Spring Cleaning: How to Declutter Your Wardrobe

Why Declutter Your Wardrobe?

There are a ton of benefits that come from organising your wardrobe.

Firstly, you’ll be making your life way more efficient and organised.

By decluttering your wardrobe, you can streamline your clothes and get rid of any unnecessary items.The more you reduce the amount of clutter, aka the clothes you literally never wear, the more you can easily locate and access your favourite things, saving a lot of time and effort when it comes to choosing what to wear.

Another reason to declutter your wardrobe is to be a more sustainable shopper.

Decluttering encourages more mindful consumption because it means properly assessing what you have in your wardrobe and, therefore, your actual clothing needs and your purchasing habits.

It's very easy to forget that you already have 10 white t-shirts at home when you’re out shopping, but when you organise all of them, you come to realise that you might not actually need a new one.

The more you know exactly what's in your wardrobe, the less you're likely to buy too many things that you're not actually going to wear.

By parting ways with the underutilised or unwanted garments that are in your wardrobe, you can send them to new homes that will wear them, minimising your environmental footprint and contributing to reducing textile waste.

The Impact of Decluttering on Your Mental Well-being

A lot of people don't realise how much impact a disorganised home system can have on their mental well-being.

Every single day we have to get dressed, and when this system is disorganised and cluttered, it starts off your day in a not-so positive light.

Have you ever heard of decision fatigue?

Decision fatigue is the exhaustion that you feel the more decisions you make.

Essentially, as you make more decisions throughout your day, your ability to make good decisions actually decreases. This phenomenon occurs because decision-making takes up mental energy, and as this energy is depleted, your cognitive resources become strained.

This leads to poorer judgement and increased impulsivity, which means you're more likely to procrastinate or put off important decisions because you're too tired out.

It might sound crazy, but a well-organised wardrobe removes one of those less important decisions from the day, allowing you to start off with confidence and clarity.

Once you've decluttered your wardrobe, your choices will be streamlined, so it will be a lot easier for you to select an outfit, thus reducing the mental burden of the decision-making process.

By organising and purging the clothes that don't fit in with your current lifestyle, you can create a curated collection that reflects you as you are now, your personal style, and your preferences.

Step-by-Step Process to Declutter

So now you know all the reasons why you should be decluttering; we thought it would be best to break it down for you to make the process as easy as possible.

Step 1: Prepare for the Process

With decluttering, preparation is key. And the first step is setting aside enough time to declutter, which might be more time than you think you need.

Setting aside enough time to declutter your wardrobe is crucial for several reasons.

It requires a thorough investment of every item you have to determine what value and relevance it has in your life.

If you rush this process, it could result in you overlooking items that could be repurposed or making bad choices about what needs to be discarded.

Giving yourself the time to make mindful decisions about each and every item you own is a way to respect the things that you've chosen to buy at one point or another.

You'll need to consider a lot of different factors, including the fit, the style, and how often you wear every item, and rushing through this process could lead to hasty decisions and potential regrets later on down the line.

Decluttering can be a stressful or overwhelming process sometimes. We bet you that the task will feel a little bit daunting, if not beforehand then potentially once you've pulled everything out and realise that it has to all go back somewhere.

If you attempt to declutter your space in a very short period of time, you might end up feeling overwhelmed, so the best thing to do is to give yourself more time than you need and even break down the task into scheduled dedicated blocks of time, making the process a lot more manageable.

Hey, Rome wasn't built in a day, and your organised wardrobe won't be either, we're sorry to tell you.

You might also surprise yourself by having more emotional attachment to certain items. It's important to make sure there is enough time for any emotional processing that comes alongside the decluttering process.

Allow yourself the time to address the emotional aspects of decluttering your space, and you're inviting a healthier relationship with your belongings and the clothes that you wear.

Empowerment here we come.

Decluttering Supplies

You're going to need a few supplies for your wardrobe decluttering, and these are the ones we recommend if you want to have the most organised wardrobe in town.

Storage containers: Clear plastic bins or storage boxes are one of our favourite ways to store seasonal or infrequently worn items.

A HACK: For people short on space, you can also store clothes in vacuum storage bags.

