Choosing which clothes to keep and which to recycle/swap/donate can be an emotional process. Here are some practical tips to help you stay focused while organising your wardrobe.

1. Start from scratch and pull out everything in your wardrobe.
This is also the perfect time to vacuum up all that dust at the back of the wardrobe or find those missing earrings! Take note of what you own and think about it as you put everything back – in order! Place similar items in piles and return them to their own sections.

2. Ask yourself a few questions…
How much space should each type of clothing take up? Do you need more long hanging space or an additional set of drawers? Could you place some items in storage boxes for special occasions? Try things on to see if you still love them, and admit to yourself that it may be time to let some things go, especially if you haven’t worn them lately or had forgotten they were there.

3. Throw it or stow it?
We often hang onto items – sometimes for years – and never use them. All of us have pants, shoes or jackets that we never wear, don’t fit us any more or are worn and damaged from being loved too much. Go through your wardrobe and place in piles the items you wear and those you don’t. If it’s been a significant amount of time since you last wore those shoes or that shirt, it might be time to let it go or find a new home for it. Consider putting items in storage and setting a reminder on your phone for 6 months from now. If you didn’t miss those items (or even think about them) it could be a sign that you can live without them! In saying that, some items might not get much wear for several years or more, but you’ll find an occasion in future that it will be *just* the right thing. But be realistic with yourself – you can’t say that about everything you own!

Watch Marie Kondo work her organisational magic:

4. The secret wardrobe hack
A great tip from decluttering champion Peter Walsh is to place all your clothes hangers inwards, instead of out, and only turn them the right way when you wear an item. After 12 months you can see which hangers are reversed and know what you aren’t wearing which may be a good indication of what you could let go.

5. Tidy tip
Good-quality coat hangers stop creases in trousers as well as making your ’robe look up to date and organised.

Pictures: Supplied.

This article was originally published on Homes To Love.

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