As we enter Autumn, it’s time to swap your summer clothes for jumpers in anticipation of the colder days ahead.
Here are the best ways to declutter your wardrobe in order to prepare for the months to come:
Thirty wears rule
When you begin decluttering your wardrobe and drawers, make sure you take all your clothes out of the room and place them on the floor to sort through. Don’t leave anything on a hanger in your wardrobe, even if you know you will keep it.
My number one tip for deciding what to keep is to always check which clothes you wear most. The thirty wears rule is important for deciding whether to buy an item of clothing and in the same way, is just as important when choosing whether to dispose of one too.
If you have already fulfilled thirty wears of a particular clothing item or have no more use for it, you may decide to throw it away. Alternatively, if you have surpassed thirty wears on an item of clothing, you may find you routinely wear it and that you are most likely to continue to wear it in the future, meaning you keep it! So, although it is helpful to use the thirty wears rule as an indicator for which clothes to dispose of, you should always prioritise giving away clothes you don’t like or clothes that don’t fit you before thinking about how often you wear them.
Basics
While you are decluttering, you may come across some ‘basic’ items or essentials, such as plain white shirts or black tops. Instead of throwing these away due to lack of wear, consider how you can style them with jumpers or through layering. I find basics are the items of clothing I wear most as they are so comfortable and versatile, meaning I can make multiple outfits using them.
Basics are also one of the fundamentals in establishing a ‘capsule wardrobe’ which is designed to allow you to wear the same clothes throughout the seasons. I love that my basics are suitable for different months and so, I can achieve thirty wears out of them!
If you are looking for basics, be sure to check out sustainable brands as their clothing is designed to give longevity. The longer lifespan of eco-friendly clothing means that you will be able to rewear the item more than thirty times and keep it for years, enabling you to be truly sustainable in your purchase. This is cost-effective too.
Slow fashion brands also support eco initiatives or donate to charities to aid people who will struggle with their living costs in these critical months, meaning your purchase will help other people and the planet also!
CRANN make a local impact by partnering with the Native Woodland Trust and donate €2 per product to help with preservation efforts of Ireland's remaining ancient woodlands and restoration of Ireland's original climax ecosystem.
Categories
While you declutter, you may be torn between keeping some clothes or disposing of them. If this is the case, be sure to create categories, such as: ‘Keep,’ ‘, Maybe’ and ‘No.’
Place all the items which you are unsure about in the maybe pile and then think about the following questions to help you decide where to then place them: ‘Do I wear it enough?’ ‘Do I like it?’ ‘Does it fit and is it comfortable?’ ‘Do I regret buying it?’ ‘Do I need it?’
Once you are left with just ‘yes’ and ‘no’ piles, I would recommend subcategorising your ‘no’ pile into groups of how you tend to dispose of the item. For instance, you might have a subcategory for charity shop, which will include all the clothes you intend to give to charity. Another subgroup could be selling online through an eco preloved app such as depop. These clothes may be new or rarely worn and without any faults, making them perfect condition for reselling. You might also have a subcategory for a ‘clothes swap,’ which include clothes that you like but don’t need all the time and therefore, could give to a friend or family member to borrow for a little while in exchange for something of theirs you particularly like.
Although decluttering can seem a mundane task or even a daunting one, it doesn’t have to be! It’s best to not overthink it and just get started. If you follow these steps, you can’t go too wrong!
Have you decluttered yet this autumn?
Beth