Hangers: Slimline or velvet hangers will maximise your wardrobe space, keeping your garments neatly hung. It might be worth investing in specific hangers for skirts, trousers, or scarves if you know that's something you struggle to find in your wardrobe.

Drawer organisers: Drawer dividers are a good way to maximise your drawer space and customise your storage according to your unique needs.

Labels and Marker Pens: If you have a lot of plastic bins or containers, it’s a good idea to use labels and marker pens to properly label them so that you know what's inside each one.

Shoe Racks or Shoe Boxes: Are you the kind of person that has shoes in a pile and can never find the second one? Consider investing in a shoe rack, shoe boxes, or even clear shoe bins to keep them stored and visible.

Decluttering Tools: You’ll probably end up finding some clothes that you haven't seen in a while, so keeping a steamer or iron on hand, and a lint roller or fabric brush means you can properly refresh everything that you want to keep.

That way, the things that you know that you love will be ready to put on at a moment's notice, rather than you always putting that one crumpled shirt back because you just can’t be bothered getting the iron out.

Cleaning Supplies: Keep your vacuum cleaner, or even better yet, a handheld vacuum on hand when you're cleaning out your wardrobe.

You'll be surprised at how much dust can accumulate on your shelves and the floors and corners, especially when you haven't been on top of your wardrobe organisation for a while.

Keeping some kind of multi-surface cleaner on microfiber cloths on hand is a good idea too, so you can wipe down any shelves, rods, and storage containers and keep your wardrobe fresh as a daisy.

By having these supplies to hand, you'll be able to streamline the organising process, making it easier to create a functional and well-organised wardrobe space from the get-go.

Step 2: Empty Your Wardrobe

Okay, now we're on to step two, and this requires completely emptying your wardrobe.

We recommend taking every single thing out, so you can see how much you actually have and better understand what you still need.

Step 3: Sort Your Clothing

Good categorisation is the essential secret to maintaining an organised wardrobe. It's all very well clearing everything up, but ideally, we want to make sure that these things stay tidy in the long term.

The best way to categorise your clothes is by garment type. Group similar items together based on what type of garment they are, for example, tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear, etc.

If you find you still have a lot of items in each category, then you might even want to subdivide them by occasion, for example, casual tops and smart tops.

Here are a few ways to categorise your wardrobe:

By season: If you have clothes that you only wear in one season, then separate them to make it easier to access them based on the time of year. You can store off-season items in labelled storage containers or garment bags and free up space in your wardrobe.

By colour: If you live for the aesthetic lifestyle, then arranging your clothes by colour is actually a very practical and visually appealing way to organise them. You might want to start with light colours and transition to darker shades or separate neutrals from pop colours, or just go crazy and organise by rainbow for a more fun and whimsical approach.

By function or occasion: If you have some specific set occasions that you dress for, for example, you wear certain clothes for work or regularly attend formal events, then it might be worth organising your wardrobe by intended function. This way of organising will help you quickly identify outfits suitable for specific activities or events.

By size or fit: Are you the kind of person that just needs to have 10 different pairs of jeans in 10 different shapes and sizes? You might want to organise them by size or fit. Our top tip is to keep the most frequently worn items within easy reach and store the less commonly worn ones in a separate section.

By how often you use them: Keep your most regularly worn items in easy-to-access areas of your wardrobe because chances are they're going to be the ones that you are looking for most of the time. If you have items you tend to wear less frequently, like formal wear or seasonal things, then keep them in less accessible areas, and you'll be able to maximise the space in your wardrobe.

By personal preference: Tailor your categorisation system to align with your own personal preferences and lifestyle habits.

There really isn't a right or wrong way to organise your wardrobe, so take some time to think about what makes sense to you and how you naturally think about and use your wardrobe. By thoughtfully categorising your clothes, you can create an organised and functional system that makes it really easy to find and select what to wear for each and every individual occasion.

This is a bit of a trial-and-error process, so feel free to adjust as you go to accommodate any changes in your wardrobe or lifestyle.

Step 4: Try On and Evaluate

Now comes the fun part. Or the slightly stressful part depending on how you look at it.

The best way to decide what you want to keep and what you want to discard is by trying everything on. Yes, this is a lengthy process, but it is definitely a key one in making sure you're only keeping the things that you really love and that fit you well.

