It’s officially Spring. The days are getting longer, it’s a bit warmer, and the sun comes out a bit more. We’re finally feeling a little bit chirpier after a long winter, and our lighter, more colourful clothes can start to come out of the wardrobe.
So what better occasion to go through them and sort them out? Why not take some time to re-arrange and declutter? It can sometimes feel like a massive task, but it doesn’t have to be.
If the process seems a little overwhelming and just too much for you to face, you can follow the nice flowchart that the team at Tommy John put together to help you do just this. So why don’t we break a few points down and go through it together?
1. Does it still ‘spark joy’?
Put some music on, relax and get started. You can take everything out and make a big pile of clothes on the bed. Or, if that causes you to panic, just take one item of clothing out at the time. And start going through this mental process.
Ask yourself: “Do I still like this? Does it still make me happy? Do I look forward to wearing it?” If you can answer these questions with a straight YES, put that item back where it belongs. And that’s somewhere in your wardrobe where it’s easy to get to. The idea is that when you open your wardrobe in the morning to get dressed you can see it right there in front of you. Easy to get to. Easy to pick out and wear.
If you’ve answered NO to any of these questions, or if you’re simply not too sure about it, then you may need to part with it.
If you’ve ever come across the KonMari method, you’ll know that anything that doesn’t ‘spark joy’ shouldn’t really have a place in your home and your life anymore.
2. Is it still in good condition?
We all have things in our wardrobes that we LOVE, don’t we? Think about your ‘comfort clothes’, the ones you always resort to when you want to feel comfortable or just good about yourself. The things you want to wear again and again.
And probably you’ve worn it ‘past its due date’. If, when you take a good look at these pieces of clothing, you notice that they are stained, wripped or just worn out and ruined, is there really a point in holding on to them? Could you perhaps replace them? Or buy something similar in the same colour or style?
Yes, you may really love that top, and the fact that you’ve been wearing it day in day out for so long also shows it! But as Marie Kondo would say, it’s probably time to thank it for its use and let it go.
3. Have you worn it in the last 6 months?
On one end of the scale you have the clothes that you’d pretty much wear every day. And on the other end you have the ones that you never wear. Yes, you know the ones. The ones you were given as presents, but you wouldn’t dare say you didn’t like them. The ones you really liked in the shop but didn’t like anymore when you tried them on at home.
I think you get the gist. And deep down, you know what to do, right?
Six months isn’t that long, I give you that. If that’s too short a period for you, ask yourself whether you’ve worn that item in the last year. That covers all seasons and all weather conditions. If you haven’t worn it in a year of ‘every day life’, including all holidays and special occasions, you probably won’t wear it again.
4. Does it still fit you?
You’re going through your wardrobe and you find that pair of skinny jeans that you used to wear all the time before you got pregnant. Your child is now 3 years old, and you still haven’t lost all the baby weight. But you’ve kept them. Because when you do lose the baby weight, they’ll fit you again.
Maybe. Or maybe not.
It’s understandable that you may have clothes that you want to hold on to for a bit longer. Sometimes having the reminders staring at us in the face can help with motivation – if you want to wear them again, you know you have to lose that last bit of extra weight. Or just try your best to get back into shape. Keeping them can actually help us achieve a goal. There’s nothing wrong with that.
But be honest with yourself. If it doesn’t fit you, and it hasn’t for a long time, will you really wear it again? Ever? Even if does fit you in 2 years’ time, will you still like it?
5. Now deal with the clothes you no longer need and enjoy your new wardrobe!
If you’ve been really honest with yourself and only put back the things that ‘deserve’ to stay, you should now be looking at a wardrobe that makes you happy. Full of clothes that you love, are in good conditions, fit you and suit you, and you can’t wait to wear.
And somewhere on the side you should now have a big pile of clothes that need to go. Whatever you do, DO NOT go back on your steps and put them back in the wardrobe. You’ve made your decision. If it’s time for those items to go, you need to let them go.
Sometimes we feel a little better knowing that our unwanted clothes will go to someone who’ll enjoy them or need them. So if your clothes are still in good condition, think about selling them, giving them to a close friend or relative who will appreciate them, or donate them to charity. If they’re worn out, ruined and won’t be any good to anyone, just recycle them. Try not to feel bad about this. Once it’s done, you’ll feel a lot ‘lighter’ and so much better for it.
Plus you’ll love your ‘new’ wardrobe when you open it in the morning!
What about you? Do you have any tips to share on decluttering your wardrobe?
We’d like to thank Tommy John for creating this helpful little graphic! If you’re currently in the market for some new boxer briefs, you can use the code TJ20SPRING to get 20% off your first order today!”
*We shared the infographic in this post with Tommy John‘s permission, but all opinions otherwise expressed in this article are my own.