How do you store all of your clothes and shoes?

[Fleurchamp]

I live in a three bed house with DH and 2 DC. There should, in theory, be sufficient space.

In our bedroom me and DH have a single wardrobe and three drawers each. Both are crammed full so we also each have a single wardrobe in DD's room (she has a single too plus drawers). I feel bad that we have clothes in her room but I have no idea where to put everything.

I keep my every day clothes in my wardrobe and drawers and going out dresses/ coats in the one in DD's room. I also have a box in the loft of seasonal stuff. I have been swapping things around today and my winter things will not fit in the box. I don't feel like I have too many clothes. I have only bought one dress and a pair of trainers so far in 2020 but there is a lot of "stuff" - things that are years old and still good but just not that fashionable (I buy mainly whistles, jigsaw, reiss- that kind of quality) so they go from wardrobe to wardrobe, in and out of the loft.

Should I just get rid?

I have several dresses etc that only ever come on holiday with me (why is that?!?) but even then, since children , we hardly have holidays that entail nice meals and drinks watching the sunset anymore 😂 I can't seem to let them go.

I also have a sizeable work wardrobe but I have gone from FT work 5 years ago to PT and now WFH for the foreseeable. Keep? Some of it I doubt will ever be fashionable again, but who knows?

Then shoes. I used to have a real habit - I have loads of shoes (many designer, LK Bennett, Pied a Terre etc) but rarely wear them because they are not fashionable, not practical for my usual mum life or plain uncomfortable! But again, I can't bring myself to throw them away/ charity shop them.

DH is going crazy at the amount of clothes strewn around the room whilst I try to decide what to do with it all (he is the one that has to go in and out of the loft ).

HELP

I reckon if you can't fit all your clothes in, you have too many.
You need to declutter, but you don't have to throw out things that are till useful.
Start with the uncomfortable shoes. They will never become comfortable, so they are not useful to you. If they are expensive brands and in good condition you can probably sell them - would that be an incentive?
If you are working from home, the work clothes you decide to keep could be boxed up, but you could discard stuff you think is no longer fashionable. Things don't often become fashionable again in the same way, there's normally a twist, or you'll find certain shapes and style no longer flatter you, so things that re obviously out of date could go.
Think about how many items you need in each category , and whether you have duplicates, or favourites. I realised that if, for example, I have 2 similar items that are suitable for the same occasion, I always favour one of them, so the other one, although I quite like it, doesn't actually get worn. That item could be discarded.

Think about what method of discarding incentivises you - selling, giving to an appropriate charity etc. There is a charity that provides smart workwear for women, for interviews and new jobs- maybe you would feel good donating to that?
Reduce the amount of clothes you have, then consider storage.
Personally, I like to hang everything if possible, so that it's easy to find, and to see just by standing in front of the wardrobe. I've added an extra rail in some wardrobes halfway up so that shorter items are hung in 2 rows- it's only dresses that really need full length hanging space.
Use partitions/compartments for anything staying in drawers, and check Kondo methods of folding - I find it helpful for underwear.

Just for comparison purposes, I think I have quite a lot of clothes. I have a single size rail for hanging dresses, 2 double rails for tops, 2 narrow but deep shelves for jeans/trousers, and 5 large-ish drawers for underwear/nightclothes/sportsgear/sandals/. I have shoes in an adapted Ikea children's toy storeage unit, and boots stored under the hanging dresses. Scarves go on a scarf hanger fixed onto the inside of the wardrobe door.Coats and outdoor jackets go on a rail by the front door, with hanging shelves there for gloves/hats woolly scarves. Out-of-season clothes go in 2 drawers under the bed.
I feel it's not quite enough space, and I declutter regularly - it's one of my usual half-term tasks to take everything out of the wardrobe, hoover out the wardrobe and review each item. However, I know( theoretically)that lots of people have far fewer clothes and more limited space. I have to say, that most of my friends (roughly in their 50's) have similar amounts to me, ie more than they can wear!

I declutter regularly. I also have a system. Clothes I wear regular hang in the wardrobe. Unseasonal clothes, dupes of favorites, things I’ve tired of a bit but will be glad of at some point get folded and stored in boxes labelled by garment type. I tuck these into awkward corners of the (fitted) wardrobe. Shoes are stacked in boxes with a see through front panel. But any uncomfortable shoes get charity shopped quite quickly.

For the workwear, if it’s good quality, might be worth thinking about what could be altered to e.g. bring silhouette more up-to-date or to give it a fresh purpose in a more casual wardrobe. Otherwise swap or donate it.

You absolutely need to declutter. You could make some decent cash selling on eBay.

I have a small boxroom. Installed hanging rails on each side of room (steel tubes I bought online) so all clothes hung up neatly now. IKEA shelves above each rail so books vinyl & CDs are up there.

Hanging shoe rack behind the door holds 12 pairs of shoes, & another freestanding 5 tier rack. Top 2 sections hold wicker baskets with lids for my make up & skincare etc stuff. Next one, my handbags. Bottom 2 - shoes. I also have a 4 tier shoe rack in 1 corner of room.

It's tidy because everything has a place and there's not much at all at all taking up floorspace. Best thing I've done during lockdown and wish I'd done it years ago. You can look on Pinterest for ideas. When I was younger living with parents I had a wall rail in my bedroom, that kept it tidy.

By the way if you're going to keep loads of clothes and shoes, make sure you wear them. Even if it means looking glam just to hit the shops🙂. No point keeping things unworn for years on end 'just in case'. It all just pointlessly gets in the way

This is disgusting. And expensive. But I have a storage unit . I rotate what is in there according to the season.

