We’re all guilty of holding on to that one piece of clothing way longer than necessary. The internal argument of ‘I haven’t worn it in two years’ versus ‘but MAYBE I might wear it soon – what if I discard it and regret it?’ always stops us from making a swift decision, leading to that dress collecting dust once again, hanging amongst the ten other dresses you’d choose before it.
Autumn is the perfect time to clear out your wardrobe. The summer nights are gone; the cool breeze is beginning to settle in, and the winter staples begin to take first place once again.
Clearing out your wardrobe now is good for two reasons. Firstly, it allows you to clear any clothes you didn’t wear in summer – the clothes you kept LAST summer, thinking you’d wear them. But you didn’t. Plus a general throw out of things you don’t think you’ll wear when the warmer months roll around again.
It also allows you to go through your winter clothing and decide whether it’s worth keeping – or even replacing. Maybe those jeans you’ve had for five years are ready to be replaced. It’s not just about decluttering, but refreshing, too.
Keep well-cut, quality staples.
Keeping classic, timeless pieces that will always stay in fashion is important. That white t-shirt, black pants or classic silk shirt will always add value to outfits, as well as helping during those “nothing to wear” or “can’t be bothered thinking about what to wear” days. You know they’ll always look good, and you can’t go wrong. That being said, if that white t-shirt has had its day, it's time to invest in a new one and cut the old one up and use as a cleaning cloth for example. It’s also important to eliminate double ups. If you have four pairs of black jeans, discard the oldest – you’re more likely to reach for the newest ones.
Keep things of sentimental value.
Many of us have pieces in our wardrobe that mean something to us, whether it’s an expensive piece, gift from a loved one, or pieces handed down to you from family. If they bring comfort to you, keep it.
If you think you might wear it, but haven’t yet, time to let go!
We’re all guilty of this one. The whole ‘pair of shorts you bought two years ago that you continue to keep because one day you might choose them over the others’ scenario is all too common. Or maybe it’s your favourite jeans that have unrepairable stains on them, a massive, obvious rip, or have grown out-dated. There’s a reason you haven’t worn them – put them aside or donate them.
VOGUE Australia also has some great tips to culling and organising your wardrobe, including:
- Adopt the 3-month method: If you haven’t worn something for three months but you’re not quite ready to part with it, store it away in a bag. If you haven’t gone back to these pieces three months later, you can be sure that they won't be missed in the long-term.
- Donate to charity. If you have pricier items, sell them on eBay.
- Hold market stalls with friends
When decluttering your wardrobe or clothes space, self-discipline is integral. It’s also important to be rational about your choices in keeping, donating or selling clothing. Don’t think of it as a chore – have fun with it. Pop on some music or pour yourself a glass of wine. After all, getting rid of old pieces means making room for new ones (within reason, of course!)
Kathy
Yes, I defs need to do this, thank you for the advice