Browsing Tag

wardrobe spring clean

Fashion

What you need to do before a wardrobe spring clean

20th August, 2023

Spring cleaning my wardrobe is something that I commit to at regular intervals. Why? Well, it makes getting dressed a very simple process. A wardrobe spring clean is simply magic. I’ve found if I can streamline my wardrobe, cull pieces I don’t wear anymore and organise it into manageable sections then I can cut out so much wardrobe drama. By simply knowing where everything is I immediately know where the pieces of an outfit are and I don’t have to rummage around trying to find them. Also, by being able to see everything I own, I’m more inclined to wear more things in my closet and create a wider range of combinations. It’s a win-win situation but it’s not an easy task. It often takes me several hours as I like to take everything out and go through everything. To help make it easier however, there are a few useful things to prep beforehand.

Create a moodboard

I regularly bookmark outfits that I like as wardrobe inspo. This helps me keep track of looks I want to create and also to help me weed out pieces from my closet that are no longer aligned with how I want to dress. It’s also a great little resource on days when I’m really feeling less than inspired with what’s sitting in my closet and I need a dose of inspiration.

Block out some time

A proper clear out that’s actually going to make a difference isn’t something that you can really do in an hour or two. This is why I would suggest checking out your calendar and setting aside a few hours one day to tackle your wardrobe. This will enable you to go through things thoroughly and also to deal with what’s being discarded on the same day. Don’t leave the clothes you’re culling lying around as they’ll find their way back into your wardrobe again somehow!

Do a quick assessment

I like to look through all my drawers and cupboards to make sure it’s fresh in my head what I’m dealing with. This is useful as sometimes it’s possible to underestimate the task ahead so by looking over everything that needs to be spring cleaned you have a better idea of what needs to be sorted.

Pre-cull if you can

Sometimes I have an mental snapshot of the pieces I want to donate already so I’ll often clear those out ahead of time so I don’t have to deal with them when I’m doing a spring clean. The less I have to actually look through on the day the better.

Create a shopping list

I have a running shopping list of the pieces I want to buy to update my closet. The great thing in doing a spring clean ahead of a shopping trip is that often I’ll find pieces that have been hiding away that are actually similar to what’s on my list. This way, I only end up buying new pieces that are actually needed and I end up saving money in the long run.

Have the necessary equipment ready

Whether it’s boxes or big garbage bags or new hangers and storage solutions, I like to make sure that I have absolutely everything I need to do an effective spring clean. It’s always a good idea to have the things on hand that I’ll need to clear things out, but also the things I’ll need to be able to organise everything when I’m ready to put everything back.

What are some of your spring cleaning tips?

Fashion, Fashion & Beauty

Why spring cleaning your wardrobe can help solve style dilemmas

2nd April, 2023

A good wardrobe spring clean is one of those things that can result in a tidy closet and even better, less style dilemmas. The start of a new year or a new season is always the perfect time to examine what you own and do a big cull to ensure that you’re not taking up valuable space with things that you don’t use or no longer work with your lifestyle. Apart from all the extra room you’ll acquire post-spring clean, there are some great side effects that will make dealing with any dramas that come with getting dressed in the morning a whole lot easier.

Here’s why wardrobe spring cleaning is the key to minimising style dramas.

You’ll know exactly what you have to work with

The thing with a wardrobe that’s overflowing is that you generally don’t see what you have at your disposal. The key to being able to get dressed with minimal fuss is that you can see everything at a glance without having to rifle through piles of clothes in the process. This also results in you having a little more variety in your looks as you can discover some long lost pieces that may have been buried in the deep dark recesses of your closet.

You have a tighter edit of clothes

You’ve no doubt heard of the wonders of having a capsule wardrobe and it’s because you’ve essentially got a number of pieces that work well with each other which takes out the hassle of having to figure out what to pair with what. If you’ve done a genuine spring clean, it means you’ve narrowed your wardrobe down to the clothes that you love and work for you which makes it a little easier to style a look (yes, even on the most frantic of mornings!)

Having a tight edit of clothes can be effective in sides stepping wardrobe dilemmas

You’ll fill all the style gaps in your closet

One of the annoying things about an overly full wardrobe is that you’re not sure of the things that you need to replace or add which means you’ll inevitably come across said problem at the most inopportune time. Having a perfectly organised closet means that you’re able to identify these gaps ahead of time so you can take steps to rectify them before you actually encounter the issue.

You’ll only have wearable options to work with

Everyone has those pieces in their closet that never see the light of day because they don’t fit/are damaged/don’t look all that great. By doing a closet clear out you can gift yourself the ability to dress yourself using only pieces that you know genuinely work and are flattering. By taking out all the unusable pieces out of the equation, you’re simply left with only the clothes that genuinely work.

In the mood to do a spring clean? Check out my tips here.

Fashion

What to spring clean from your wardrobe

4th September, 2021

Photography by Adrienne Leonard on Unsplash

Now that spring is here there’s no better excuse to do a big wardrobe clean out. I always like to do one at this time of year to ensure that I’m utilising my closet space with pieces that I truly love and use often—otherwise I’m just losing precious real estate that could otherwise be occupied by new purchases! That said, it’s also great to take stock of everything to see what gaps I currently have and what I’ve got way too much of so I know what to look for when I’m shopping. Also, it reminds me of old favourites that I can incorporate into my fashion repertoire.

If you’re about to embark on a clear out, take the opportunity to weed out the below items from your wardrobe and donate them to charity so someone else can make better use of them. After this process I guarantee you’ll rediscover clothes that you’d forgotten about and in turn create some fresh looks that will make everything you own feel new again.

