Your cart is empty!
Tips to help clear out your wardrobe this Spring
The average British woman has £504 worth of unwanted clothing hanging up at home. Spring is on the horizon and whilst you might use this as an opportunity to attempt an annual Spring Cleaning, these timeless tips will help you refine your wardrobe and clear out less reached-for clothes all year round.
Set the mood
How are you going to do this? Alone with a good playlist? Or a favourite Netflix show playing in the background? Are you going to invite your friend round for some physical and emotional support? Decide what will work best for you and have fun with it. A wardrobe clear out can be sociable and cathartic. It’s good to take a minute to go through things, if not for the environment, then for yourself.
Take everything out of the wardrobe
Most of us already have some sort of organisational system in our wardrobe, even if that can sometimes slip. Work through your wardrobe in sections. Pick a section to start with like tops or trousers, or start with a particular drawer. Take everything out of the wardrobe and start sorting. You can work through several sections over the course of a day or break the task up over several weekends.
Refresh your shelves
Your clothes are out of the wardrobe and you forgot how much room you actually had in there. Take this moment to give your wardrobe a quick clean. Start with a dusting and even give it a wipe down if needed. Make sure it’s dry before putting anything back.
Explore organisation hacks
Most of us can benefit from using storage organisers. Packing cases, shoe organisers and multi hangers are all part of the growing list of products on the market that can help you maintain your organisational categories in your wardrobe. If you have shelves, having transparent cases that you can pull out is a great way to make sure you don’t forget the things at the back of the wardrobe.
Build your system
Figure out what system you want to categorise your clothes into. Start to build your piles. Some inspiration includes:
- Keep: I absolutely love and wear all the time
- Store: I wear this but not at the moment (because of the weather)
- Fix: I really like this but it’s broken or needs altering
- I don’t really wear this / maybe time to pass on
The gritty: how to know which clothes to pass on
By now you probably have a growing pile of clothes you’re not really wearing. Start off by asking yourself: why? Here are some prompts and actions to get you started:
“I love it but it’s formal wear”
Fair enough, we don’t all want to wear that shimmy number on our grocery run. If you’ve not worn it in a while, try it on to make sure it still fits and you still feel comfortable in it. If it’s all good, these items can go back in the wardrobe. It’s ok to keep some things for occasions. But also believe us when we say, just go for it. Dress items down with casual accessories and other more casual items in your wardrobes.
“I love it but I just don’t know how to style it”
Have a look on social media and Pinterest for some inspiration. Search for similar items and see how others have styled it. Compare this inspo to things you already have in your wardrobe and have a try on session. Take photos if you think you’ll forget the looks you like. If you’re missing that perfect item to pair, check out Reskinned Resale to see if we have what you’re looking for.
“I just forgot I had it”
Challenge yourself to wear this item in the next month at least twice. Make sure these items are at the front of your wardrobe and use wardrobe organisers to ensure items at the back of the wardrobe don’t get forgotten.
“I like it in theory but it doesn’t fit / isn’t comfortable”
We’ll be real with you. It’s time to let it go. Clothes should work for us, we shouldn’t work for the clothes. Obviously each person is different, but it’s important to remember that bodies change all the time and it’s very normal for clothes that fit well once to not fit now. They may have never even fitted that well in the first place. And if it’s not comfortable? No one has time for that. Send it on to the person who will love it. If you like the style, look for something preloved that will fit you more comfortably.
“I don’t really like it”
Well then, time to say goodbye. Case closed.
“I’m bored of it”
Why are you bored of it? Did you overwear it? Have you run out of ideas on how to style it? Have a bit of time away from it. If you feel comfortable that you will reach for it again then put it back in your wardrobe. If you’re not convinced it’s you any more, put it in a bag and place it somewhere temporarily like a storage cupboard or under the bed. Make a note and set a reminder to return to that bag in 6 months time. Time away can reignite that love. If you get that giddy feeling when you open the bag back up, keep it. If you forgot it was even there, pass it on.
“It’s sentimental”
These ones are the hard ones. Clothes can hold a lot of memories, good and bad. We can’t tell you what to do but ask yourself, “is holding on to this adding anything to my life?” You’ll know what’s right. Clothes in good condition deserve a chance to be loved and worn. If you can, set it free.
Side note: if you’ve got a whole suitcase of old baby clothes stashed in your storage, slim that pile down. Pick 2-3 items you really love and bring you joy for the memories box. Pass on the others. There are lots of brilliant charities that redistribute worn baby clothes to parents in need.
What to do with the clothes you don't want
Give away:
See if any friends or family want them before you do anything else.
Resell:
If you want to try reselling yourself, there are lots of apps and platforms you can list your item on. Less distance travelled means less carbon impact.
If your items fall into the listed categories as part of the Reskinned Take Back scheme, send them to us and get rewarded.
Recycle:
If your clothes are eligible for a Take Back programme run by Reskinned but you're worried they're too past it to be worn again, still send them to us. We always opt for reuse over recycling so no wearable clothes will be wasted unnecessarily. If you have clothes that aren't suitable for Reskinned, donate them to your local charity shop or your local textile recycling bank (check your Council's website for guidance).
You did it. You refreshed your wardrobe. Seasonal clearouts can help us rediscover forgotten items and remind us that we don’t necessarily need to add anything new. We recommend doing a wardrobe clearout at least once a year but don’t let us hold you back if you’ve caught the Marie Kondo vibe.