Right, first of all – you do NOT have to have a minimal wardrobe, capsule wardrobe or 33 piece wardrobe. You can if you want, it’s amazingly freeing to only have exactly what you use and love at your fingertips. But there are no rules to my style of Wardrobe Weeding.
Here are a few incredibly easy and sensible steps you can do yourself to get your wardrobe organised. They apply to any size wardrobe. I’ve refined this system myself, reducing two wardrobes (each two metres long) down to one little broom-closet sized wardrobe and a coat cupboard. See How I Failed At The Konmari Method & Learnt To Relax.
The trick is to not put too much pressure on yourself to achieve perfection immediately. Perfection is the enemy. Perfection sucks. But we can get to pretty-darn-close-to-it.
First, set aside some time because YOU ARE WORTH IT. I don’t care who’s whining, moaning, or what you think you should be doing instead. Make the time. This is for YOU and it’s important.
Start at one end of your wardrobe rail or one end of one drawer. It’s fine to tip one drawer out, but stick with pulling one item at a time off the wardrobe rail.
Note – If you are a Wild And Crazy kind of Wardrobe Weeder, feel free to toss everything on your bed a-la-Kondo, but I don’t recommend it. It’s super overwhelming without a helper in my experience.
The trick to this system is… you can do it again. You can do it as often as you like, once a month, one a year. The amazing effect of this system on your wardrobe is that eventually you will be left with only the things that you need and feel fabulous in.
Start at one end. Work your way through the items you can see. Grab one item and ask yourself these three questions:
- Did you wear it last time you needed something like it?
- Do you feel good in it?
- Is it worth the space it’s taking up?
If the answers are No to all three questions, out it goes. Do it! Grit your teeth. You deserve better clothes than something old, that makes you feel crap when you wear it and is taking up precious, premium storage space.
If you answered Yes to any of the questions put it back. If it’s not an easy decision, put it back. Keep going. Try stuff on. How do you feel? Good? YES! Crap? Chuck it! If you come across sentimental items which are a big fat NO to the first two questions, I suggest you store it somewhere else. Like under the bed or in the attic. Free up that premium storage space!
When you get to the end and you’re left with your final result, your Weeded Wardrobe that’s heaps better than it was, GIVE YOURSELF A HIGH-FIVE! Then ask yourself these questions:
- Do the clothes in it suit your needs?
- Does it make you feel happy to look at the clothes in your wardrobe?
- Are are you 100% sure there’s nothing there that’s niggling you a bit? Things that are just Not Right?
If the answer is No to any of these questions, you still have too many things in your wardrobe that don’t serve you. You deserve better.
I don’t care how much they cost. Sell them. Give them to your best friend or your sister. They will think you are wonderful. Which you are of course. That’s why you’re doing this! Do NOT keep them. They are taking up precious space that could be used for clothes and accessories that make you feel good.
Feel like you’ve not done enough? That’s ok because you can do this again another time. There’s no massive pile to tidy up before you can sleep. Be kind to yourself. Make time for another weed in a little while.
And get those donations or gifts of clothing out of your house asap. They are not your clothes anymore.
