clothes that need alteration, or to discard, etc

A guide to help you deal with an overflowing closet

Not just diets, your closet also needs some detoxing. Increasing buying temptations, especially with online shopping becoming a rage, most often gives way to an insane amount of clutter in the closet. All kinds crowd the wardrobe — clothes that need alteration, those that remain unused, some that you have outgrown and a few that you want to hang on to for the sake of nostalgia. So what to discard and what not to? Here are some tips that will help you decide.

Time to edit

Rearranging your wardrobe keeps you aware of your requirements and restricts from splurging. It gives you a chance to redefine your style. According to professional organiser Beth Levin, owner of Closet Queen, “It’s crucial to edit/organize your closet once or twice a year because new items are constantly coming in. We wear 20 per cent of our clothes 80 per cent of the time. That means that most of the clothing in your closet just sits there taking up space. Styles change and you may not even know what you have inside your closet unless you look at each piece and edit your wardrobe. With overflowing closets, finding items to wear becomes difficult, when it should be fun and easy.”

Inject fun

Don’t think of it as a chore. Turn on some fun music and enjoy trying stuff and sorting them. Feel good about trimming the fat in your wardrobe, just like you would for your body.

Pick a holiday, maybe a Sunday where you have a chunk of time to dedicate for uninterrupted cleaning. Take cue from Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and The City who calls over her girlfriends to purge her abundant closet. Invite a fashion-savvy friend to get her perspective and help you decide.

You can also tackle shoes one day, clothes another, and so on, if you lack time or think it is overwhelming.

To make your wardrobe overhaul easier, promise yourself a post-cleansing reward by treating yourself to a fancy meal or buying the pair of shoes you’ve been lusting for months.

Be honest

Ask yourself if a particular outfit has been used in the past one year or if you can see yourself using it anytime soon. It’s time to assess, which clothes still fit, in terms of size and style.

Check the condition of the garments. If they are worn out, have stains and are faded, get rid of them. If you aren’t sure of something put it in a ‘maybe’ pile and deal with it later. Once you clear the unwanted things, you can shop better.

Tips

Start by separating your clothes — category and colour wise. Abandon nostalgia. For sentimental reasons, keep photographs of what you wore on a special occasion.

Beth suggests to start by making decisions on what stays and goes. “Organise what remains by putting like-items together (pants with pants, tanks with tanks, etc.) I also like to colour coordinate each category.” She adds, “If you can’t decide what to get rid of, turn all your hangers around (with the opening facing you). Every time you wear an outfit, turn the hangar back. By the end of six months, you can see what you wore and didn’t. That’s a real eye opener!”

Mend and donate

After evaluating the clothes, make piles for alteration and donation.

There are plenty of websites and consignment stores that buy gently-used clothing/accessories.

If your friends are also into closet-cleansing, then a swap can be arranged, where a friend’s discard can be another’s treasure. The items in decent condition can also be donated to your favourite charity.