How to: Sort out your Wardrobe

Dear Readers,

Let's admit it. How many times during our teenage years have we dreaded the moment our mothers would utter 'SORT OUT THAT WARDROBE!!!'. I think that sorting out our wardrobe is one of the chores we were most likely to postpone as teenagers, just as we couldn't help postponing washing the dishes or tidying up our desk.

The Crime Scene

Yeah, I'm guilty of that too. I used to hate sorting out my wardrobe. It would always take me ages and then after 3 weeks I would have to do it again, because my 'organisation' would barely make it to its second week. However, since my mother is a clean freak obsessed with organisation and neatness (she also shouted 'sort out that wardrobe in a very high pitched voice), I had to deal with it. I just had to find an efficient system that would make the task more enjoyable.

Nowadays, I enjoy sorting out my wardrobe. It may sound rather odd to you, but when I sort out my wardrobe I feel like a proud athlete polishing his precious trophies and medals carefully stored in his prize cabinet. I find so many things I would have forgotten about. I can gauge what clothing items I need to buy and I always find something I don't want to own any more.

Heaven

Allow me to share some tips on how to sort out your wardrobe. I guarantee that these tips are also something your mother will like. My mother is very difficult to please and that is enough to confirm the tips reliability!

1. Take EVERYTHING out of your wardrobe. Clean the rails and the doors with a damp cloth and remove any bits and pieces that might have made their way to the bottom of your wardrobe.
2. Start 'examining' each and every item separately. Try things on. Then, divide all your clothes into piles. I usually divide them into the following: Things I want to keep, Things I'm going to give away, Things I want to alter, Things that have been demoted to PJs. I include items that need any livening up and things I might use for DIY projects with the 'alterations' pile.
3. After piling all of my clothes, I start hanging the ones that can go back in my wardrobe. At this point, the way you organise your wardrobe is entirely up to you. You might like colour-coding your items. You might prefer separating your work clothes from your everyday wear and your partywear. Some people like to store their clothes according to sleeve length. I recommend finding a system that works for YOU. Don't spend some two hours devising a complex organisation system if you can't keep up with it. In other words, don't be over-ambitious. Do you have time to maintain that system? If the answer is anything but a definite 'Yes', then find something else. I'm sorry, but a 'Maybe' isn't enough!
4. Allocate some space for empty hangers. It's such a nuisance to have empty hangers all over your wardrobe. It's easier to grab an empty hanger should you need one if they're all stacked together in one place.
5. If your mother/sister/father/anyone else hangs your clothes after the washing, ask them (politely lol) to stop doing it. Do it yourself. Having someone else fiddling with your wardrobe will only mess up your system and you'll have to start all over again. Remember, too many cooks spoil the broth!
6. Make sure your re-arrange your wardrobe regularly. It's easier to sort out a 'slightly messy wardrobe' rather than 'I can't tell whether this is my wardrobe or a battlefield' because you've been postponing the task for ages. Don't slack! Goodness, I sound like my mum!

I want one like these, argh!

I hope that today's post will make many of you rush to your wardrobe to sort it out. Following the steps above will make the task less daunting, I promise. My last tip is optional: Play any music that puts you in a good mood and wear something comfortable whenever you decide to get the task done :)

Happy Weekend!

-B