I hope the start of 2011 finds you well. Don’t lower your spirits too much with resolutions which leave you depressed and demoralised – the best time to make a resolution to get slimmer, take more exercise, change your habits etc. is in the Spring, when the sun starts to shine again and we feel a burst of new energy!What about your wardrobe? One thing you can do to get that great feeling of having ‘made a fresh start’ to the new year is to clear out those clothes and accessories which take up space, but you just don’t seem to wear any more – if you ever did! Why not make a resolution only to wear clothes that you really love and feel fantastic in, rather than ones which are just ‘OK for now’? Too often, we keep the clothes we love most only for ‘special occasions’. You may not want to dig the garden in your most treasured silk dress, but you get the drift……..
And which one of the wardrobes pictured would you rather have?
(pictures courtesy of www.organiseplus.com.au)
Here are some key tips to a successful ‘de-cluttering’ of your wardrobe:
• Set aside plenty of time - 4 hours should do it, to review your wardrobe piece by piece. Get together with a friend who can be objective about what suits you – include a glass or two of wine to make it fun!
• Separate your clothes out into groups of the same item – e.g. dresses, jackets, trousers, blouses etc. Try splitting suits into individual jackets/skirts or jackets/trousers which can often open up new possibilities for outfit combinations and make more of the things you have.
• Weed out clothes which are obviously past their best – bobbly sweaters, tatty tee shirts, stained or frayed clothes which can’t be repaired. These should go for recycling – Charity shops can get £5 per bag for clothes which can’t be resold!
Do you know which colours suit you best? If you do, then follow these steps next. If you don't, there's some advice on how to weed-out your wardrobe further down..
• If you already know your best colours, check each item against your seasonal colour fan (in good daylight!) to see if it blends. Put items into 2 piles – those which are a good match for your colour palette, and those which aren’t.
• Go through the first pile of clothes which are within your season’s colours initially, and ask yourself these questions for each garment:
- Do you love it and enjoy wearing it? If so, put back into your wardrobe in a ‘favourites’ section!
- If you’re not all that keen on it, have you at least worn the garment at all in the past 2 years? If you haven’t (and it isn’t a ‘special occasion’ dress or top which doesn’t get many outings) - why not? It may be that the style is one you don’t feel has ever really suited you, it may no longer be a good fit, or it may seem dated.
- Are you really ever going to wear it again? If not, then put it into your ‘Charity Shop’ or ‘Sell on E-Bay’ pile.
Alternatively, it might be that you would want to wear it again with a few alterations. If the garment is one you are fond of, but no longer fits well, can it be taken in or let out to suit you now? Can the hem length be raised or lowered to look better? A brilliant way to give jackets or cardigans a new lease of life can be just by changing the buttons, which doesn’t require great skills as a seamstress!
• If the garment is one which is a bit too tight now but you don’t want to part with it just yet, you could always make a “Just in case” storage box so the clothes will still be there if you lose that half-stone, but aren’t cluttering up your wardrobe and reproaching you each time you open the door!
• Next, look at all the clothes which don’t blend well with your seasonal colours. You should be much more ruthless here!
- Again, the first question for each garment must be, have you worn it all in the last 2 years? Anything which you haven’t worn for 2 years and is in the wrong colour should definitely be disposed of – it could do someone else some good!
- Now consider the remainder. These are clothes which you do wear regularly even though the colours may not be quite right – perhaps you love the style of the garment, or it is essential work-wear which you need to keep until it can be replaced with something better. Remember – your best lightest neutral will rescue any darker “wrong” colours and your best darkest neutral will do the same for lighter ones. Jewellery in your seasonal palette will also work well, as will a scarf.
If you don't yet know which colours work best for you:
Split your clothes into two piles - those you have worn in the past 2 years and those you haven't.
Consider the clothes in the pile you haven't worn recently first - ask yourself honestly why have they been neglected? If they aren't "special occasion wear", and you don't think you will ever wear them again, or they can't be altered in some way (see above) to look better, then it's time to part with them!
Now look at the clothes you have worn in the last 2 years - try grouping together garments in colours which co-ordinate well, or into sections for 'workwear', casual wear, evening or smart occasion wear, which may help you to see where a couple of additions - a pair of trousers, jacket or some tops - could give you more flexibility and versatility to your outfit options.
Everyone
• Go through the same process with your shoes, belts, scarves and other accessories.
• If your clear-out leaves a few gaps, look at the colours and styles of the clothes you love to guide you when choosing replacements.
• What to do with the clothes you no longer want? Is there anyone – a friend or relative – who would look great in something that simply isn’t “you”? If you’re thinking of donating the clothes to charity, The Helen Rollason Cancer Charity has shops across Essex and will even come and collect your items.
• I recommend a wardrobe clear-out at least once every year – you sometimes come across clothes you’d forgotten about and are delighted to re-discover, and it’s great to have a bit more space – if only for a while......
If you'd like some professional help with a review of your wardrobe and some ideas on how you can make the most of the clothes you already have, please do drop me a line or give me a call!
Best wishes
Cass
