Practical Tips To Organizing Your Wardrobe

It’s a New Year and what better time to set new goals professionally and personally than now? It’s also the perfect time to de-clutter your wardrobe and set it right to reflect your new trajectory for the New Year. This doesn’t necessarily mean changing your entire wardrobe, but rather reviewing each item in it, determining their place or not in your wardrobe, making repairs and adjustments on the items that require them and giving away those ones that no longer serve a purpose in your wardrobe.

“Get clear on what matters by getting rid of everything that doesn’t”

When I work with clients in a wardrobe edit session, these are some little details that I look out for and you can use them in cleaning out your wardrobe and getting it set for a SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR!

Empty It

To successfully clean out your wardrobe, you need to empty it out first. This is crucial because it ensures that you’ll sort through each and every single item. Avoid the over-confidence of saying “I know everything I own”. I promise you that you do not. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the hidden gems that you’ll discover while also realizing that it’s time to have a send-forth party for some.

Going through each item one after the other, ask yourself these questions:

• How does this item fit into my personal and professional life?
• Have I worn it for the past two years?
• On what occasions can I wear this?
• What kind of message does it communicate about my personal brand?

Repair. Don’t Replace.

Did you know that over 80 billion pieces of clothing are consumed globally every year and more than half of this end up in landfills as waste? Fast fashion has made it easier to replace our clothing items rather than repair them. But as much as possible, rather than rush off to replace an item just because the seams are loose or a button is missing, try fixing the button back on and tightening up the seams. Tools required? A needle and thread.

Learn how to fix your broken shirt button

Let go of the Stains, Discolorations and Holes

On an adventurous day, I washed a white shirt and an orange colored shirt together. The orange shirt came out the same; the white shirt suffered a different fate, coming out in an unconvincing shade of pink. After several failed attempts to restore it back to its original color, I had to let it go but I knew it would no longer serve any purpose in my wardrobe.

If you any of your clothing item has suffered the same calamity and you can no longer see its place in your wardrobe, then it might be time to let it go. Watch out for those stubborn stain patches that do not pass as ‘designs’ on light-colored items, bleached patches on dark colored items, fatigued and discolored shirt collars and permanently discolored shirt underarms. If it cannot be fixed, let it go. Remember that the purpose of this exercise is to build a wardrobe that is functional and aligns with you professional and personal goals.

The hard truth remains that these little details can negatively impact our personal brand and tell a different story from what we are trying to convey on a first interaction. Imagine being out with a date you’ve been trying to impress or at a meeting with a potential client and their attention for some reason is drawn to your tired shirt collar or your “yellow armpits of shame” (borrowed)… let’s leave it to the imagination and not play it out in real life.

If it doesn’t fit right, fix it or let it go

I did a post on ill-fitting cloths and how to ensure that you never get the size wrong on your shopping trips. During your wardrobe de-cluttering, you’ll discover items that have become either too big or too small. For those items that are too big but are still in good shape, consider taking them to a tailor to get them adjusted. However, for items that have become too tight that you have to constantly tuck in your tummy to prevent the buttons and hooks from popping, it’s time to let them go, unless of course you possess some super-powers to hold in your tummy for 8 hours none stop.

Create different sections in your wardrobe

This is a great trick to having an organized wardrobe. Create sections in your wardrobe for your jackets, pants, shirts, undergarments, accessories and shoes. Under each section and categorize them under formal and informal categories. You can go a step further by arranging them by colors; whites, blacks, multi-colored. This will make your wardrobe streamlined and you’ll find it easier to locate items. This will take some time but once you have it done, stick to it and you’ll find that it was worth the investment.

Learn how to fold like a pro with this Japanese method

Finally, for this year and going forward; make the decision to shop with a purpose and build a wardrobe that has a purpose. Don’t fall victim to fashion trends but ensure that each item you purchase serves a need for your personal style, brand and has the quality for longevity.

Need my professional help with de-cluttering and building your wardrobe? Contact me here.