If you’re wondering how to declutter your wardrobe, you’ve come to the right place.
Wardrobe decluttering is important. But if you think you need help, I always like to offer some hints and tips to help you potentially do the job on your own. Although, I have to say, I do make a hard job easier – two heads are always better than one!
Is It Time to Declutter Your Wardrobe?
Let’s cut to the chase, if your wardrobe is stuffed with things that don’t belong in your bedroom then it’s time to declutter. Your wardrobe is for your clothing and shoes and not much else. It’s your place of rest, recuperation and solace, and if your room is full, it’s not going to give you the rest your body needs.
So here are some top tips on how to declutter your wardrobe. Firstly, take a good look at your wardrobe and be honest with yourself.
Ask Yourself These Questions:
- Are the door handles functional? Or is that a job that you have been putting off for ages?
- Do the drawers fall apart every time you touch them?
- Is the wardrobe covered in ‘things’ that actually don’t really work there? What I mean by this is items put on top, down the sides and even underneath if there is room?
- Is your wardrobe stuffed with clothes to the point you cannot find anything? Think of the kind of shops where you don’t have the room to even push the item along the rail?
- Is your wardrobe looking a bit tired and could do with a facelift?
If the answer is “yes” to some or even all of these questions, then it’s time to do some serious wardrobe decluttering. Make a list of what needs to be done and get it done!
How to Declutter Your Wardrobe: Step-by-Step
Firstly, I always say that things are going to look a lot worse before they look better, and that means removing everything from the wardrobe! Be prepared to let go of anything that does not belong in there.
Empty Your Wardrobe Completely
- Put things into piles – keep ‘like with like’.
- Grab yourself a bag and load it up with items that need to be elsewhere in your home, i.e. not in your bedroom.
- Identify any items that do not belong in your wardrobe and put them into your bag for transporting to another part of your home. Over the years I have found everything from books though to Xmas wrap, so be brutal – these items do not belong in your bedroom.
- You should now be left with just clothing.
Consider Refreshing Your Wardrobe
- Think about whether your wardrobe need an update. If so, consider upcycling!
- Chalk paints are a great and easy way of giving you that ‘shabby chic’ look (I like frenchicpaint.co.uk)
- I am a big fan of changing the knobs too. They are easy to find – think larger supermarkets, home stores, and websites like Etsy – I discovered this site recently and particularly love these knobs which have an exotic feel.
- Think about the colours you want to bring into the room. Colour is important and essential in your bedroom. After all, as much as we all love colour (and I do), having bright colours in your bedroom might not be conducive to a peaceful night’s sleep. In fact, if you check out some Feng Shui tips, pink is the best colour for your bedroom – okay gents, I know what you are thinking, but it’s true!
- It may well be that you love your wardrobe as it is, and that’s fine too, but whilst it’s empty and waiting to be filled, it could be a good time to give it a face lift.
- Lastly, you may want a brand-new wardrobe, perhaps something that suits your needs better with more space and sections? I rely on John Lewis for pretty much everything in terms of quality and style, but IKEA also have some pretty good options.
Declutter Your Clothes
- Be ruthless when decluttering your clothing. Ask yourself if you’ve worn it or better still, would you buy it now? All of us tend to make spontaneous purchases from time to time, I know I do and sometimes the result is dire! I tend to stick the thing on Vinted immediately.
- If your wardrobe is so stuffed with clothing and other things, then it’s not conducive to your wellbeing. After all, who wants to fight through their wardrobe when time is always so short for all of us? If you cannot find what you are looking for then it’s time to get down to wardrobe decluttering.
- Clothing can be a big problem for some of us, and I will be writing a separate blog on how to declutter your clothing. It’s a big subject linked to the way we feel about ourselves, and how too many clothes can ultimately cause overwhelm.
- I always advise my clients to only have the items that reflect the current season hanging up. So, for instance right now, I only have summer clothes (with the odd ‘warm item’ just in case – it is Britain after all). You can buy vacuum bags which are great for sealing up your winter wardrobe and storing it safely somewhere (I found these on Amazon).
- If space is an issue, popping your out-of-season clothes under the bed works well, and your clothing stays safe from stains and moths in the bags. The rules of Feng Shui dictate that items under the bed are acceptable as long as they are soft, so clothing, bedding, etc. are fine.
Organise Your Clothes
- How you hang your clothes is very important. Always make sure your clothes are on good sturdy hangers – I am of the opinion that metal is best, as it means your clothes are kept pristine (as opposed to getting misshapen or falling onto the floor if you use those flimsy dry cleaner’s hangers)
- Although I generally have no problem with hangers holding more than one item, this can lead to items being ‘lost’, as well as a crowded wardrobe. It can also cause misshaping if you have too many items on the same hanger. Ideally, one hanger per item is best.
- I like to group item ‘types’ together – so skirts with skirts, dresses with dresses – but then I also group them by colour. I always have my ‘going out’ wardrobe hung together, and it hangs separately from my daily wardrobe.
- Facing the hangers all the same way is something I like to do, as it makes it easier to access your items
- If your item is too long for your wardrobe, I recommend wrapping the item – let’s say a dress – over the hanger, to stop it draping and potentially getting dirty.
- Jeans can be folded in a drawer, and this applies to anything for the gym, and all t-shirts too. Anything that can be folded should be folded and put into a dresser, rather than taking up space in your wardrobe.
- Make sure there is plenty of space between each item. This way you will find you have a much more workable wardrobe, rather one that makes you want to tear your hair out.
Organise Your Shoes
- If there is room, the bottom of your wardrobe is ideal for your smart shoes (ideally on a rack, but that depends on your available space).
- There is no harm in having a shoe rack elsewhere in your bedroom which neatly displays your shoes.
Any decluttering, in any area of your home, is daunting and there is no shame in calling in the cavalry. I am always happy to have a chat and see how we can make wardrobe decluttering something to enjoy rather than fear.
Do you need help with your wardrobe decluttering? If so, click here to read more about how I work, or if you would like to go ahead and arrange a call, head over to https://thelifestyleconcept.co.uk/contact/