What I’m culling from my wardrobe this year

I always like to do a wardrobe clear-out a few times a year and having felt the urge to get my closet organised recently (blame the new year!) inspired me to take a good hard look at what’s currently in there. And let me tell you, there’s pockets of my closet that are in definite need of a little culling.

I find it’s always good to take stock of what you own every season, just to make sure that you’re not hoarding anything unnecessary that’s eating into valuable wardrobe space. I don’t have endless space to house my clothes, shoes, bags and accessories, and I’m sure most women can relate to this never ending mission to just try and fit everything in without it falling on top of you every single morning.

I had my closet reworked a few years ago and of course, I’ve managed to accumulate more things between then and now, which has left me with less room. So, in the interests of organisation I’ve decided that these are some areas of my closet that I’m going to be ruthless and cull.

Workout gear

Who has more workout clothes than days they actually, well work out? I’ve got way too much exercise gear. I got some great new pieces during lockdown and throughout last year and love them, but there are some things floating around in my closet that have probably seen one workout too many. Or there are some that I just simply don’t wear anymore. I have too many pieces and I wear the same ones to death. Also, trainers! I need to get rid of old pairs I don’t really use anymore as they’re just taking up precious real estate. I’m planning to pick the key pieces I know I always wear and either bin those that are too ratty and old or donate the things that are barely worn but are still in good shape.

Black shoes

I have a black shoe obsession. I’ve realised I have way too many black shoes. I know they’re versatile but honestly, who needs more than a few key pairs of black shoes. I think a great pair of heels, boots, sandals, slides are essentials and the rest I’ll have to assess in terms of how often I actually wear them.

Lounge wear

My lounge wear and casual wear build up quite quickly (particularly during lockdown, when I was pretty much living in them most of the year). Things like my t-shirts and singlets can get old really easily as I wear them all the time but that also means I need to make a more concerted effort to replace them when they do start to look bad. So I’ve made a pledge to myself that once they’ve had their day it’s time to let them go, even if it’s a fave.

Summer dresses

Summer has made me realise that I’m harbouring a ton of little cotton dresses that don’t get worn much but I’ve been hanging onto for some reason. These dresses are great for a little while but they don’t often last the test of time. They pill, they fade, they lose their shape, so I think it’s time I ditched the ones in bad shape as I know I’m not going to wear them again.

Identifying these key areas has really reminded me that it’s important to shop strategically to avoid just buying and stockpiling the same things over and over again. And also financially, it doesn’t make sense to waste money on mindless purchases that may only end being culled later on. I’m making a pledge to get maximum wear out of my wardrobe this year and to do this, I think I need to start with the pieces I really love and wear often. And this wardrobe clear-out was a great place to start.

What areas of your wardrobe are you guilty of hoarding? What are some things you’re planning to cull from your wardrobe this year?