Taking steps – be they big or small
Clutter is most overwhelming when it gets no attention and continues to build. By giving it a small amount of attention consistently, the stagnation lessens. It is the stagnation and the perceived enormity that can prevent you from dealing with it all.
The aim is to cut through all this which is easily achievable by simply going there and doing something - be it big or small. Big changes may be needed, but if that is too much for you, start with small steps and if you make them regular you will see big changes soon enough.
Even the littlest amount of de-cluttering makes a difference. If you do a tiny bit every day it won’t be long and you will begin to notice a huge difference.
The aim is to cut through all this which is easily achievable by simply going there and doing something - be it big or small. Big changes may be needed, but if that is too much for you, start with small steps and if you make them regular you will see big changes soon enough.
Even the littlest amount of de-cluttering makes a difference. If you do a tiny bit every day it won’t be long and you will begin to notice a huge difference.
The wardrobe
In the last few sections we have focussed on shared areas of the home – the entrance way and the kitchen. These areas are open to everyone. Anyone who enters your home passes through the entrance way and our kitchens are often the place that bring people together. Everyone sees and shares the kitchen and entrance way.
Today we’re moving to something a little more personal and something that is yours alone....
Today we’re moving to something a little more personal and something that is yours alone....
We’re going into the bedroom and heading for the wardrobe. This can be equally as fun as it can be daunting. If you can give yourself some space and spend some time on this one and in your wardrobe, it can be very rewarding.
It’s personal and it’s all about you.
Even if you have a walk-in wardrobe that you share with your partner, your share of the wardrobe is yours. So, make yourself a cup of tea and take the time to devote to this.
It’s personal and it’s all about you.
Even if you have a walk-in wardrobe that you share with your partner, your share of the wardrobe is yours. So, make yourself a cup of tea and take the time to devote to this.
Before you start - there are a few things to consider
The aim of the wardrobe de-clutter is to get rid of the clothes that you don’t actually like wearing. The focus is on how you feel when wearing your clothes. You can have a wardrobe full of lovely clothes that are beautiful in essence - but you may not always feel amazing in them. On the flip side, you may have a cheap dress, top or pair of pants that you love wearing. The focus is not on the actual clothes per se but on how you are and how you feel when wearing the clothes.
If you don’t feel amazing in it, then it’s up for review. We’re trying to move towards a wardrobe that inspires you when you get dressed each morning.
Stopping and feeling into what you want to wear is a beautiful way to start your day. If your wardrobe is cluttered up with old clothes, too many clothes or clothes that you don’t feel you in, then what can be a simple and loving process in the morning becomes something that is not as fun as it could be.
If you don’t feel amazing in it, then it’s up for review. We’re trying to move towards a wardrobe that inspires you when you get dressed each morning.
Stopping and feeling into what you want to wear is a beautiful way to start your day. If your wardrobe is cluttered up with old clothes, too many clothes or clothes that you don’t feel you in, then what can be a simple and loving process in the morning becomes something that is not as fun as it could be.
What to Get rid of
It’s highly likely you have clothes in their wardrobe you haven’t worn in a while, or perhaps even never. Let’s review all of these and assess whether you will wear them and why they don’t get worn regularly.
Of course, there are some clothes that don’t get frequent wear. You may not have been to a wedding or a formal function recently. So hang on to some items that fall into this category – you’ll know the difference.
Some common trip-ups
A note for the men here
All of this is relevant for you too. Your wardrobe may or may not be as extensive as a woman's, but how you feel in your clothes applies to you too. Men can block this feeling, but the way you feel is still there. How you feel each day in your clothing is worthy of your attention.
Of course, there are some clothes that don’t get frequent wear. You may not have been to a wedding or a formal function recently. So hang on to some items that fall into this category – you’ll know the difference.
Some common trip-ups
- Are there some clothes in there that don’t fit? Did they fit once and you felt amazing in it and so you’re hanging on to it in case you do fit it again one day?
- How much did it cost? This is a very common trip-up. If you paid $300 for a French designer jacket or suit that you’ve never worn and each time you try it on, it just doesn’t feel right, well that might be harder to get rid of than the $10 singlet. Again, come back to how you feel in it.
A note for the men here
All of this is relevant for you too. Your wardrobe may or may not be as extensive as a woman's, but how you feel in your clothes applies to you too. Men can block this feeling, but the way you feel is still there. How you feel each day in your clothing is worthy of your attention.
Making a Start
As your body changes and as you move and evolve through life, so too do the clothes that you wear. If you haven’t worn something for a couple of years then perhaps you have moved on from that item? Perhaps the item is no longer needed as it no longer represents the ‘current you’. Keeping this in mind, begin to go through your closet.
If you need a place to start, begin with what is hanging. Take it all out. Sort through it item by item.
Or you can pick a drawer and take everything out and go through each piece one by one.
Try things on if you want to – this can be a fun process. You may find things that you have forgotten about that you look gorgeous in and feel great in, and equally so you may find things that you no longer want to wear.
If you need a place to start, begin with what is hanging. Take it all out. Sort through it item by item.
Or you can pick a drawer and take everything out and go through each piece one by one.
Try things on if you want to – this can be a fun process. You may find things that you have forgotten about that you look gorgeous in and feel great in, and equally so you may find things that you no longer want to wear.
An important part
What is important here is that you stop and feel. Don't rationalise and think it through too much – your mind can convince you in or out of anything. Go with how you feel about the piece of clothing.
