Posted by Sian Rowlands
on August 08, 2018
Tips to declutter your closet
Decluttering is scientifically proven to reduce stress levels. Not only the act of letting go of no-longer-wanted pieces, but also the sense of clarity and serenity you can get in the aftermath of a clear-out. With the summer heat restricting our outdoors life, we find the best time to do a clear-out is in the summer… a Summer Clean rather than a Spring Clean!
Give yourself a good couple of hours, get your favourite uplifting music on and just lean into the process!
Firstly, clear a space to work on, a freshly-made double bed is ideal. Remove EVERY SINGLE ITEM from your wardrobe, including occasion wear, underwear, shoes, bags, accessories, everything! This act alone will help you see all your items together, maybe discover some forgotten gems or be a stark realisation that you have too much stuff! As you are removing the items, allocate them to 1 of 4 piles:
1 - definitely keep
2 - unsure / need think about it / damaged
3 - resell with RETOLD
4 - donate
Once you have allocated every item to a pile, start with your ‘definitely keeping’ pile. Replace these items back in your wardrobe, but re-hang them with the hooks turned around the wrong way. And then you can return it to the right way only once you’ve worn something, which is great because you can see which pieces you are actually wearing. If there’s still hangers facing the wrong way in a month or two… it might be time to reconsider getting rid of these!
Also, when you return the pieces to your wardrobe, how about picking a new way of arranging everything; if you’re a visual person then try colour coordinating like we do at RETOLD, alternatively you can arrange by occasion (ie. work outfits, going out clothes, special occasions), or even pair outfits together.
Now to tackle to the 'unsure / think about it' pile - work out why it is there:
- if doesn't fit anymore - then seek the advise of a tailor (we love Thread Up in Al Safa Centre or Scissors on the Palm), as sometimes a simple alteration can make an outfit work.
- if it’s is damaged (like a broken zip or lost buttons) - then get it fixed straight away (within a week or commit to getting rid of it!)
- just not in love with it anymore? Consider giving it a facelift by changing it's style, or colour, or use. Check next week's blog post with loads of ideas on what to do!
For the Resell pile this is where RETOLD can help - take a look at our membership page (HERE) and some of the guidelines behind using our service (like what brands we accept, the condition of the clothes we take, and what the fees are). Alternatively, you can list your items yourself on online portals and marketplaces - but keep in mind you’ll need to dedicate a fair amount of time to liaising with all the different people interested in your pieces. RETOLD takes the hassle out of giving your clothes a second chance at happiness. By reselling through RETOLD you can earn some of that spent money back and use it as store credit to fill any gaps in your freshly streamlined and organised closet.