“Someday” clothes

You know what I’m talking about—these are the clothes that you’re saving for “someday”. So whether you’re bookmarking something for that time when you reach your ideal weight or are hanging onto an old dress in the hopes you may wear it to an event down the track (even though you’ve been to multiple occasions and didn’t even think to pull it out) then it’s time to be brutal and say goodbye.

Ill-fitting pieces

If something is a bit loose you can either get rid of it or if you think you’d actually get a lot of wear out of it if only it fit, then make the effort to get it tailored. If the problem is that it’s too tight then it’s time to bid it adieu. You want your clothes to sit well and flatter your shape not look like you’re squeezing yourself into something that just doesn’t work.

Anything you haven’t worn in a year

There are some things that obviously don’t fall into this category such as a wedding dress, but generally if you’ve managed to get through four seasons without once reaching for a particular garment then it’s a good sign that you can live without it.

Irreparable garments

There are some things that you may be keeping in your closet as they need a few repairs. Pull all these items out and take the pieces that you actually want to keep and wear to a tailor to see what can be done. For anything that’s not able to be fixed, instead of binning it, try recycling it. There are certain organisations that take clothes that are in poor condition and recycle them into things like rags, insulation or stuffing. Do a quick Google search to find a place near you.

What things do you need to clear from your wardrobe?

 

 

Fashion

How to spring clean your wardrobe

7th September, 2020

It’s officially spring so it’s the perfect excuse to do some spring cleaning! I like to do a closet swap around this time and pull out my winter things and swap them for my spring/summer pieces, but it’s also the time when I schedule a wardrobe overhaul.

I like to go through my wardrobe every few months just to go through everything and cull pieces that I may no longer need. It also allows me to re-organise and make sure that I’ve got a tight edit of clothing and looks for the new season ahead. So, are you ready to do some cleaning? Here’s my plan of how to do it.

Mood board your wardrobe

Before you dive into a closet culling session it’s important to hone in on your look. You can easily do this by saving images of outfits you like on Instagram or Pinterest, or you could go old school and flick through magazines and collage it up. The most important thing is having a clear vision of what you want your style to entail which then makes it easier to identify the pieces in your wardrobe that will and won’t work.

Do a closet Q&A

Ask yourself key lifestyle questions like “Where do I spend most of my time?” or “What do I during the week?” By doing this you can look at the kind of wardrobe you actually need. There’s no point hanging onto a closet of dressy pieces if you spend most of your time in playgrounds with the kids or you’re now working from home indefinitely. Your wardrobe is there to fit the kind of life you lead and the clothes in it should reflect that.

Block out a good amount of time

A thorough cleaning session won’t be a quick endeavour so make sure you set aside a few hours to do it. You could even diarise the event so you know you’ve committed to it. Being able to focus on the task properly also means you’re able to do it more efficiently, and hopefully, get through it in a steady manner as opposed to stopping and starting due to distractions.

Take everything out

Pull out every single article of clothing you own. From coats to t-shirts and shoes, take out everything in your closet and pop it on the bed or floor where you can go through everything one by one, trying on pieces if you need to to assess their fit. (Yes, you need to go through it all piece by piece!)

Categorise your items

Be honest

Look at everything with a critical eye and be brutal in your assessment of it. A word of warning: this will get a little tiresome at some point, but persevere. If you do this properly you won’t have to do it again for awhile and you will end up with a more functional, wearable wardrobe. Look at your mood board of your closet goals and ask yourself whether an item of clothing fits into that vision. If it doesn’t, relegate it to either a ‘to fix’, ‘to donate’ or ‘to bin’ pile.

Pile it up

Everything you have set aside needs to be dealt with individually. If there are items that are broken but are still in great shape then block out some time in your diary to take them to a tailor. The same goes for things that perhaps can be functional once again with the right kind of tweaks. If you’ve got a big pile of clothes to donate to charity, firstly make sure they’re still in good, wearable condition. Once you’ve done that, bag them up and pop the bag(s) in the car to take to a charity bin immediately. This removes the temptation to dig through the bags and pull things out again, essentially leaving you back where you started! The same goes for anything that needs to go in the bin. Assess the items and see if you can give them a second life such as turning them into rags that can be used for cleaning. If you really can’t repurpose them, then pop them in the bin straight away so you can clear your space and get onto organising what’s left of your closet.

Take stock

If you’ve done this process in an honest and systematic way then you should be left with clothes that you love, are flattering and work for your lifestyle. This will leave you with a tighter edit of clothes, making for an easier time to get dressed every day. The added benefit of this is that you’re also able to see the gaps in your closet and see what needs replacing.

Make sure everything has its place

Put everything away—but make it organised

I’ve found one of the key things that can minimise wardrobe dramas is having an organised wardrobe. What does this entail? You should be able to see what you have at a glance, and also everything should be categorised making it easier to find things. Invest in baskets, hangers and drawer dividers to make sure that everything has a place and that you can easily see what you own. I’ve found categorising similar items together means I know where to look when I’m after a pair of workout leggings or when I need a jumper. It’s not just one big jumbled mess. You can then take it one step further and organise according to colour within each category but that’s personal preference.

Enjoy your new wardrobe

Doing a wardrobe spring clean can be a cathartic experience as you can purge all the things that you’re no longer using. It also opens up new wardrobe possibilities once you rediscover things you had forgotten about, or reinvent pieces that were not getting used as often as they should. By doing this you can also save your hard earned shopping dollars by not buying multiples of something you already have or purchasing things that may not necessarily work with your lifestyle. The best bit? Less wardrobe dilemmas and more great outfits ahead.