Tips for a clothes de clutter

[ineedsomeinspiration]

I'm am fed up of having a wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear. I need some help to reorganise and get rid of some.

A lot are too small and don't fit (haven't since I fell pregnant 2010), and I just look in there and get confused and baffled. Hanging on to this old stuff has served no purpose in helping me lose weight other than to make me fed up.

There's other stuff that's in there that must be at least ten years old if not older that I haven't been able to get rid of despite never wearing, surely one day I'll need a red polo neck jumper!

I'm going to tackle it today can someone give me some tips or rules to make me a bit ruthless and streamline it please?

i did this recently, but i treated myself to a 'colours' day first with a stylist.
then i ditched everything that wasn't in my colour palette or didn't fit.

now everything fits in the wardrobe at least and i could see what i actually needed instead of buying cardigans all the time.

i'd say, get rid of stuff that doesn't fit, stuff that you don't enjoy wearing, nevermind if it was expensive or a gift (sell it, dress agencies are good for the good stuff), and stuff you haven't worn in the past year.

be completely ruthless.

stuff that you keep because it reminds you of a happy time, get rid, you have actual memories, no need for stuff. if the day comes you don't have memories, you won't know whose bloody dress it is anyway. get rid.

stuff that makes you feel bad you don't fit in anymore, get rid.

and use black bin bags so you don't spot stuff to take out of the bag. be decisive.

If you haven't worn it in the last 12 months, it doesn't fit (too big or too small) or looking a bit worn then it should go. If there are a few things that you absolutely can't get rid of, limit it to keeping five and only five.
Have a pile for the tip, a pile for charity & pile that friends/family might appreciate. Good luck!

Get everything out and do piles -

1. Stuff that is worn out. This is going in the bin/recycling. Be honest. If it's frayed, faded, stained, scuffed or misshapen from washing you won't enjoy wearing it. Make a list of items that you want to replace.
2. Stuff that doesn't fit/you have never worn. If you've not worn it yet you won't. If it doesn't fit you can't. This stuff is for charity/ebay.
3. Occasional wear. Stuff that fits and you like but is not often needed - could be winter thermals/holiday clothes/ball dress/wedding hat etc. this stuff can be packed carefully in suitcases/under bed storage.
4. These are your clothes. Go through them and imagine how they fit together in outfits for your daily life. Remember to consider shoes/accessories/underwear - everything you need for the outfit. Work out the gaps - sometimes a few plain t shirts or vest tops can make a big difference to how you can wear your other stuff in more ways for very little money.

I'd also say done try and do it all in one go. Have a go today and get rid of the really obvious stuff that is no good. Then have another go next weekend. I find my ability to make decisions just stops after about half an hour anyway, so doing it over a few weeks worked much better for me

Completely agree with the above. Once you've got rid of all that doesn't fit/suit you/make you feel good, look at what is left. Do the colours suit you? Can you pull together a capsule wardrobe out of it?

I was reading the other day that broadly speaking a capsule wardrobe is: 7 dresses, 7 tops, 7 bottoms, 3 jumpers/cardigans, 3 coats/jackets. You can obviously play around with these numbers (I don't wear dresses very often so only have 2 of these and have more tops etc). Most of these items should go together to create a number of outfits.

If you're not sure what to buy or what you need, check places like Pinterest for inspiration.

Bit of a hoarder myself, but I had a sort out last year.

Empty your wardrobe, I mean get it ALL out.

Put the things you wear and love now on your bed.

Get rid of anything too small depressing, anything that doesn't fit you won't wear it and anything you haven't worn in the last 5yrs. Sort this into charity bags and Ebay bag. Get the bags out of the room for now so you're not tempted to add stuff back.

Right, you should be left with stuff that fits, that you like.
Is there anything there that just doesn't work? Impulse buy that doesn't go with anything?

Be ruthless with shoes and handbags. I only kept quality, leather handbags.....I only need a decent black, tan and fashion coloured one. Kept evening clutches.

Try to make sure your clothes all mix and match. Don't buy/keep anything that only goes with one thing, you're aiming at a capsule wardrobe.

Put the clothes left back in your wardrobe.

