Lifestyle | How to Slim Down Your Wardrobe
Now, I don't know if I'm freakish and abnormal - but I absolutely loathe throwing out clothing. My closet has zero breathing room because, no! I couldn't possibly fathom throwing out that shirt I bought three years ago that I haven't worn in months. A day may come and that shirt will be exactly what I need to wear. I'd be distraught if I'd weeded it out carelessly. Unfortunately, this is exactly the mental process I follow when trying to clean up my wardrobe. It's horrendous. I'm going to make a vow to myself now to end this wardrobe hoarding. I quite enjoy adding new pieces to my closet, so there should be a give and take. Everyone's heard "buy one thing, throw another out". Though I don't know I have the willpower to be this strict with myself, I have found a few of these tips helpful in slimming down my wardrobe.
BE RUTHLESS
I know it's difficult. If you give yourself enough time, you'll always find a way to justify keeping an item. "It's perfect if I were to...", "I used to love wearing this!" Nope. If it's stuffed at the back of your closet pull a Heidi Klum and say Auf Wiedersehen. You know if you love wearing an item and shouldn't have to spend loads of time convincing yourself. Just know it will make way for something you won't have to debate.
BUDDY SYSTEM
Employ your most honest friend, and have her accompany you on this journey to cut down your threads. I always end up trying on neglected items but can never decide if I like it enough to keep it. Having an outside perspective will help you know if your items are still doing anything for you - or if they should be voted off the island.
AIR YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY
Try to weed through everything right before you typically do laundry (I'm ridiculous and can last usually 3 weeks...minimum. Whoops.) If you wait until until this point, it will be easier to see what you have been wearing regularly. For the most part, I can guarantee anything that's made it into the laundry is a staple or something worth keeping in my wardrobe.
SPRING (OR AUTUMN/WINTER/SUMMER...) CLEANING
If you're doing a major overhaul attempt to schedule it in between seasonal changes. You'll have a better retrospective view of what you turned to most for the past season, and will have a fresher, pared down selection when it rolls around next year. Plus, you'll be able to ditch anything for the upcoming season that you're no longer into. Trends have a way of fading fast, so get rid of anything that doesn't seem to have stuck (unless of course you love wearing it - trends should by no means dictate your entire wardrobe).
DOLLA DOLLA BILL Y'ALL
Incentivize your clean-up. Look for local resale shops that give you a percentage of the retail value (Plato's Closet is a fairly widespread chain that does just this). Stores like these are a great way to get rid of items you no longer wear. I worked at such a shop for well over a year in high school, and I was constantly selling back my old clothes. Try to restrict your offerings to things about a year and a half old. If it's something fairly classic and in great condition, you can likely get away with selling older items. As a buyer, I quickly caught on to how old things were by style and logo tags, etc. Resale stores do pay attention to these things, so don't expect to go in and pick up some cash for your worn out old t-shirts. Most stores will post extensive information about their buying policy and the brands/time frame they accept, so look to their websites, Facebook pages, or store flyers for this info. I know it seems like a no-brainer, but make sure your clothing is clean when you bring it in. I had people show up with some questionable stains, or things that smelled like they'd been fished out of a dumpster. Not only are you saving an employee from ruffling through your dirty clothes, but you're likely to get a better price for your things if they're presentable. Also, be realistic about your payout. The shop is trying to turn a profit. I agree, sometimes it seems like a straight up rip off. Look into their payout percentage (some shops even give you a higher amount if you opt for store credit instead - woop more clothing), and if their offer is too low for your liking, you can always politely say "nahhhh". Keep in mind that if you are planning on getting rid of them anyway, there's not much use in being too picky about your payout. You're getting cash for shit you were going to throw out anyway. But, to each his own.
LET IT GOOOOOO
Once you've finally de-throned a few items, try to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Either by selling them, donating to a charity shop (Savers is a great option), or giving them away to friends. Removing the clutter quickly will stop you from dwelling on your decision. Out of sight, out of mind. Then you can move on to the new and improved version of your wardrobe.
Alrightay, I hope these lil' tips help you to streamline your wardrobe. Do you guys have any advice on de-cluttering? Comment below, d00dz.
xx
Rachel
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