Does your wardrobe need a detox?

Nothing to wear despite a wardrobe crammed full of clothes?

This could mean that your wardrobe could use a detox.

According to the Chief designer for California Closets, in an interview with Wall Street Journal, we only wear 20% of the clothing in our closets regularly. That means there is a large majority of clothing that we seldom or never use, but how did we end up with so much?

The truth is, that many items were just wrong purchases from the start. Impulse purchases that looked looked great in the store display but the colour, style or fit was a less-than-perfect match for us are often unflattering or just difficult to wear.

Sometimes duplicate purchases that spring from a lack of style confidence are to blame. We get stuck in a style rut buying more of the same, because we are not sure sure what other options would suit us. We then repurchase a new version the same old item or colour ending up with a wardrobe of many items but without the essential variety needed.

Then life changes, our responsibilities change, we change, the world around us changes. The result is a wardrobe full of clothes that used to work for us but don’t any more because our lifestyle and body has changed, we have matured and fashion has moved on.

Sorting out a wardrobe that is not working for us is about much more than being organised and neat. The wardrobe is a very strategic place. This is where we decide every morning how we want the world to see us.

It is important to have a wardrobe filled with items that are working hard for us, making us look and feel our best in the various roles we play.

When the clothes in our closets are the right match to our colouring, figure, personality and lifestyle, they will be brilliant multitaskers, coordinating effortlessly with each other, giving us a confidence boost as we look in the mirror before tackling the challenges of the day.

If it’s not paying rent it must go! Eliminating what is not needed and fill it with what is, is essential to a healthy functioning wardrobe. But where to start with this mammoth task?

Never fear! Here is my step-by-step guide to detoxing your wardrobe:

Remove all clothing or shoes from your cupboard that do not fit or are uncomfortable- unless you have a concrete plan that you have committed to to lose weight, embrace the “now you” and get rid of items that are too small
Remove clothing in colours, styles or patterns that do not suit you or you do not like wearing
Create 2 piles from what remains: spring-summer and autumn-winter – it helps to focus on one at a time to make the job easier
Further sub-divide these clothes into lifestyles eg. Work, leisure, event.
Remove items do not fit into any of you current lifestyle categories – wearing that tuxedo or ball gown any time soon?
Put these into mix and match outfits with tops, bottoms, jackets & coats – this is where an expert eye can help to see new creative & fashionable ways to combine your clothing and accessories.
Remove any worn out or outdated items
Note where you are missing items to complete the outfit- it could be the right shoes, jacket or accessories – these are the things to put on your shopping list!
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure – recycle or donate your detoxed pile of removed clothing to a worthy cause to put what once was waste to good use.

Depending on how many items are in your wardrobe be prepared for this to take quite a few hours. Instead of tackling it all at once, break it down into a single seasonal and lifestyle categories at a time and complete one then plan another time for the next.

It takes surprisingly few clothing & accessory items to creat a stylish and flexible wardrobe. The secret is to have a colour palette to work to, and to stick to your guns with style that suits you and your lifestyle.

Consider getting outside help or a stylist with a fresh creative eye to help you put together your outfits. They can make helpful suggestions as to what items you need to make your wardrobe work better for you. They can also help push your style forward and out of a rut, helping you to invest in items that will really make a difference.