Written by Harriet Davey
It’s time to have a clear out, tidy your wardrobe and make getting dressed a whole lot easier.
Now is the perfect time to have a wardrobe detox. It’s all about creating a capsule of items you actually wear, instead of those pieces you’ve kept stashed away at the back for years, even decades. A spring clean (usually pre-spring) can actually be held at any time, it’s just an opportunity to have a tidy and get organised.
It’s best to get it done in one full swoop; pull out the contents of your wardrobe and hopefully this will make you put it back again in a tidier fashion. But, you have to go in with a plan. Understand what your style is now as you may find some items that you once loved, but they’re no longer your vibe.
With this being said, you may also find some hidden gems to bring back and give a new lease of life. For the clothes you don’t want, bag them up to give to charity, friends and family or list on places like eBay, Vinted or Depop in the future to make some cash instead of adding to landfill. It’s all about closing the gap and making sure clothing is reused, recycled and reloved.
Once you’ve made your carefully curated edit, it’s time to add a sprinkling of Marie Kondo organisation to your life by folding, arranging and colour co-ordinating to make it easier to get dressed in the morning. We’ve also found the best tools you’ll need to do this – from clothes rails and jewellery trays to handbag hooks.
These are the Stylist top tips to sorting out your wardrobe – you’ve got this!
1. Have one big clear out
Step number one may sound like a no-brainer but it’s easy to think you’ll do a clear out in stages, then never get round to it. Before you pull the entire contents of your wardrobe onto the bedroom floor, though, think what you want to do with the items you don’t want. This way, you can create piles for certain charities, friends or family along with a keep pile for yourself. This will make you stay focused while being brutal and finally getting rid of that crop top you haven’t worn since 2012.
Another tip: A before and after picture will motivate you to show off your new space – seeing what you’ve achievement at the end will make it more satisfying.
2. Sort everything left into categories and colours
Now you’ve done the cull and narrowed your wardrobe down to what you do actually need/want, it’s time to make it easier to get dressed in the morning. Separating into clothing categories (e.g shirts, dresses and trousers), will also make it easier to fit everything back in. Shorter items can go at the top if you have two rails and longer items such as dresses can go to one side so they’re not squished in. Trousers and jeans can also be bulky to keep in drawers so try folding in half and hanging with non-slip velvet hangers or clip hangers instead.
Dividing into a rainbow of colours (or neutrals if this in your style) will not only be pleasing to the eye, it’ll also make it easier to find that white shirt or pink dress you want to wear when you wake up.
3. Add a clothes rail so you have to keep it tidy
Stand-alone clothes rails are a pretty cheap investment that’ll make a difference to the way you arrange your wardrobe. If you’ve got the space for one, or you want to switch your chunky wooden wardrobe then they’re well-worth it. The fact your clothes will all be on show will not only mean you’re forced (hopefully) to keep it as tidy as you first arrange it, it’s also more inspiring to look at when you can’t decide what to wear.
Ikea rails are as little as £15, John Lewis has sleek wooden and metal options and Display Sense specialises in rails you can mount on the wall instead if you’re dealing with a small space.
4. Fold the majority of clothes so they’re tidy but hidden (a puppy could supervise)
Carefully folding your clothes like you would to go on a flight with just hand luggage is the way to go – tightly rolling will save space and reduce creases. If you want to stick to the folding method, organising consultant Marie Kondo suggests folding shirts and tops with collars facing down will make it easier to recognise what you’re looking for in the drawers.
If you don’t have spare drawers, you can also get hanging shelves to go in your wardrobe/on your rail for just £5 from Dunelm.
Another tip is to stick to how you’ve styled your wardrobe and keep to organising in categories and colour, this way you’ll know where everything is to save time in the mornings.
5. Invest in accessory organisers
When it comes to organising jewellery and bags there are loads of options out there to help you to save space and keep everything in order. Jewellery trays are a good start – there’s a website called Stackers that has a range of different style for storage, display or jewellery boxes. Jewellery brand, Missoma also has jewellery cases that are perfect for when you’re on the go.
For bags, search ‘handbag storage’ on Amazon for hangable multi-pouch holders or strip hooks where you can hang them all at once in one area.
6. Hang your shoes on curtain poles
If you’ve got lots of heeled shoes then this is a simple, affordable and handy hack to know. Fix £1.50 Ikea curtain rods to your walls in rows (just like fashion influencer Alyssa Coscarelli) and it’ll create a display of all your favourite pairs in one place.
Not only this, it also means they won’t take up space in drawers and boxes so this is perfect if you have a smaller home, or just an impressive shoe collection you want to show off.
7. Add finishing touches to make it a space you’ll want to get ready in
Finally, for the few that have a walk-in wardrobe (the dream) then make your space somewhere you want to spend time in by adding furniture, accessories and art. If you have a wardrobe and drawers then make the surrounding areas Instagram-ready by taking a look at our edit of the under-the-radar affordable homeware brands to know.
There are also brands that are made for smaller living spaces like Urban Spaces that make furniture –including dressing tables and shelves – that create more space.
Now, just to keep everything tidy for the foreseeable – good luck!
Opening image: @karenbritchick
Other images: courtesy of Instagram
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