Sometimes your wardrobe can be overwhelming. I mean do you ever feel like you have nothing to wear? You’re not the only one. You don’t feel this because you don’t have anything to wear, it’s just that there is too much clutter and you don’t see the gems in your closet anymore. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of clothes in your closet or if you are uninspired by your current options, now might be a good time to do a closet detox; a wardrobe clean out.
A closet detox can be a wonderful way to really look at the contents of your wardrobe in a mindful way and decide what you want to keep, toss or repurpose. It’s perfect to shift your wardrobe from winter to spring or any other change of season. It would be a good idea to free some of your time. I would say one morning , afternoon or evening, because we’re going to do this thoroughly!
On another note: I recently did the 10×10 or OneMonthCapsule challenges which both showed me which items I absolutely love to wear. So if you feel like you want to go for a challenge first, I absolutely understand.
closet detox
1. Take everything out
Start your closet detox with an empty wardrobe. Take all of your clothes off your clothing rack, out of your wardrobe and/ or out of your drawers. Whatever type of closet or organizer you own, take everything out. I like to throw everything on my bed in seperate sections: bottoms, tops, blouses, sweaters, etc. Also remember you have to go through your laundry, storage area and coats and shoes, so gather those as well!
It can be quite overwhelming to see everything at once, but don’t grab that vodka bottle. You can use for something else. It’s perfectly fine to feel overwhelmed. Just take it in, and decide to do it!
Little Tip: Now is the time to clean your wardrobe or organizers before putting your clothes back in. It is always nice to start with a fresh and clean space.
2. GO THROUGH AND SELECT
MAKE PILES
Go through every item in each category pile and decide what to do: Keep, Repurpose or Toss.
Some questions that may help you decide:
• How often do I wear this item?
• Have I worn this piece this past year, or will I wear it the coming year?
• Does it fit well?
• Do I feel confident when I wear it?
• Is it in perfect condition or does it require some extra care/ alterations?
• Does it add something to my wardrobe?
• Does it fit my style or how I want to be portrayed to the outside world?
• Do I have items to combine it with?
Extra tip: Do you find it hard to make a selection? The decision making process of going through your items and getting rid of those is mastered best by the one and only Marie Kondo. She has shaken up the world with her books about the Spark of Joy. She shares the message that objects spark joy and that when you say goodbye to items, you have to thank them. It is a wonderful message than can work really uplifting when you are going through your closet.
Note: when you hesitate, keep it aside. When you have finished the detox, you can always check your overall style and colour palette. When it matches, save it for 3-6 months and see if you actually wear it. Often, when we have too much clothing pieces we don’t end up wearing the item. You can donate it when you are ready to let go. Or you can just keep it aside, to fall in love with it when you’re doing your next clothing detox.
3. RE-ORGANIZE
It’s time to put back the items you love! One of the most important steps in the Closet Detox, is the reorganisation of your closet. Because most of the time a messy closet contributes to the discontent or indecisiveness you have with your clothes. A clean closet means a clear start of the day and a clear mind.
Some tips that will help you reorganize:
• Create/ Think of a system that’s maintainable.
• Make it look like a store; make it inspirational! This way it will be fun to “shop” in your wardrobe each morning.
• Try to place it in categories, and you can even colour-coordinate them. This way it will look easy on the eyes.
• Use the same hangers. I know this sounds like a lame tip, but this makes your wardrobe so much more neat. The focus will not be on the hangers but on the clothes.
• Try to hang your items. This way it’s visible when you open your wardrobe. I would recommend to fold your knitwear/ sweaters. These items tend to go out of shape when you hang them.
The most important tip I can give you, is this: keep your closet neat. I must say, I struggle with this often… Try to only grab the clothes you will wear that day and put laundry away instantly when your day is finished. You can also hang sweaters, vests and jeans on a hanger over night, to let the clothes air through. Those are items you don’t have to wash after each wear.
If you’re not a neat person, I would suggest to go through your wardrobe once a week, preferably on a Sunday, so it’s ready for a new week!
4. DECLUTTER
Now that we treated you loved ones, it’s time to look at the items you don’t want to keep anymore. The most important thing is this: make sure you declutter in the most sustainable way!
All items that can’t be fixed can go in the clothing bin, or actually, you can try to use it as an old cloth, a bread/ vegetable bag or make face wipes out of them. However I would suggest to see if someone can fix the items for you if you can’t do it yourself and just keep the item if you still love it.
If you have items that need a second life, try the following options:
• Orgnise a clothes-swap with friends or simply gift it to one of them.
• Go on Pinterest and see if you can use the fabric to make something els out of it. From maxi-dress to skirt or from dress to top. There’s so much possible.
• Figure out if there is a local charity option in your neighbourhood.
Never throw away your textiles in regular garbage. This way it won’t get recycled but burnt. bye bye resources. Make sure to always throw it in the clothing bin instead.
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