Here are a few key factors to take into consideration when you're deciding whether to keep something or not during your decluttering process:

• Fit and Comfort: Does it fit well and feel comfortable to wear? Get rid of anything that's too tight, too loose, or uncomfortable. Life's too short.
• Condition: Are there any stains, holes, pilling, or fading? If it's something you love, these can be repaired, but if they’re damaged beyond repair, it's time to say goodbye.
• How often you wear it: Okay, so maybe you love it, but have you actually worn it in the past year? Some items might no longer align with your lifestyle or personal style, so it might be time to let them go.
• Versatility: Consider how versatile something is when deciding whether to keep it or not. Can it be styled multiple ways and mixed and matched with other items from your wardrobe?
• Sentimental Value: You can end up ruthlessly throwing away everything you don't wear, but consider the sentimentality of some of the pieces that hold significant memories or meaning. There's definitely a balance because you don't want to hold on to too many things that aren't being worn, but it's okay to keep a few.
• Trends: Is it still in line with current fashion trends or your personal style? Get rid of things that no longer resonate with your style aesthetic.
• Purpose and Function: Does it serve a specific function or purpose in your wardrobe? For example, seasonal outerwear, something formal, or something to work out in?
• Space and Storage Constraints: It's important to take into account how much space you actually have in your wardrobe. There's no point in keeping things stuffed in where you're never going to see them, so get rid of things that contribute to clutter and overcrowding and keep only what would be comfortably stored and easily accessed.
• Replacement Value: Can it be easily replaced with something that's more versatile and functional? Then it might be time to say goodbye.
• Future Plans: Finally, think about your future plans and lifestyle goals. Keep things that align with your future aspirations and lifestyle changes and get rid of anything that is no longer serving a purpose in your life.

Though this might seem like a lengthy process, if you systematically evaluate every single item in your wardrobe based on your criteria, then ultimately, you'll be creating a curated wardrobe that really does reflect your personal style, lifestyle, and values.

Trust us, it feels amazing!

Step 5: Decide What to Keep, Donate, or Throw Away

Okay, so now you've decided which things are going to keep; it's time to decide where the rest of them go. We don't believe in throwing clothes away over here because there's no such thing as away.

When it comes to textiles, putting them in the bin means letting them harm our planet, and we don't want that. Luckily, there are a few other options even for your clothes that are full of holes and you can't imagine someone else wanting to wear.

Our take-back scheme accepts clothing in any condition whatsoever, from brand new to the very end of something's life.

We make sure that everything is recycled responsibly, so nothing ends up in landfill.

Check out the brands that are involved here and how you can send your items to us and receive a voucher for one of your favourite brands to say thank you.

Consider donating any gently used clothing that doesn't fit our take-back schemes.

Give Your Best is an incredible charity that offers shopping experiences for free for refugees and people suffering from clothing poverty.

You can donate your old clothes and give someone else the chance to wear something they feel good in.

Find out more about Give Your Best here and read about how we gave back to the charity over Earth week.

Clothes that are damaged or worn out, plus old underwear and socks, still don't need to be in the bin. Your local textile recycling bank will still accept these items and repurpose them in a way that keeps them out of landfill.

Step 6: Reorganise and Store Your Stuff

Now that you've decided what you want to keep, it's time to put your clothes back in your wardrobe in an organised way to create a clutter-free and functional space.

Here are some of our top tips for organising your wardrobe:

• Use vertical space wisely by adding shelf dividers or hanging rods.
• Fold strategically. Instead of hanging your t-shirts, sweatshirts, and jeans, stack them neatly on shelves and in drawers.
• Keep seasonal items out of your wardrobe and in labelled storage containers. This means you are only seeing the things that you can and want to wear for the right season.
• Put a date in the diary to declutter and organise your wardrobe again. Clutter will accumulate, whether you like it or not, so taking time to reevaluate your collection every few months will help you to keep on top of organisation.

Beyond just tidying up, the act of organising your clothes can bring about so many benefits for both your space and your state of mind.

Decluttering empowers you to create a wardrobe that aligns with your lifestyle and your values. By following a systematic process, you can transform your daily routine, making getting ready a fun part of your everyday.