How often do you look at your wardrobe and feel overwhelmed by the decision of what to wear, while simultaneously feeling like you don’t have enough clothes? Luckily, there is a simple solution! The time has come to embrace a new approach to your wardrobe—it’s time to declutter.
Decluttering your life is said to have a number of psychological benefits. And minimising what’s in your wardrobe can save precious time in our fast-paced lives.
Below are four simple ways you can simplify your wardrobe, making the process of getting ready every morning a breeze.
1. The Big Cull
This initial step might seem daunting at first, but it quickly becomes very satisfying. To tackle your clothes head on, it’s good to separate your things into categories. Separate your skirts, shorts, pants, jeans, and shirts, so you can see how many you have of each one. You can then identify what you can cut down on. Realistically, items such as jeans and skirts are staples (especially if they are from well-made, durable, and quality brands). Keep the ones you know you will wear. I usually ask myself “Have I worn this in the past 12 months?” If the answer is no, it goes in the donation or sell pile. If the answer is yes, limit these items to the ones you wear the most. If you see holes or strong signs of wear and tear, donate it to charities who recycle damaged clothing and fabric scraps. Alternatively, H&M and Zara offer recycling programs at all of their physical stores for clothes of any brand and condition. If you really love the piece, though, why not repair it?
2. Rotate seasonal clothing
Once you’ve sifted through the categories of clothing, you can clearly see how much of each item you own. Keeping these at similar numbers means you have set outfits and ideas about what you will wear on a day-to-day basis. A good idea is to also separate by season. Putting your winter jackets, scarves, and beanies away during the summer can clear up more space, and means you will know what you have when that season rolls around.
3. Donate or sell unwanted clothes
Once you have sorted, categorised, tossed, and identified what you are keeping, you can either sell the clothes you don’t want to keep, or else donate them to a local charity store or op-shop. Just be aware of the pros and cons of donating clothing, and make sure you’re making the most ethical and sustainable decision before dumping a big bag of clothes in a charity bin.
4. Tidy your wardrobe and become less sentimental
Now you have decluttered and simplified your wardrobe, have an idea of how you want to organise your items. To maintain an organised space, group things together into neat piles. See this new approach as a chance to break away from the sentimentality of your clothing. Keep those few pieces you love wearing, but resist the urge to replace the ones you’ve passed on. A big part of simplifying your wardrobe is appreciating the garments you have, and realising the benefits of cutting down the number of decisions about what you have to wear each day and enjoying the space you’ve created in the process.
Have you loved learning how to simplify your wardrobe, but want to push yourself that little bit further? Why not consider a capsule wardrobe?
Author bio: Madeleine is an experienced content writer who specialises in all things personal sustainability, environmental awareness, and minimal consumption. She loves using her writing and research to clearly communicate these key solutions to environmental issues, and endeavours to help people do more in their everyday lives to minimise their footprint on the planet. To do this, Madeleine also manages the online platform Our Simple Gestures, and in her spare time loves being outdoors and enjoying life! Find her at LinkedIn, Instagram and at the website.
