Great Big Wardrobe Shake Up

I have given my wardrobe a mahoosive overhaul over the last few weekends. I wrote here about simplifying belongings & life generally.

I have been really strict asking myself  -  Do I love it? Does it fit? Does it suit? But I think the most important one is 'When did I last wear it?'

Sometimes I'd have that little voice - you know the one, it goes "But I really like these" the voice of reason then would go "Ok, so you really like them so why haven't you worn them in three years?" Charity Bag!!!

I know some people do things like turn the hangers round when they've worn something, or tie a ribbon round the top of the hanger to help them to get rid of excess, but I know what I have and haven't worn.

I'm comfortable in my skin and with what suits and what doesn't. I have 'my uniform!' It turns out it's navy, grey & cream! Or striped as you can see.....

So here is my wardrobe before I started - I also have work clothes in another wardrobe. You can see everything is crammed in - there are more shoes under my bed! & the drawer below my hanging space. I pulled everything out of the bottom of the wardrobe to start, but left everything hanging up. I then just went through every item, one by one. Some stayed, some went...

Here's what I knew could go straight away. These boots to my Daughter - the Kurt Geiger I wear with smart trousers for work but they are starting to wear on the heel, my daughter loves them. The boots I haven't worn for years & really like them???? hard to part but they had to go!

Some of these shoes I am selling in a dress agency which I haven't done before, some for the charity shop. I know what I love and wear time and again in the shoe department - no rash purchases for me in future! It's ridiculous how much we accumulate - we wear 20-30% of our clothes 70-80% of the time on average. I would say that's me! What about you? 

Accessories going, being given to friends who I know will get more wear out of them, or again my charity shop of choice Help The Aged, who I am registered with for tax relief. The little denim bag has sneaked back in as I am going to a couple of festivals this year and it may be useful???

Going to try selling these at my local dress agency. Before Christmas I sold a few things on Ebay and got bit really hard. A Hush dress with tags still attached went for three pounds - I was nearly sick - that was just one item at that time. I am loath to put these particular items on Ebay.

You can have too many pairs of jeans, yes you can!! Other's will say you can't - but they is wrong!

These I will try on Ebay......ggggrrrrr. 

& here is my finished wardrobe, less cluttered, pleases me more than you could know, haha! Admittedly still shoes under the bed......the Sweaty Betty bag I put the bottom of longer items in so they don't get dusty on the wardrobe base.

This is my jumble of workout gear - cycling, running, pilates.....No wonder I can never find anything!

Here it is tipped out .........

Not very often I run every day, so here is what I decided to keep. I do need another pair of long running pants. That's the beauty in having a good sort out. It does help you to see what you need also. I am focussing on need not want.....hhhhmmmmm, let's see how long it lasts!

 Pilates wear - all keepers

 I often have a cycling holiday so best to hang on to most stuff, although some went, mainly because it was dingy.

Here is what went - I took it to work and it all went, lots of free technical t-shirts from doing races. I am always going to skip on the t-shirt now. 

 Trunk sorted! :-) This makes me happy! No frantic searching, with ten minutes to go from now on!

 I really enjoyed this sort out, it is really cathartic and almost addictive. The more I purged the more I wanted to get rid of. I actually became stricter with myself during the whole process.

I have had a few new items sneak in since I did this clearout which I'm going to share tomorrow. But they were purchases that I really thought about first, not rash purchases. This is how I hope to be now. In many ways I am becoming a much more considerate shopper.

Thanks so much for dropping by. I hope I've maybe inspired some of you to have a sort out yourselves - if you do, enjoy it! XX