A PAUSE Guide To Clearing Out Your Wardrobe

How to get rid of unwanted clothes.

If, like most of the UK population, your wardrobe is somewhat filled with the catastrophic overhaul of 15 identical tops, where only one is worn, and the rest dust away, then you may be a hoarder. A clothes hoarder.

The struggle becomes real when you’re out shopping, and you see the oversized white Tee of your dreams, it’s crisp white, unlike the other 80 white Tee’s you own. You buy it, take it home, wear it once and then forget about it. This process is repeated every time you get paid, then, by the end of the month, you’re forced to feed yourself 40p noodles from Tesco while struggling to put an outfit together. Sound familiar?

Then it’s probably time to have a clearing, to put your mind and bank account at rest. If you can sort out your wardrobe, then you can sort your life out. That may sound dramatic, but it’s true. Organising your wardrobe is like organising your life- once everything is in place, then you know what you have and don’t have. By eliminating the un-used you can introduce necessary items to your closet. Check out our list below to re-arrange your clothes.

1. Life is useless without music– so make a playlist. An upbeat, buoyant playlist on your Spotify will ease the potential stress you may encounter while working your way through the pile of clothes, so a bit of background noise may relax your mind, your body and your soul.

 

2. Take EVERYTHING out. Even if a corner of your wardrobe is tidy, delve into that corner too. The pain of messing up a perfectly clear spot can be distressing at first, but you will soon realise that some un-wanted items will unravel in that impeccable pile, so don’t shy away from ruining it.

3. Get your priorities straight. Pick out key pieces you know you will wear, and no, do not keep all 80 of your white Tee’s because deep down you know only one, or at most two of the same item will be more than enough. Listen to the voice of your mum inside your head telling you that there’s no need for multiple identical tops.

4. How long has it been in your wardrobe? If it’s not been worn for more than a year, bin it. You’re probably not going to wear it anytime soon if you haven’t even glanced at it once in the past 12 months. Give it away to someone who will actually wear it, let them cherish your once loved trousers, it may become someone else’s signature item.

5. Get some organisation-friendly boxes. Or create your own. Either way, invest in products which will help you re-arrange your clothes, maybe keep a spare for underwear, or pyjamas. By doing so, you will know where everything is and your morning dressing-up routine will be quick and easy.

6. Keep it up. It may be easier said than done, but do make sure you keep it up. Once you sort out all your clothes into boxes, hangers and drawers, make sure you put it back where you found it. Even if it’s 8pm and you need to make it to an exclusive party by 8.30pm, folding takes seconds, so fold away, and put it back to where it belongs. You will love yourself the next day when you need to build up an outfit and have five minutes to do so.