Spring clean your wardrobe.

It’s all well and good adopting the ‘New Year, New You’ mantra – it’s also perfectly fine not to - but before adding to your existing wardrobe, I thoroughly recommend sorting out what you’ve already got. Here’s how…

Get it all out there.

This might sound like you’re creating more work for yourself but it’s vitally important to be able to see what you have. Getting all of your clothes out of your wardrobe and putting them on your bed will force you to face the reality of what you’ve been hoarding away at the depths of your closet.

Organise it.

Sort your items in to categories. Skirts, trousers, jeans, tops, shirts, knitwear, jackets… You get the idea! This will make them easier to sort through and will also be useful when building outfit combinations to see what works together.

Try it on.

This might sound obvious but it’s important to get this bit right. I recommend wearing good supportive underwear, nude tights and having a pair of heels and flats to hand. The next thing you’ll need? Decent lighting and a good mirror.

Be honest.

This is vitally important. There are some simple questions you can ask yourself to help determine what to do with your clothing items.

Question one. “Does it fit me?”

This might sound obvious but there are several elements to consider here. Just because something doesn’t fit you now doesn’t mean you should immediately get rid of it. There are lots of reasons we might change shape or weight. Pregnancy, training and fitness or medical reasons can result in temporary changes to weight or shape.  If you think there’s a chance that an item will fit again in the future put it away for a while. Equally, if you know there is just no way you’ll ever be wearing it it’s time to say goodbye.

Question two. “Is it in good condition?”

You’d be amazed by the amount of my clients that hang on to garments for sentimentality. If it’s in need of repair, repair it and wear it. If it’s past the point of help, again, it’s time to say goodbye. Better still, find a way to up-cycle it and reuse the fabric.

Question three.  “Does it suit my lifestyle?”

It’s all very well having seven or more sequin gowns taking up space in your wardrobe if you have somewhere to wear them all. However, if you’re reality is a little different, hang on to one or two of these pieces and make space for items that you’ll get more wear out of day-to-day.

Question four. “When was the last time I wore it?”

It’s easy to fall in love with forgotten pieces that have found their way to the back of the wardrobe when you’re trying everything on again. It might fit, it might flatter, it might make you feel good but if you can’t remember when you last wore it, it most likely hasn’t been worn for a while, in which case it’s time to find it a new home.

Make an inventory.

This sounds pretty formal but all I’m asking you do is make a list of what you have left. You’ll have already sorted all your clothing items into categories. Now, you need to count how many items you have left in each category. This is designed to make you see what you have too much of as well as identifying any gaps you might need to fill with new pieces.

Where possible, don’t ditch!

It might be cathartic to create a pile of all your cast-offs to throw away but usually there is a better alternative.

• Repair any pieces that still have plenty of life left in them.

• Alter things that might work for you with a few nips, tucks and turn-ups.

• Clean anything that needs specialist care to give it a new lease of life.

• Sell good quality desirable items that can easily find a new home and make yourself money.

• Donate anything that you don’t want to sell to charity.

• Recycle any garments that are damaged in your local clothing bank.

Make a list.

If you’re planning a shopping trip to grab some new pieces to bring together everything you already have, be sure to make a list and stick to it. The last thing you want is to fill up that wardrobe all over again with clothes you won’t wear!

Still need some help with your spring clean? My Wardrobe Management service will help get your clothes organised from the comfort of your own home - I’ll come to you! Then, when the time is right, we can hit the shops together and find the perfect new pieces to fill in any gaps. Want to know more? Email me here - hannah@hhstyle.co.uk.