Do you feel a wave of panic every time you peek inside your wardrobe and face a mountain of mess? If so, now might be a good time to have a wardrobe clear-out. A clean, organised, streamlined closet is not only nice to look at, but can offer a little slice of calm amongst the chaos.
Here are some quick tips and tricks for decluttering your space and sorting your clothes and accessories.
1. Take everything out of your wardrobe
How often have you dug through the pit of clothes in your wardrobe only to find a pair of trousers, jumper or jacket you’d completely forgotten you owned?
The best way to get a proper inventory of everything in your closet is to empty it all out onto the bed. From here, you can group your clothes into categories (jeans, T-shirts, jumpers, etc.) ready for a thorough clear-out.
2. Don’t cling to pieces you’ll never wear
If your clothes are so tightly packed in it’s difficult to see what you own, it’s probably a sign you could donate or pass on some pieces.
So, what should you get rid of? Think about letting go of items you haven’t worn in the past year; clothes that don’t fit or crease too easily (especially if you have an aversion to ironing); or pieces that are too uncomfortable to enjoy wearing. You could even host a virtual clothes swap and allocate items to friends or family members who’d be happy to take them off your hands.
3. Pack away clothes that don’t work for the season
Clothes that don’t suit the season can clutter up precious space in your wardrobe. Rolling clothes and storing in boxes or drawers is a really easy way to organise your wardrobe. Fold tops or bottoms in half and then roll. Store rolled items of clothing next to each other and you will always be able to easily pick out what you want to wear.
4. Organise by category, then colour
Try grouping your clothes by category and then colour. Not only does this make it easier to search for a specific item when you’re getting dressed in a hurry, but also creates a lovely rainbow effect in your closet.
Never again will you have to dig for that top that’s mysteriously vanished in the wash …
5. Store occasion wear in another room
Fancier items such as suits and cocktail dresses need to be on hangers to keep their shape, but the chances of you reaching for them regularly are slim. Think about hanging these in another room – maybe even the coat closet – to free up space in your everyday wardrobe.
6. Fold your knitwear
Fabrics such as wool, cashmere, and angora can be stretched and damaged on hangers, so it’s always best to fold your jumpers to keep them in mint condition. If you don’t have a set of drawers to place them in, think about investing in some extra in-wardrobe storage, such as a hanging fabric organiser.
7. Invest in coordinating hangers
Hangers can be a total pain because they get tangled up with one another. Or worse, they’re not the right size for your clothes, so your delicate items slide to the floor every time you grab for them.
Invest in a set of sturdy hangers. Velvet hangers are a great choice for silky items such as dresses and camisoles, and they take up less space than wood versions. Try to avoid wire hangers, too. Although they’re often cheaper, they can cause your clothes to lose their shape over time.
8. Make use of vertical space
If the idea of sifting through the bottom of your wardrobe fills you with dread, the inside of your wardrobe doors might be ideal for hanging all those accessories and shoes that tend to get dumped on the floor.
Add some pegs for hanging scarves, bags and belts, or simply attach an inexpensive fabric shoe organiser (which should help limit how many shoes you own, too).
Finally, make sure you keep on top of the contents of your wardrobe. Schedule regular organising days, or even operate a ‘one in one out’ policy, to ensure it remains a clutter-free space.
Do you regularly donate or throw away items in your wardrobe or do you like to hold onto things? What’s the oldest thing in your wardrobe? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: How to make your wardrobe work harder
– With PA
