There is no better way to reinvent your wardrobe than with a thorough spring cleaning. With spring comes sales and goodness knows it is most inconvenient to fling open your closet doors only to discover the space that should be available for your fabulous new finds is being occupied by musty old sweaters and ratty tshirts that should have been chucked ages ago.
Here are some tips for maximizing your wardrobe and your clothing budget.
1. Donate & Discard
If you haven't worn it in a year, you aren't going to wear it again. Unless it is an evening dress there is no point in letting something you haven't worn since 2005 occupy precious real estate in your closet. Remember, it is a thing and it will not be hurt if you throw it out. Make 3 piles:
Definitely will wear this year,
Definitely will donate,
Definitely belongs in the garbage.
Keep in mind: If it is too ratty for you, it is too ratty for anyone else. How many homeless people have you met with sewing and washing machines? Exactly.
2. Clean your closet
Now that your closet is bare and your bed is covered in a mountain of material goodness, vacuum and dust your closet meticulously. Dust bunnies will affect how fresh your clothes smell. Immediately launder anything that smells musty.
3. Sort by season
Sort your clothing according to seasons and put aside anything you won't wear until next fall. Ideally you should stock your closet with only clothes you'll need for the next few months.
4. Use consistent quality hangers
Buy decent quality wooden hangers in the same colour and style. This may seem like an unnecessary step, but having an assortment of wire drycleaning hangers, bulky plastic ones mixed with wooden ones looks terrible. Ikea sells nice looking wooden hangers for cheap which will make your closet look much more organized.
5. Sort by colour and type
Organize your clothes by colour and garment type. Put all jackets together, pants, suits, skirts, tops and sweaters, ordered by colour, from white to black. Keep long things like dresses at one end.
6. Fold 'em
Fold all sweaters and tshirts in very organized piles by colour. Start with white and work your way up to black.
7. Bags and shoes
Organize handbags and shoes by colour and season. Polish and box the shoes you won't be wearing again until next fall. Apply the same ruthlessness in chucking shoes and bags that you did with your clothes. Those square toe boots with giant chunk heels are out!
8. Take Inventory
Take stock of which key pieces you will need to build up your wardrobe for the next season. Don't get caught up buying random items that catch your eye because you'll end up with a bunch of rubbish you'll toss in 6 months or it won't go with your existing wardrobe and you'll find yourself trying to force it. Evaluate your collection of jeans, white button up shirts, sweaters, fancy tops, skirts and pants. Make a list of basics you need to stock up on, or where you may need to spice it up a little. Accessories are a great way to dress up a basic outfit.
9. Make a budget
Create a realistic budget for the missing items from your wardrobe and keep an eye open for sales for those items. Choose quality over quantity. One good pair of pants for $100 is better than 5 pairs for $20 that will look like crap after 2 washings.
10. Maintain it!
Keep your closet clean! Put your clothes away every night, meticulously hanging and folding them like you're working at the GAP. You will quickly discover that by keeping your closet organized you have more to wear because you will reaquaint yourself with things you forgot you had.
Here are some tips for maximizing your wardrobe and your clothing budget.
1. Donate & Discard
If you haven't worn it in a year, you aren't going to wear it again. Unless it is an evening dress there is no point in letting something you haven't worn since 2005 occupy precious real estate in your closet. Remember, it is a thing and it will not be hurt if you throw it out. Make 3 piles:
Definitely will wear this year,
Definitely will donate,
Definitely belongs in the garbage.
Keep in mind: If it is too ratty for you, it is too ratty for anyone else. How many homeless people have you met with sewing and washing machines? Exactly.
2. Clean your closet
Now that your closet is bare and your bed is covered in a mountain of material goodness, vacuum and dust your closet meticulously. Dust bunnies will affect how fresh your clothes smell. Immediately launder anything that smells musty.
3. Sort by season
Sort your clothing according to seasons and put aside anything you won't wear until next fall. Ideally you should stock your closet with only clothes you'll need for the next few months.
4. Use consistent quality hangers
Buy decent quality wooden hangers in the same colour and style. This may seem like an unnecessary step, but having an assortment of wire drycleaning hangers, bulky plastic ones mixed with wooden ones looks terrible. Ikea sells nice looking wooden hangers for cheap which will make your closet look much more organized.
5. Sort by colour and type
Organize your clothes by colour and garment type. Put all jackets together, pants, suits, skirts, tops and sweaters, ordered by colour, from white to black. Keep long things like dresses at one end.
6. Fold 'em
Fold all sweaters and tshirts in very organized piles by colour. Start with white and work your way up to black.
7. Bags and shoes
Organize handbags and shoes by colour and season. Polish and box the shoes you won't be wearing again until next fall. Apply the same ruthlessness in chucking shoes and bags that you did with your clothes. Those square toe boots with giant chunk heels are out!
8. Take Inventory
Take stock of which key pieces you will need to build up your wardrobe for the next season. Don't get caught up buying random items that catch your eye because you'll end up with a bunch of rubbish you'll toss in 6 months or it won't go with your existing wardrobe and you'll find yourself trying to force it. Evaluate your collection of jeans, white button up shirts, sweaters, fancy tops, skirts and pants. Make a list of basics you need to stock up on, or where you may need to spice it up a little. Accessories are a great way to dress up a basic outfit.
9. Make a budget
Create a realistic budget for the missing items from your wardrobe and keep an eye open for sales for those items. Choose quality over quantity. One good pair of pants for $100 is better than 5 pairs for $20 that will look like crap after 2 washings.
10. Maintain it!
Keep your closet clean! Put your clothes away every night, meticulously hanging and folding them like you're working at the GAP. You will quickly discover that by keeping your closet organized you have more to wear because you will reaquaint yourself with things you forgot you had.
