You may be lucky enough to know your style, know how to shop for a bargain and know where to pick up the latest designs, but filling your wardrobe with the best clothes is pointless if you can't find anything when you need it. A clean, organised and well-planned wardrobe is essential for simplifying mornings and ensuring you get the most out of your clothes. So how do you go about it?
The best way is to start from scratch. That doesn't mean going out and buying everything new, but it does mean taking every dress, sock, shoe and earring out of your wardrobe space. Everything should come out before it goes back in. (This is also a great time to give your wardrobe a good clean and remove any dust.)
STEP 1. GET RID OF UNUSED CLOTHING
Getting rid of clothes can be a difficult task, but it is the most effective way to declutter a wardrobe. If you haven't worn something for more than a year, toss it out, pop it on eBay or take it to your local charity shop. Also refrain from hanging onto clothing that doesn't fit you any more. If it's too big, be grateful you can say goodbye. If it's too small, it's time to go. If you find your way back to that weight, you're allowed to celebrate with some new clothes.
STEP 2. CALL IN THE PROS
Hiring a professional to sort out your wardrobe may not cost as much as you think, and you could be left with a well organised, custom closet. If you can't quite stretch to using a pro, hit the shops and look for storage options that allow you to see your clothing. As a general rule, clothes that aren't seen aren't worn.
STEP 3. HANGING
If you have the space, try to hang everything but group your wardrobe into sections. The one exception to this rule is heavy jumpers that may go out of shape when hung.
How you group your clothes is up to you. Some people prefer to group into colour, while others prefer to group into style. You could also choose to separate office from lifestyle. However you choose to arrange your clothes, ensure you hang items well. This includes hangers with the appropriate clips for shorts, pants and skirts.
STEP 4. ACCESSORIES
For your accessories, the key is to make them seen. When not in full view, it's unlikely you will take the time to change your bag to suit your outfit each day. Bags are generally pretty sturdy, so should be fine displayed outside of their dust bags. Scarves can be piled in their colours and hats are best kept in boxes. Just be sure to paste a photo of the hat on the outside of the box.
A good way to display your shoes is right toe out, left heel out, allowing a clear view of each of your shoes. Organise by colour and style and, if you are pushed for space, display your good shoes at the front and those scuffed runners at the back.
For jewellery, it's best to keep it near your clothes to remind you it's an essential part of your outfit. Keep jewellery uncluttered by organising into bracelets, necklaces, rings etc, and try to display as much of it as possible.
STEP 5. LINGERIE
Lingerie should be organised by colour, size and type, but needs to be rotated every few weeks. Otherwise you will find you are wearing the same bra and panties day in day out.
STEP 6. ADD A MIRROR
A full-length mirror is another way to get the most out of your wardrobe. You can't expect to get a good view of your outfit by standing on a stool and looking into your bathroom mirror.
Bonus tip: If space is limited, try using space saver bags to store away clothes out of season - there's no need to hang all your winter coats and jumpers in the midst of summer.