I am going to have a serious clothes cull soon. All this “stuff” feels like a burden.

I used to keep all my summer stuff in my largest suitcase in the garage. An old music teacher of mine got her loft converted and kept all of her clothes like cruise, ballgowns and occasion wear on rails up there.

I find it so hard to de clutter. Some of these things have such memories for me - the skirt I wore when I first met DH, shoes that I bought with that bonus and wore to that wedding/ party/ whatever. It really feels like letting go of my past life

Where shall I start? Also, is there a charity that would take some of my nicer stuff and sell it on? I really don't have time for eBay and other selling sites.

Also, it sounds like a lot of people have a lot of clothes - friends and acquaintances seem to always be wearing something new and I really, really don't! Are you constantly throwing things away?

Fleurchamp, I think you should read Marie Kondo's book, it does deal with keeping things for sentimental reasons. You really don't have to chuck out things that are important to you.
For starters, just get rid of of the items that are not important or relevant anymore. My own feeling is that decluttering is an ongoing thing, I don't think you can expect to do it effectively all in one go. Aim to get rid of the obvious candidates first, the ones that are uncomfortable/itchy/past their best/not your colour.
Maybe a dress agency might work for you, where they will sell thing s for you. Not at the moment, but in the future this might w0rk, if you have good quality clothes. Or you could try a women's refuge, or any charity shop, once they're open again.

I second Marie Kondo, some practical tips, but also she helps you feel like you can let go of things if you want to. It's a bit woo, but I think it helps!

I agree with other posters it’s one step item at a time. I was at a fashion show last year & a woman talked about decluttering & the psychology behind why we keep things. As you have described items remind you of special times but you have photos too. The one thing I took away from that was “one item in one item out“ & that has helped.

I agree that the clothes date & will look old fashioned. I store summer/winter stuff in one suitcase & swapped winter boots for wedges/ sandals Mid April. I don’t put anything in wardrobe that I didn’t wear last year- I always have a charity bag on the go & if something isn’t the right fit or uncomfortable it goes. HTH

I have decided to declutter too, just had a clear out, somethings on ebay and some for charity shops when they open,, what helped me, if you have 5 pairs of black trousers, which ones do you always wear and which are the ones that always stay in the wardrobe. I go through every catagory and this helps me.

For things that you won’t wear again but have sentimental attachments, why not take a photo so you can look back fondly on it without it cluttering your space and then think about how to share that positive feeling with someone else by donating it now, rather than when it’s seriously out of fashion but maybe all someone can afford? Win win.

Hi OP, I was in a similar position to you a few years ago. I had spent years in a professional role where presentation was very important and I had built up a work wardrobe that I adored. Then I took a career break and it dawned on me some time later that I had a beautiful wardrobe of clothes that were of no use to me!
I put aside all the dresses, coats, bags and shoes from that time and donated them to Smart Works a charity which dresses women for interviews. It felt great to know they would be useful to someone else and I comforted myself with the fact that when I go back to a smart role, I’ll be treating myself to some fabulous new stuff and not want to wear a dated selection. Good luck!

If you don't wear it regularly, get rid! I did this during the lockdown (bags of stuff in the boot of my car, waiting to be donated) it felt so good!

I store our out of season clothes in two suitcases which I store under the spare bed.
I've been decluttering for years to get to this point. I have a small section of the wardrobe that holds occasion dresses and nice tops I want to slim back into but everything else is clothes that i wear on a regular basis. If I don't wear it, it's sold, charity shop or cut up for cleaning rags.
It's very liberating to be in charge of your belongings.

We have a double and a chest each in our bedroom, kids have a single and a chest each and a hanging tail for uniform. Summer and winter stuff is packed away and stores in the loft. There is. I way I could cope with a single wardrobe and I really don't have that many clothes.

Im quite strict though if I get the summer stuff down and there stuff in there I didn't wear at all the previous year I get rid.

I took a load of wedding / event dresses to charity because I haven't got any friend left to get married, don't go to black tie dis anymore if I can help it and if I did I know I would buy something new so no point in hoarding it.

Please excuse the spelling and typos my phone screen is cracked so I can't see what I'm typing!

@Fleurchamp
Also, is there a charity that would take some of my nicer stuff and sell it on?
I think most of the big charity shops do that - I know Oxfam, Red Cross and Cancer Research sell the nicer stuff via ebay or their own website. They have staff who are experienced at spotting decent quality/labels so they get maximum price for the item.

I declutter my wardrobe every season and I get rid of anything that I didn't wear the previous season. I often sell clothes that are in good condition on ebay and I send others to the charity shop. I have a clothes rack instead of a wardrobe and all my clothes hang there. I also have one chest.of draws which I share with dh. You Don't need a second wardrobe you just need to look honestly at what you already have and get rid of the things you know you will never wear, I do understand it's easier said than done but once you get going you will enjoy the process.

I still have a storage problem, even though I don't have many clothes! Could be rectified by getting another wardrobe, but I don't need many clothes and am trying to be minimalist? (sp) I do daydream about having the kind of fitted wardrobes advertised on tv. OP, I would maybe keep the skirt if you can't part with it and just for the time being keep what you actually wear. Isn't there a saying we only use 20% of our clothes 80% of the time.

Sort out your loft, make it accessible so you can go up there and walk around. I did this and it changed my life! Can have hanging rails for coats etc, and vacuum bags labelled with what’s in them and what season. You can buy shoe storage boxes on eBay. Just get organised