Try to differentiate how you feel in the clothing from how you feel about the piece of clothing. There will be plenty of clothes that you like and that are beautiful pieces of clothing - but the focus is on how you feel when you are wearing it.
Try to differentiate how you feel in the clothing from how you feel about the piece of clothing. There will be plenty of clothes that you like and that are beautiful pieces of clothing - but the focus is on how you feel when you are wearing it.
Sorting through it all
Start some piles. Place the keepers back in the wardrobe. Make a pile of what’s going and another for what you are not sure of. Once you’ve finished you can go through the not-sure-of pile and review this again.
The pile that's going can be divided into op-shop and giveaway if that is what you feel like doing. But getting it out the door is the main thing. If you are brave you could start a 'to sell' pile but be very cautious of this. It can slow down the process, it’s time consuming and leaves a huge opening for the clothes to be reconsidered and end up back in the wardrobe.
Your underwear
Don't forget to take this detail and awareness to your underwear too. Our underwear is mostly for ourselves - despite what many may think. Not many people see it but you feel it all day. Check in whether it is time for some of it to go.
And socks - it is safe to throw out the ones with holes that you will probably never darn - and the odd ones, the uncomfortable ones, the itchy ones, the ones that are too tight…
The pile that's going can be divided into op-shop and giveaway if that is what you feel like doing. But getting it out the door is the main thing. If you are brave you could start a 'to sell' pile but be very cautious of this. It can slow down the process, it’s time consuming and leaves a huge opening for the clothes to be reconsidered and end up back in the wardrobe.
Your underwear
Don't forget to take this detail and awareness to your underwear too. Our underwear is mostly for ourselves - despite what many may think. Not many people see it but you feel it all day. Check in whether it is time for some of it to go.
And socks - it is safe to throw out the ones with holes that you will probably never darn - and the odd ones, the uncomfortable ones, the itchy ones, the ones that are too tight…
The first Layer
This entire process may be one that needs to be done a few times and over time. Begin with the first and obvious layer. You may find in the coming weeks that now that you have opened up your awareness to how you actually feel in your clothes, you may discover more and more of what you don’t want to be wearing. You may try something out one day only to discover that you didn’t feel the radiant you whilst wearing it all day.
Taking time when you put it all back
While things are out of your wardrobe, it’s a great opportunity to clear the dust at the back of the closet and give it a spring clean. It doesn’t take too long to vacuum out the drawers or in the corners, wipe some surfaces and spruce it up a bit. The extra touches will clear away the dust and give it a sparkle.
As you place your clothes back in your wardrobe and drawers, take your time. It makes quite a difference to how the wardrobe feels if we have lovingly placed it all back as opposed to shoving things back in drawers. Take your time with the re-hanging and folding and next time you come to your wardrobe see if you notice a difference.
As you place your clothes back in your wardrobe and drawers, take your time. It makes quite a difference to how the wardrobe feels if we have lovingly placed it all back as opposed to shoving things back in drawers. Take your time with the re-hanging and folding and next time you come to your wardrobe see if you notice a difference.
The organisation & Order
Fold things and place them in the drawers. Group the hanging items together. You may be a colour coordinator or you may want to group pants with pants, jackets with jackets. Giving some order to your wardrobe will do exactly that – it will feel ordered. There can be such a joy when stepping back into something we have left in order.
This process is for you. There is no need to hold onto clothes that simply don’t represent you anymore. Our clothes are an expression of ourselves and this process is about checkin-in as to whether our clothes really do express who we are.
You may discover some long lost goodies and appreciate what you do have in your wardrobe. You may also open the door and create space for the new.
You may discover some long lost goodies and appreciate what you do have in your wardrobe. You may also open the door and create space for the new.
Checking in
After a few days, check in with yourself and your wardrobe. How did you go with the wardrobe? Did it need much of a clean out? Was it easy, or something you found challenging? And how do you feel having brought more awareness to what clothes you like to wear and how you feel in them?
A work in progress
If it is still a work in progress, keep at it. This may be something that continues to develop over time. And in the long term, it may always be a work in progress. As we evolve, change and go through different stages of life, the clothes we like to wear often evolve and change with us.
A work in progress
If it is still a work in progress, keep at it. This may be something that continues to develop over time. And in the long term, it may always be a work in progress. As we evolve, change and go through different stages of life, the clothes we like to wear often evolve and change with us.
Clearing out stagnation
The other purpose to the wardrobe clear out is not just to get rid of unwanted clothes. Clearing out stagnation is equally important as clearing out clothes. Sometimes you may need to throw very little out, but what your wardrobe needs is a freshening up - you rediscovering what is there, refolding things, some rearrangement...
Clutter is not only what is physically cluttered. It is also the way we feel about things and how we are with them.
Our wardrobe can be a good example of this. Yes, it may be physically cluttered and in need of a good clean out, but what we are also doing is going into an area and getting rid of the dust and cobwebs on an energetic level. Stagnation can be felt in the same way clutter is.
Part of de-cluttering is going into all these places that have not been tended to for a while. And it is more than discovering what is at the back of the cupboard – it is discovering what feelings you may have shelved in there too.
Clutter is not only what is physically cluttered. It is also the way we feel about things and how we are with them.
Our wardrobe can be a good example of this. Yes, it may be physically cluttered and in need of a good clean out, but what we are also doing is going into an area and getting rid of the dust and cobwebs on an energetic level. Stagnation can be felt in the same way clutter is.
Part of de-cluttering is going into all these places that have not been tended to for a while. And it is more than discovering what is at the back of the cupboard – it is discovering what feelings you may have shelved in there too.
