| Original Image: New York Times 2013 |
It's that time of the year where resolutions are made, gym memberships are signed and you probably have a little extra motivation to just get things done. The first step for me was cleaning out my wardrobe - clear space, clear mind. Here are my tips for completely transforming your wardrobe and what better time to do it than at the start of a new year?
The transformation consists of three stages. Firstly though, start by making your bed. Take off your sheets and put a clean pair on. Not only are clean sheets the best thing in the world, a freshly made bed is a great blank canvas to organise your clothes on.
Stage 1// The Purge
This is the difficult, emotional stage - but also the most rewarding. Grab some heavy duty garbage bags and an open mind. The easiest place to start is the pull out everything from your wardrobe and organised into two piles of 'Definitely keep' and 'Not sure'. Now the real fun begins. Here's a checklist for sorting your 'Not sure' pile.
- Does it fit? If no, then it's time to purge. If the item is still in good condition you can either donate it, give it to a friend or sell it.
- Does it have sentimental value? For example, I'm never going to wear my school blazer again, but I'm not going to get rid of it. Whilst other items of school uniform might also be sentimental, old tracksuits, worn out school shirts and green school socks you're never going to wear again probably don't need to be kept. Sentimental items can be stored, but make sure they are clean and are protected.
- Have you worn it in the last 6 months? If yes, then you are probably getting good use of it and you should keep it. If no, consider if realistically you'll ever wear it again and pass it on. Other 'once-in-a-while' items, like ski jackets or that one 'cleaning' shirt obviously have a place.
- Is it worn out? Lots of clothing these days, especially from budget friendly stores aren't of the highest quality and as such don't often last more than a season. If a t-shirt looks worse for wear or all the colour has faded from your favourite dress then don't bother passing it on and bin it!
Stage 2// Organise
The find the simplest way to organise your wardrobe is 2 groups - hanging and folded and then into subcategories - shirts, shorts, jumpers, dresses etc.
I usually then organise within those categories. For example, I hang my dresses by occasion from casual to formal. My draws are less organised but when folding t-shirts I'll place the one's I wear most at the top, or shuffle around the order according to the season.
Organising your wardrobe can sometimes be a little restricted in terms of space and layout. However, IKEA has a whole heap of amazing storage solutions that are super affordable. I always use a hanging shoe organiser to save space and draw dividers to separate underwear and socks. I also have a belt loop which is very convenient. I also suggest switching out old, bent coat hangers (or ugly frilly ones) for new ones which can be purchased inexpensively and you can also make it so everything matches!
Stage 3// Plan Ahead
After purging and then organising your wardrobe, it will be easy to see what is missing in your collection. If you got rid of all your old bras, you don't want to be stuck without any! Write a list of wardrobe essentials that are missing e.g. underwear, jeans, coat, basically anything you would be stuck without. Planning ahead for a shopping trip will make it easier to resist impulse purchases that are just going to clog up your closet again. You may have cleared out a whole heap of dresses you never wore but it doesn't mean you need to buy a new one.
Another good idea is to do some online research. Say you always wear Levi jeans and your old pair just didn't fit anymore - don't go straight into the Levi store at the mall, search online for a better price or if there are any outlets in your area that are having sales. Shopping online for staples is a great idea especially if you already know your size. Being a savvy consumer is so important! You can only benefit from researching choices and giving yourself a budget.
I hope this gave you a little motivation to start your own wardrobe transformation!
xx Catherine
Follow me!
No comments:
Post a Comment