Marie Kondo might be moving down your Netflix list, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the call of your overflowing wardrobe. As soon as you need two hands to close your drawers, it’s time for a cull. But where do you start? Don’t worry, we’ve created a questionnaire to make decluttering your wardrobe a breeze! Just open the doors, pull out the drawers, and begin.
To start, create three piles. One is your keep pile, the next is your donate pile, and finally, you’ll have your discard pile. You shouldn't just throw all your discarded clothes in a donation bin. If the item’s condition is past the point of you wearing it, don’t expect anyone else to wear it either. Now, take your first item, and let’s get started!
Does wearing this make you feel good? (And do you really love it?)
How attached to this piece are you? If you don’t love it, say goodbye.
We all have those special pieces, the go-to outfits that never let us down. How do you feel when you wear this piece? If it doesn’t make you feel great, or you think there’s something not quite right about it, don’t keep it.
Does it fit properly, and is it still in good condition?
Clothes should fit us. Seems a bit obvious, but we’re all guilty of holding on to something that looked great on the mannequin but pulls a little tight across our shoulders! Or we choose to ignore the fact that the elastic waistband has completely worn out. If it doesn’t fit you exactly right, there’s no point hanging on to it.
The same thing goes for the item’s condition. If it’s looking worse for wear, throw it out. Maybe it’s those once-black jeans that’ve now faded to dreary charcoal. Or perhaps you’re over-wearing the t-shirt that once looked great, but now features a slightly unravelled seam. Don’t keep clothes that aren’t in great shape. And, as we said before, don’t expect anyone else to wear them. Skip the donate pile, these go straight to discard.
When was the last time you wore it? (And why haven’t you worn it recently?)
If you’ve worn it recently, and you know it still looks great, keep it! But if this garment has been gathering dust at the end of your clothing rack, that’s a different story.
Ask yourself: what’s stopping you from wearing it? Is it a fixable problem, or has the clothing just served its time? Organise to have the clothing item mended if it can be fixed. Otherwise, it’s probably not worth keeping.
If you could only keep 5 of this item (e.g. 5 pairs of jeans, 5 white shirts, 5 black pants) would this one make the cut?
You probably don’t need all those pairs of jeans. We know, it hurts to say, but it’s true. If this piece isn’t one of the top items in its category, consider giving it a second life through the donate pile.
And you’re done! It’s such a great feeling when you swing open those wardrobe doors to reveal a neat, uncluttered selection of your finest clothing. No more overcrowding, and now your drawers will open and close with ease. We hope you’ve got healthy-sized donate and discard piles after this adventure! If you don’t, maybe you should scroll up and start again…