I live in a small apartment. My bedroom is so small that the wardrobe doors crash into the foot of the bed every time I open them. This lack of space, combined with my love of clothes, means that I have had to master the art of the wardrobe sort out.
What was once a chore has become an event that I look forward to – wading through piles of clothes and creating order where chaos reigns supreme. It is a chance to get on top of life, to rediscover forgotten treasures and bid farewell to items that no longer fit with the woman that I am.
I fully sort and organise my wardrobe twice a year, once in April and, again, in October. My October sort has been somewhat flummoxed by the unseasonably good weather we are getting in the UK. Even though it is 29°C, I’m longing to pull my knitted dresses and snuggly jumpers from storage.
I’m no domestic guru, my oversized ironing pile and overflowing recycling bin evidence that fact. But when it comes to wardrobe sorting, I‘ve got the technique nailed. Follow my ten-point plan to get your wardrobe looking ship-shape this autumn:
1) Clear the decks
Ok, I mean “clear the bed”. Your bed is going to be sort out HQ. It needs to be flat and free of clutter. Ensure partners, cats, superfluous scatter cushions and books are all removed and stored elsewhere. Take your pillows off too. You need to maximise flat space for piling and sorting.
2) Once started, stick to it
Don’t enter into the wardrobe sort out lightly. Don’t start when you are rushed, stressed or likely to be distracted. If you give up halfway through, you’ll be really annoyed when you try to get into bed only to discover that all of your clothes are on top of it. This might sound hard-core, but I recommend devoting a whole day to the task. This will allow plenty of time for tidying and creating your own 80s movie montage sequence whilst trying on all of your posh frocks.
3) Grouping
Open up your wardrobe and work through the contents by category: skirts, trousers, dresses, jumpers, jersey, knitwear etc. Pile the categories on your bed before breaking them down into subcategories: work, casual, evening etc. If you are a true organisational fanatic, may I suggest a further subcategory of colour? Seeing a wardrobe arranged as a tonal gradient is one of life’s great pleasures, for some people.
Pick out items that are season specific; if space is at a premium, do you really needs that tropical print halter dress readily available in December? Create a summer pile that can be stored away and accessed easily come spring/impromptu holidays. You can get handy underbed storage bags from Dunelm. If you are really pushed for space, you may wish to invest in some vacuum bags.
4) The floor/black bin bag
This is the place for stuff that you instantly know is destined for a new life elsewhere.
5) Maintenance check
As you rummage through your clothes, search for any holes, loose threads, missing buttons or broken zips. These items aren’t doomed to the black bag they simply require some TLC. Repair them or, as in my case, get your Mom to do it.
Be vigilant for holes as they could be an indicator of a moth problem. If you are finding multiple garments with tatty holes, you’ve been mothed. Don’t despair, take action! Some damaged items can be salvaged – specialist dry cleaners offer restoration services. The little blighters are drawn to clothes that have been put away unwashed, so resolve to only ever hang away clean items. You may wish to store precious items in plastic hanger bags.
6) The Pile of Uncertainty
There are some items that you will “umm” and “aahh” over. Put these into the “cooling off period” pile. Return to them a couple of days later, try them on and if there is still doubt, it is time for the big black bag.
7) Black bag etiquette
Even though it is a bin bag, this baby is going nowhere near a rubbish bin. Make sure that everything in the bag is clean and in good shape. Give your friends, family and colleagues first refusal; the remainder can go to the local charity shop. Don’t leave the bag on the step, take it into the shop and point out any high value items to the sales assistant – they may as well get the most out of your booty.
8) Coathangers
I’m a hanger snob. I like mine to be all the same, non-slip and appropriate for the garment. There’s nothing worse than opening a wardrobe to find a tangled jumble of hangers. Take this opportunity for a total upgrade. Toss aside any wire hangers – they destroy the shape of clothes. Home Sense, pound shops and Ikea are great for value packs of good hangers.
9) Clean and add fragrance
Wipe out the bottom of your wardrobe and run a cloth over the hanging rail. You’ll be grossed out by how grubby it can get in there. Fragranced sachets and drawer liners provide a welcoming waft of freshness. Lavender and cedar have natural moth busting properties. Lakeland, Laura Ashley and Crabtree and Evelyn sell some gorgeous fragranced items.
10) Stand back and gaze upon your perfectly organised wardrobe
Bliss, for some people.
Image via Lara604’s flickr.