Beauty and Bentley

One of my goals for 2018 is to move home and before that happens I have decided I want to adopt a more minimalistic attitude, so I'm having a wardrobe clear out and thought I'd share the experience plus some tips and tricks.

“Simplicity involves unburdening your life, and living more lightly with fewer distractions that interfere with a high quality life, as defined uniquely by each individual.”
- Linda Breen Pierce

1. The first thing to consider is when to start your clear out, I like to work in sections and complete a full task, so for a complete wardrobe declutter I need to set aside a few hours. Pick a day and time where you won't be distracted, personally, I like to do these kinds of tasks on my day off and in the morning, this is when I'm going to feel the most motivated. We all have days when we feel a little lazy, it's best to avoid big clear outs or decluttering on these days because you are far less likely to be ruthless and truly get rid of items you no longer need.

2. The second thing to do is prepare yourself! Before starting grab bin bags, get yourself a drink, perhaps take an antihistamine - if I'm moving things around with a lot of dust I get allergies. You might also enjoy reading posts/watching videos on decluttering to help you feel inspired, this is something I like to do especially if I need a little more motivation. Then right before you start, find something that's not too distracting to have on in the background, I prefer music but it could be your favourite tv show or movie. The only recommendation I would give is not to pick anything new as this is will grab your attention and take you away from the task at hand. (Obviously, you could work in silence but that's not for me, I hate being in a totally silent room while doing things)

3. Okay, so when you start sorting through your clothes make some sort of organisation system, make a pile for everything you want to keep, what's to be thrown out, what's to be donated and one for anything you're unsure about. Once everything's been sorted go back to all the items you were unsure about, now it's time to be strict on yourself, if it didn't make it straight into the yes pile then you probably shouldn't keep it but if you're really struggling, try it on, consider it again and maybe get a second opinion.

4. For each item of clothing, the first thing you need to ask is, is it still in good condition? If it's ripped, stained or generally worn looking then it's time to throw it out.

5. Does it fit? If you're holding onto a pair of jeans you haven't fit into in 5 years then it's time to admit defeat and get rid. I understand that for some people weight fluctuates and some people might need to keep different sizes of clothing but if you've just grown out of something you used to love then be strict with yourself.

6. When was the last time you wore it? This is probably the thing I struggle with most, I keep things in my wardrobe because I like them or they are in great condition even though I may not have worn them in over a year. I have tried keeping these kinds of items in the past and promised myself to make more of an effort to start wearing them but 99% of the time it sits in my wardrobe until the next time I have a clear out. If you haven't worn a piece of clothing in the last 6 months do you really need to keep it? There are obviously exceptions for special occasion items, dresses you might wear to a wedding or a formal dinner can obviously be kept just in moderation, most people have no use for 10 different kinds or formal attire.

7. I think the final thing you want to consider is, do you love it or more importantly do you love how you look in it? Surely the goal is for every item of clothing in your wardrobe to make you look and feel good (minus loungewear, that just needs to be comfy), if you put on a beautiful dress but you feel uncomfortable in it then is it really worth keeping? Ditch the clothing that doesn't make you feel your best!

Before

I started by pulling everything down off the shelves and anything lying at the bottom of the wardrobe. Once everything was on the floor I picked my way through deciding what to keep and what to part with. I had 2 pairs of black ankle boots that were pretty worn so I decided that it was time they went in the bin, black ankle boots are a wardrobe staple so I will pick up some new ones soon. I threw out a few other bit and pieces but most of the stuff kept on the shelves just needed to be folded and reorganised. I now have a designated space for towels, bedding, hats and scarfs. Next, I grabbed a handful of coats hangers of the rail and worked my way through each piece individually. I decided to get rid of a few dresses, most of them were in good condition I just never wear them, on nights out I feel more comfortable in jeans or a skirt so I ditched a few dresses and kept a couple that I would be most likely to wear again. Whilst going through the rest of my wardrobe I came across a few pairs of jeans that were a bit worn out and one pair that I bought that were slightly too big so these were binned/donated. I found a bunch of other items that I almost never wear so I got rid of these and reorganised everything being kept in my wardrobe. I tried to put everything on the rail in order of clothing type/colour, from left to right I put special occasion wear and dresses - cardigans and large knitted items - jumpers - skirts - shirts - sheer items and vest tops. At the end of this process, I had removed 2 bin bags of clothing and shoes, my wardrobe looks far more organised and it's now easier to see the items I have. I still feel like I have quite a lot of items but I will pay attention over the next few months to what I'm wearing and what continues to sit in the wardrobe and hopefully continue to declutter anything I no longer need. These clear outs can often be challenging but I think they are totally worth it once you've finished, having a clear and tidy space can help you to feel more clear minded and less tied down my material goods.

After

Do you find these kinds of posts interesting, would you like more tips and tricks for decluttering other areas of your home/life?

Do any of you have good tips for becoming a minimalist? Let me know!