Now get them out again and repeat whole process because I bet you've left some old items in if you're like me anyway

Them.....wash all the dirty stuff.
Organise types of garments together hours of fun

Hope this helped.

Goid luck.

It's scary! I have some lovely dresses that would be suitable for work but haven't fit for years. I still like them, how do I make myself get rid of them?
Going to take ds out on his bike then make a start.

All of the above and also a favourite of mind when I'm dilly dallying - ask yourself if you'd buy it again today. It really helps on the 'not sure' items.

Do a section at a time, it helps narrow the mind. At the end of it you should have something that goes with something else. Orphans aren't part of a wardrobe so get rid of it or if it makes your heart sing then identify what it needs to go with it and put that on a wish list.

A wardrobe is not just a cupboard to contain a mish mash of randomly chosen things. It's a place to house the things you love that go to make up who you are. Be respectful of the clothes and they will bring out respect in yourself. Blimey, I made that last bit up, clearly I need more coffee...let us know how it goes!

Also what do you With outfits that have been worn for weddings, I spend a fortune then they get worn once again maybe.

don't keep wedding outfits. next wedding invite you get, I bet the first thought is, ooh new dress!

and get off mumsnet, put some music on and go get it done.

I don't buy "wedding outfits". Never have. I treat myself to a new suit or dress that's suitable for my actual life. Probably means I don't always look very "weddingy" but IMVHO most people dressed for weddings look dreadful in clothes that so clearly aren't "them" anyway

I heard a tip that may help you but it's not as quick as the others.

Put all of your things in your wardrobe with the hangers facing the same direction. When you wear the item turn the hanger around. You can then see clearly what you have and haven't worn. Items you haven't worn in a couple of months-get rid.

The things you don't fit, even if you do fit them a year from now, are they something that that won't look hopelessly out of date? If they will, then why keep them? Throw them out now!

Took my own advice: three bin bags full this weekend.

Ok here goes, this before picture does not include the drawers or the pile of clean washing I have to pack away or my summer clothes which are in the loft!

Ok here goes, this is a before photo which does not include pile of clean washing to pack away or drawers or summer clothes that are in the loft!

Whoops thought the first one didn't post.

excellent, i always wish i'd taken before pics when i declutter something.

I did the boys clothes yesterday. 3 kids. not one of them is 5 so why do i have raggedy old pyjamas for ages 5. anyway, all gone now. let the easy sock and pants finding commence.

Re old work clothes and wedding outfits.
I kept my expensive, beautiful work suits for years in "the graveyard wardrobe" in the guest room. Just couldn't part with them because of their value and what they symbolised like picastyle I'm getting all reflective I kept them "for funerals" ...... When I realised that 1. My work wear would be very out of date by the time I'd want to wear it 2. My style changed a lot over the years 3. There weren't that many funerals to go to ....I got rid on Ebay.
Ditto wedding outfits. Ebay expensive stuff. It dates quickly and you'll want new anyway.

I bought a dress to wear to a wedding which cost £100 two years ago. I got so fed up looking at it and feeling bad about the waste that I teamed it up with a long line cardi, woolly tights and boots and I've worn it a dozen or so times this season. I feel really happy about that!

Ok not going well the keep pile is too big. Some of the stuff like jeans is too small but just seems illogical to get rid of it. Feel a bit weird and panicky, why?

polo necks apparently having a moment

sorry that wasn't very enabling

Could you put the "too small" stuff in a plastic box in another room for a few months?

The goal right now I assume is to have a wardrobe full of clothes you can wear now. I appreciate it can be hard to be so ruthless.

I have a big plastic box where I store winter stuff in summer and vice versa, because I have so little cupboard space that I have to rotate according to the season. I put stuff I am considering chucking out in this box too, then twice a year when I swap the seasons around I re-assess the things in there to see if I've wanted to wear them or not. I call it my "clothes purgatory"! Usually the stuff in there has been forgotten with good reason and I can charity shop it safe in the knowledge that if I haven't worn it in six months I'm probably not going to, with the exception of very formal eveningwear that I do still love (and it still fits) but which I rarely have the occasion to wear.