Wardrobe detox

For busy students on the go, looking for a way to speed up his or her morning routine, one of the easiest ways to gain time before that 9:15 seminar, is by creating a wardrobe that is organised. Arranging your clothes in a logical way will make putting outfits together much easier however, this isn’t a task to be rushed. For the best results devote a full morning or afternoon to it.

HOW TO ORGANISE YOUR WARDROBE

The easiest way to sort your wardrobe is by having a clothes detox. By owning less clothes you’ll be able to see what you have in your wardrobe, making it easier to see what you are lacking. I suggest removing everything, and going through each piece at a time so that you can evaluate when you wore it last and whether you are going to wear it again in 2013. Make four piles: things to keep, things to throw away, things to donate to charity and things to try on before you make a decision. Ask a friend to help you with the decision and don’t forget to clean your wardrobe before you replace the items.

Once you’ve decided what items you are keeping it is time to organise a system that will help you maintain the order. Keep similar items together so that you can find them easily. Make sub categories based on items and colour: hang trousers, dresses, tops and knitwear from lightest to darkest and face all of your hangers in the same direction.

Store your shoes properly in a hanging shoe rack to maximise space. For the shoes you want to keep in boxes, take a photo of them and stick it on the front of the box, sounds OCD but it’ll help you save time.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Dress your wardrobe opposite to how you dress yourself. Hang trousers on the top rail and tops on the bottom. It will make your wardrobe seem larger and it makes it easier to find what you’re looking for.

Invest in a small box or drawer of bits and bobs to keep your wardrobe in good order. The basics include a lint rollers, a small sewing kit and a defuzzer.

Store out-of-season clothing such as heavy knitwear and ski clothes in storage boxes or suitcases above your wardrobe or in the loft. If you don’t have much space it is worth buying vacuum storage bags to save space and protect them against dust mites, moisture and dust.

For OCD wardrobe envy have a look at these super organised websites:

practicalprincess.com
thingsorganizedneatly.tumblr.com
iheartorganizing.blogspot.com

For your “things to donate to charity” pile, the options are numerous. If you’re donating to charity and you are a UK taxpayer, register with GiftAid to help raise more money. There is also a Charity Swap & Shop event on the 1st of February in Derwent College, so instead of donating to the local charity shop this January, save your unloved clothes, shoes and accessories and refresh your wardrobe at the Swap & Shop while raising money for SCAT and the Teenage Cancer Trust. Remember: “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure”. For more information visit the facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/events/213836672086243/?ref=14