I Am Clearing my Wardrobe. Join Me?

Bronnie

This thread follows on from my earlier plea for advice on sorting out my wardrobe with MS fashion principles firmly in mind.

I have nearly finished the great sort-out. These are the things I have in mind initially having taken on-board lots of the excellent tips on here;

AIMS

To have the right clothes that I can mix and match to make a variety of outfits that suit the neeeds of my day-to-day life.

To wear only clothes that fit me and suit me and make me feel good.

To feel organised about clothes and accessories, clearcut about what I need to buy and more aware exactly how I should be spending when I go shopping for clothes.


I don't appear to have as much stuff hoarded as some of you (Phew!!), but most stuff was never being worn, didn't fit, or I didn't have anything to go with it. I have sorted it into 3 lots, bin, charity shop and storage.

The storage items are mostly sentimental and a couple of things I'm half a stone away from getting into (well that's do-able if not just atm)etc. If you find it hard to chuck out an item , I've found in the past, storage is a good half-way house for hard-to-let-go-of items. Box or bag it up and put it in the loft or somewhere, you'll find it easier sometimes to dispose of stuff bit by bit at a later time.

The thing I've found is that one way or another, I've GOT to get this stuff out of the wardrobe and start with a clean sheet. When I open that wardrobe each day, I only need to see clothes that FIT and that I LIKE and that SUIT me!

What's left (and there's not much, but I've only been wearing the same few items anyway so what's the difference really?) has been all hung individually on hangers, arranged as tops, trousers, skirt (only1 left!), dresses etc so I can see exactly what I've got.

Have been quite ruthless. Do have a bit of a "it'll come in useful " mentality (blame my mother!). Had 2 black jackets from Next trouser suits hanging round for years. Trousers long gone. Had in mind funerals, you see . Hmm! Fortunately haven't been to a funeral for years and anyway am I realistically ever likely to wear a mismatched trouser suit jacket? A big fat NO!!! A little £5 black cardi from Primark is more likely. So off they go.:T Same with gardening/decorating clothes. Excuse to keep assortment of hideous washed out grotty tops and joggers. Kept 1 pair joggers and 1 tee shirt.

Anyone on the same journey, PLEEAASSEEE do join in the thread and we can swap hints and tips along the way.

Happy days!!

Bron

sharronloves2spend

Bron, good luck. You sound in the perfect frame of mind to do it!!! Totally agree about the storage. I have a couple of item stored in vacu sacs for sentimental reasons that i can't bring to part with. I may at a later date get shut but not just yet!!

Keep the questions coming.......
Love Sharron

Bunny200

I'm with you, had the clear out the other day so now have the following

loads of a-line skirts (good for pears according to Gok)
bootleg jeans
2 cropped trousers
2 fitted shirts
4-5 going out tops (not I ever do!)

I've bought some new cheap vests white & black and a bright pink cardigan but I'm sure how to use them. I was hoping that I could wear the skirts and the vests and layer the cardigan on top but still looks frumpy on me. The cardigan is a v neck hip length cardi, maybe its too long? The skirts are generally chiffony with black patterns and other than a white t-shirt I've always struggled to now what to do with them, any advice? Don't want to bin them as the style suits and don't want to have to buy new ones!

~*Plushroom*~

I think I'll join you on this one, I did make a half-hearted effort about a month back so there's a black bag of clothes sitting in my bedroom. Shall sort things out properly today and then just sell the clothes as a job-lot on the free-ads (Thus giving me a little to spend on anything I need to buy/replace).

Shall keep a few things that are useless but just because i know I can make something else out of them - waste not want not

I blame Gok for all this organisation, damn that gorgeous man and his ideas!

FelinePrincess

I'd like to join in! I did have a big clear out a couple of months ago but I still have way too much stuff (although, I prefer to think that it's my house thats not big enough!), although I can't promise to be as ruthless as the rest of you!!

Will start later and report back soon!

Feline Princess

floss2

Bunny200 wrote: »

....... The cardigan is a v neck hip length cardi, maybe its too long?......

I think it may be too long - if you have chance to have a try-on in somewhere, you can see what length will look best......I guess for a layered look, you would want the t-shirt showing below the hem of the cardi?

Piggles12345

I cleared out mine and my partner's wardrobes a couple of weeks ago and I am trying to sell all of the items that we no longer wear or no longer fit us (so if you want some men's medium and women's size 8 clothes, please let me know! :rotfl::rotfl:).

I was really really really brutal with most of my clothes and I cleared out loads of T-shirts and vest tops that I will never wear!

My downfall is some knee length summer skirts that I used to wear all the time, but I don't really have the occassion to wear any more. I would wear them if I had the chance, but I don't really get the chance any more. I couldn't really bring myself to put them up for sale as well.

Now, however, after having read this thread I am going to dig them out of my wardrove when I get home and put them up for sale with the rest of my stuff! I am determined- they have to go!!

Also, Bronnie, you mentioned that you had a 'bin' pile of clothes. Its a great idea to put these on Freecycle. My partner had loads of T-shirts that had holes in them (too bad for a charity shop or to sell on), which I advertised on Freecycle. A guy came to pick them up whose father was out of work and was doing some DIY and needed some old clothes to wear for it. I was really glad that my old stuff that was destined for the bin turned out to be useful for someone else.

Edit: I have a tip for deciding if you have enough items to mix and match effectively. You should aim to have one or two tops per pair of trousers or skirt. If you have got more than this- you've got too many tops (not too few skirts!).

Also, you should have one or two tops that you can wear with almost anything! My ubiquitous item is a black Primark T-shirt that cost me £1.50 .

goanmad

Bunny200 wrote: »

The cardigan is a v neck hip length cardi, maybe its too long?

Try putting a skinny leather belt loosely around the waist of your cardi.

~*Plushroom*~

Piggles12345 wrote: »

Also, you should have one or two tops that you can wear with almost anything! My ubiquitous item is a black Primark T-shirt that cost me £1.50 .

That's one of my staple buys! Love their t-shirts, low price, not itchy and actually fit right.

Bronnie

My wardrobe clearout is now completed!:dance:

What am I left with??

Absolutely everything is hung individually on hangers.

Coats and jackets are hanging in the wardrobe with the shelves and I have arranged footwear and bags on the shelves so I can see them easily. This may change in future as I buy winter woollies etc but there's plenty of space atm.

The other side is split into summer and winter.

The winter side is utterly pathetic, virtually nothing there and what is there is drearily black. (I hate winter too....might get a SAD lamp come autumn:rotfl:) Have shoved it all up into a small space to be dealt with at a later date!

The summer side is looking better than I expected:T
Helped by the fact that I've lost a bit of weight this year and things fit and look a bit better and by a few choice purchases this week. Making a little list, aim to fill the gaps.

My next task is to sort out a few oustanding bits n bobs.
Slippers, flip flops, trainers and a grotty beach bag have just been shoved in the washer.
Found a nice Next vest top with some ethnicy beading on the top but the black has faded, so gonna buy a cold-water dye and try and revive it!
Also got a M&S waffle dressing gown that's gone a bit dingy, so off to OS for some tips to get it sparkling white again!
That sort of stuff.

Decluttering is like a breath of fresh air!
:wave:
Bron

sharronloves2spend

Bron, pictures PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE!!!

Isn't it a great feeling??? knowing that everything in your wardrobe fits and is appropiate, so give us a list of what you've got left and your colours....we need to know these things!!

I bet your wearing your clothes a lot more confidentally now???
My winter wardrobe needs work, but i do find my winter clothes less inspiring than summer.

Love sharron