HOW TO CLEAR OUT & CREATE A CAPSULE WARDROBE

STOP HOARDING. CREATE A CAPSULE WARDROBE.

2016 has seen a real shift in my behaviour, I have become a sucker for a serious clear out. Last night I spent 3.5 hours last night #kondo-ing my lounge (and I haven’t even opened the infamous book yet) and so far this year I have cleared our SEVEN bin bags of clothes, shoes and bags to boot. SEVEN. I mean I’ve lost half my wardrobe, but rather than feel a sad loss for the clothes I’ve passed along, I feel liberated. Joyous almost. The thing is, whilst I do love to hoard (you never know when something might come in fashion again) actually the clutter is distracting, confusing and actually a little stressful. So this year, despite the lack of consciousness, I’ve had a huge huge huge clear out (both of my wardrobe and my home), and have found myself landing on an almost ‘capsule’ wardrobe. It’s not easy mind, ruthlessness & some serious discipline had to come to play, but the end result is worth it. So today I thought i’d share my tips on how to stop hoarding and create an ‘almost’ capsule wardrobe (I say almost, because clearly I still have a fairly large clothing collection).

5 TIPS TO HELP YOU CLEAR YOUR WARDROBE, STOP HOARDING & CREATE YOUR OWN CAPSULE WARDROBE

#1 PREPARE YOURSELF

When it comes to clearing out and getting rid of the mass collection of clothes, shoes and bags you’ve collected over the last 5 years, you need to be prepared. It’s a task that takes stamina, discipline and so you need to be prepared, both mentally and literally. Set aside time to have your clear out (you’ll need longer than you think), be sure you have space to work through the items you have (you need to start by emptying everything out and building the essentials back in), and be kitted out with the essentials like bin bags, charity bags, storage boxes etc. If you want to do things properly, you need to be prepared.

#2 SET SOME RULES

Clearing out is hard, a lot of our belongings have an emotional or sentimental feeling, more than that we become attached to our belongings and investments, so chucking stuff out is often a little difficult. So that’s why it’s good to set some rules before you start, what are the guidelines you’re working to, what distinguishes something as a ‘keep’, ‘charity’ or ‘bin’ item (on that, I recommend working into those three buckets).  As a starter for 10, think about when you last wore it, was it an investment piece, have you got a better alternative in your wardrobe, does it fit, does it actually suit you.

“the best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: “Does this spark joy?” If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.” Marie Kondō

#3 BE RUTHLESS

And when you’re setting those rules and working through your belongings, you must be ruthless and disciplined. As Marie Kondo famously coined, if it doesn’t bring you joy, you don’t need it. So as a parameter for deciding whether to keep or get rid of something, be honest with yourself, if you haven’t worn it  there’s probably a reason. There’s no point keeping an item if it’s going to sit at the back of your cupboard and not be worn for another 12 months. It’s hard, but be brutal.

#4 PASS IT ON

One thing that really helped me when I was clearing out my own belongings was knowing that anything I cleared out, wasn’t necessarily going to waste. Most the things I cleared from my wardrobe were good quality pieces that simply needed a more loving home, and so the 7 bags I’ve cleared will actually all go to my family and friends first, followed by the chairty shop afterwards. Knowing that your old clothes or items are going to a new home makes the process a little easier. And as my mum always tells me, if I ever want it back I just have to ask (this thought helps me be a little more ruthless).

#5 REPLENISH

And best of all, wants you’ve cleared your wardrobe and only kept the items you love, you wear and those essential staple items … you’ve got room and space to replenish. To invest in the missing capsule items, to replace any essentials you’ve got rid of because they’re old or not right any more. I for one have embraced the replenish phase and see it as the reward at the end of the process. The key thing to keep in mind is that you’re still working towards a capsule wardrobe, so don’t go and buy in bulk, it’s about investing in specific, quality items that complete your capsule wardrobe.

Have you had a serious tidy up of your wardrobe or will you be giving these tips a go? What will form your capsule wardrobe? I recommend buying Marie Kondo’s book if you’re interested in tidying out your own home!