Can’t find anything to wear?
Is your cupboard jam packed and wrinkled?
Is it finally time to admit that your jeans did not shrink in the wash, they just don’t fit anymore?
Did you know we only wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time??
It is time to be ruthless!
The first stop is the right frame of mind, be ready to make decisions and ready to let things go.
Do I feel great in it?
Does it fit me well TODAY? not when (if!) you lose 5kg on the baby food diet!
Could I wear it right now without any alterations? I have a pile of clothes I have been meaning to mend for years. I do not in fact have any mending abilities, so installing a new zip is not something even I can pretend to manage.
Does it fit my current lifestyle? not a future one, or in my case a past one when I could circumnavigate the streets of Sydney in stilettos and still go on to dance the night away.
If I saw this item in a shop today, would I buy it? at full price!
Decluttering by category
This is a great place to start, you can then see how many of each item you have. Take out the stuff you love and put away, then the stuff you do not love and put it in your donation box and what’s left is decision time.
Thoughts to keep in mind:
How would you feel if you ran into your ex wearing said item? Are you cringing at the thought?
Is it stained? Has it lost its shape? When did you last wear it? Does it itch or scratch or pinch?
The best way to get over that hurdle is to try the item on – if you can’t be bothered, you probably don’t need it.
Remember, your immediate reaction/gut feeling is usually your best gauge.
Donating
Why not let someone else enjoy your special piece rather than having it stored in a drawer at the bottom of your cupboard? That cute dress that now seems truly short, could be someone else’s dream dress. Let the item live to its potential and become a favourite to
others. Do not forget stained and damaged items do not qualify as a donation.
The golden rule is:
If you would not give a secondhand item to a mate, do not donate!
Set a limit.
Want to be ruthless? Set a limit, for example only allow forty coat hangers in your wardrobe, start by filling it with your most loved items.
Then there is the other coat hanger trick, turn all your hangers backward, then as you wear each item turn it around and voilà the hangers left unturned will speak for themselves.
Do a sweep of seasonal clutter.
Take your winter clothes, bulkier items out of your wardrobe over summer and vice versa, allowing you to re-look at them when restocking at the start of the new season.
Store occasional wear separately
Special dress, formal wear, leather jackets, dry cleaned items, men’s suits
Clean out the space.
Once you have decluttered, give your wardrobe and drawers a bit of TLC. Buy some nice draw liners and treat yourself to some non-slip hangers, you can pick up a box of thirty from Kmart for $12.
Shed the outdated version of yourself so the new you can thrive!
Admittedly, most of my clothes are of the athletic nature, but you will not see me jogging before dawn or at any time for that matter. Obviously, I am still living in my pandemic comfort, are you?
Let us prepare a playlist, call a girlfriend or the team at Extra Hands With Extra Love to help. I can admit I am great at being ruthless BUT NOT with my own stuff!
Wear clothes that make you look and feel your best, you deserve it!
Shona Sarquis
Lifestyle Blogger
Extra Hands with Extra Love
Lifestyle Concierge Services
www.extrahandswithextralove@gmail.com
0492 958 039