A Stylist’s Guide to Decluttering Your Wardrobe
Written by Amiya B
When it comes to fashion-friendly New Year’s resolutions, besides dressing like your best self, decluttering in honour of this new chapter is a common task that sits at the top of many of our to-do lists for the year. The task itself can seem daunting but we are here to share our best tips, so you can make space in your wardrobe for the freshest fashion in 2024.
Why should you cleanse your wardrobe?
Regularly cleansing your wardrobe is essential to maintaining your closet and keeping your space clean. While decluttering your wardrobe doesn’t have to be done at the start of a new year, it is a great excuse to take the time to get it done. Perhaps you have no space for new clothes or maybe you find yourselves wearing the same pieces over and over despite having plenty to pick from - sorting through your apparel can only help.
On a more meaningful level, it is said that clothes carry energy and re-organising your wardrobe can help you remove any items that are not bringing you the energy you seek. Additionally, it is the easiest way to spot the essentials missing from your space and the items you have too much of. There are a ton of trends we are looking forward to this year and the only way to be on our fashion A-game is to cleanse first.
How to declutter your wardrobe?
There is more than one way to go about decluttering. One of the more recently popular guides to decluttering is Marie Kondo’s KonMari method, by which you retain items that spark joy and rid your wardrobe of items that don’t. Our guide to decluttering your wardrobe is a little more methodical and involves categorising your apparel into three categories.
Step 1:
Open up your wardrobe and give yourself enough space to sort your purchases into three categories, namely “yes”, “no” and “maybe” piles. While this seems easy enough, we tend to hold onto items that should be in the “no” pile but end up in the “yes” pile in the name of sentimental value. The “yes” pile should ideally consist of items that you use regularly or fit well and are in good condition. On the contrary, the “no” pile should include pieces of clothing that no longer fit well, items that are worn out or pieces that simply don’t suit your current style. While these two piles are fairly self-explanatory, it’s the “maybe” pile that can hinder your cleansing ritual.
Step 2:
The “maybe” pile should comprise of items that you have not put to use much or pieces of clothing that you haven’t been able to style yet. Once you have sorted through your “yes” and “no” piles thoroughly, you can return the items in the former category to your wardrobe and arrange for the latter to be donated to your local charity shop. Then you can return to the “maybe” pile and attempt to style them with the items that have been returned to your wardrobe or add them to the “no” pile.
Step 3:
Now that your clothes have all been sorted, you can reorganise your wardrobe for optimal usage of your apparel. We love a wardrobe that is colour-coordinated but you can also arrange your apparel based on occasions or garment type. Decluttering allows you to make space for new purchases while sustainably cleaning up your closet by donating to charity shops or selling premium items on sites that promote pre-loved fashion.
Pro-tip:
Decluttering your wardrobe is not a one-time fix. Scheduling a decluttering according to the frequency of your shopping habits is the only way to maintain your wardrobe. If you find yourself shopping every season, you only need to declutter your wardrobe at the end of each season. If you shop more frequently and add to your wardrobes more than once in a season, we recommend cleansing your closet every few months. And if you love to shop ‘til you drop, we suggest sorting your apparel once in two months at the very least.
There is a method to the madness of decluttering and while the aforementioned advice will make it easier to accomplish, we do have a simple and efficient alternative to DIYing it. Contact us! Wardrobe management is but one among the list of styling services we offer. By signing up for a personalised fashion consultation, you can avail of this service and we will make sure that you are one step closer to your dream wardrobe.