Spring cleaning

March has arrived and although today's rain does not really inspire spring cleaning this time of year usually does make me want to blow away the winter cobwebs and have a clear out. Top of my list is sorting through my wardrobe to create more space for what I really want and do wear, eliminating the many items that I haven't worn in years. I hate opening my stuffed drawers and squashed hanging space, but the task at hand seems so over-whelming that it's hard to know where to start. If this sounds like your wardrobe too please keep on reading as I'd like to share a few strategies with you to make spring cleaning it less daunting.



First off - a stress free way to decide on what to keep and what to give away is by turning around all the hangers in your wardrobe so that they hook onto the rail from back to front. Set yourself a time limit - a few months or one year. Then, every time you wear an item, turn the hanger round and put it back the right way. At the end of the time period you will clearly see what clothes you wear and which are staying put. Clear out all those which are still facing backwards and voila! you will be left with your favourite and, I'm certain, most flattering pieces.

Once the weather gets a bit warmer make sure to pack up and store your winter items. You will not only create more room in your wardrobe, but come the next winter you'll be able to get out all these items and feel as though you've just been on a huge shopping trip. Changing your wardrobe according to the seasons isn't just practical it also helps keep your clothes feeling fresh and new for years. 

Gather up all clothes that no longer fit and which you therefore don't wear. Be honest with yourself and assess whether you are likely to fit into them again in the future. Decide which ones to let go of and donate them to charity. Consider replacing items that you loved like for like with your current size. If the thought of hitting the shops fills you with dread, consider enlisting the help of a personal stylist to put the fun back into shopping for you. If you need a recommendation do get in touch. 

Another option is to ask a tailor to recreate your favourite trousers, dress or jacket and tailor it to fit your current size. Having an item to start from can make the prospect of having an item tailor-made less daunting. You already know that the style suited and flattered you before. You will be involved in the process of creating the garment, choosing the fabric and colour - a whole new way to discover fashion.

Host a swap party for your friends. Make sure you have a good mix of sizes and ask everyone to bring a few pieces they no longer wear or have never worn. Provide some drinks and nibbles and enjoy an evening of good company and style. It is quite likely that the top that never worked for you looks amazing on your friend and vice versa. Don't forget to trawl through your jewellery box too!

Ask your employer to host a suit drive for International Women's Day. You'll be making space in your wardrobe whilst helping women get started in their careers. Here are a few organisations you might wish to consider for this: 


I hope these tips will help you get started and inspire you to start your own wardrobe detox. Let me know how you get on in the comments and / or add your own ideas. 

Please feel free to share this post.

Dara

6 comments:

  1. Great post Dara. But what do you do when you suffer from widely fluctuating weight problems, like me? This means I have to keep a wide selection of sizes available, so I can fit into at least one set of clothes, depending on how much I weigh at the time. There are loads of reasons why weight, and also size, changes rapidly, due to hormones as well as being a bit piggy with the chocolate cake.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a good point! I suspect that you will still have clothes within each size range that you don't tend to wear as much as others. This is where the hanger trick can really help. And in order to take fluctuating weight into account you can set the time period to an entire year or more to give yourself more time for the assessment.

      Delete
  2. Like Alice, I have clothes for different sizes - in the hopes LOL.
    All the same I think they are excellent hints! (I do have 'winter' and 'summer' clothes - inherited, I think from my Scottish upbringing, and transported, like me to Australia. I think it has been a useful strategy.
    Getting rid of things is harder. I will need (seriously) to work on that!
    Thanks, Susan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree - it can be hard to let go of old favourites. My problem is thinking that I'll upcycle old clothes into something new! Or at least use the fabric to make a quilt...I think hosting a swap party can help here: your favourites go to a good friend and get a new lease of life and vice versa.

      Delete
  3. I am loving this hanger trick and shall be doing it post haste!! I have the wardrobe transfer to do and I am not looking forward to it. I do the storage thing but am totally bored with my clothes. This is also due to a fairly recent weight gain and I'm not allowing myself to make too many purchases. I shall be twiddling hangers later today! Great post, thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment. I'm glad you like the hanger trick - it's such an easy one to try out. I'd love to hear how it works out for you. Good luck!

      Delete