Clearing out and organising your wardrobe is the first step towards better, and more sustainable personal style [1]. Whether you're inspired by the new season, or looking to feel more productive during lockdown — the process of sorting your clothes is a positive move for the planet, and your bank statement.
A full wardrobe clean out is an opportunity to identify the pieces that truly bring you joy, refine your seasonal edit of clothing, and repurpose garments that you've forgotten about. Some pieces might rejoin the ranks of your coveted closet, while others might be better suited for resale, rental, or upcycling. As for items like old socks, worn knickers, and soiled fabrics, there are tons of places in the UK that will take your unwearable clothes, and recycle them into packing textiles to fill things like mattress toppers and car seats.
If you're a little emotionally attached to your wardrobe, then keep reading ahead for how to organise your clothes and accessories in four simple, easy, and fun steps.
Get It All Out In the Open
First things first, you've got to dump all your clothes, shoes, and accessories in a big open space and tackle each fashion category individually. Let's start with clothes. Once you've emptied your wardrobe, drawers, and any other nooks you might store your garments, make three separate piles — the "keep" pile, the "leave" pile, and the "undecided" pile. I emptied my entire wardrobe on my bedroom floor, then used my bed for the "keep" pile, an empty suitcase for the "undecided" pile, and a bin bag for the "leave" pile.
The Keep Pile
Use the keep pile as a way to carve out your personal style, or refine it further by being a bit selective about the garments that you really love. When deciding on which pieces to keep, ask yourself a few questions for each item: When is the last time that I actually wore this? How does this make me feel when I wear it? Where could I see myself wearing this next?
The champagne co-ordinated set I'm wearing in the photo almost made it into the undecided pile because I felt it was a bit too cutesy and girlish for how I'd like to see my style evolve. Then, I remembered that I have a few summer weddings to attend (if COVID-19 allows), and with the right shoes and accessories, it could be a nice minimal look. I would otherwise be tempted to buy a new dress, so I'm trying my best to shop my own wardrobe and give retail a break.
The Undecided Pile
Too good to let go? You've got three great options:
1. Put on a show: Try on your pieces again and see how you feel in them. Why not host a virtual fashion show with friends on apps like Zoom, Houseparty [3], or Instagram live, and have people vote on which looks to keep, and which to ditch.
2. Sell your clothes on an online shop [4]: Try Depop, Vestiaire Collective, Ebay, or Etsy to squeeze some extra pounds out of like-new garments.
3. Rent your pieces through a clothing rental service [5]: Try services like By Rotation, Hurr, and the Nu Wardrobe to make bank off your higher-end pieces without truly letting them go.
The '50s-inspired banana leaf dress I'm wearing in the photo was initially in the undecided pile, until I tried it on again and it made me so happy. Dancing in the circle skirt is so much fun, I love the print, and the way it moves. I totally forgot how great this dress makes me feel, so I kept it.
The Leave Pile
The leave pile should include items like old socks and knickers, soiled and distressed garments, and even pieces that are lightly worn and in good condition, but you don't see yourself or any of your friends wearing. From here, you can either choose to recycle, resell, or upcycle your pieces.
1. Textile recycling: Old socks, worn knickers, and distressed clothing can be donated to a textile recycling organisation, like Love Not Landfill [6], or your council's local textile recycling bank. Your unwearable pieces will be shredded and repurposed to be used in fabric blends, or packing textiles in mattresses and car seats (depending on the grade of fabric).
2. Clothing resale: You can donate your lightly-worn pieces to charity shops, but be careful which one you choose. There are many shops that simply export the clothes to developing nations that lack adequate recycling infrastructure, which only expands the problem of textile waste elsewhere. We recommend shops like TRAID that refreshes and resells your once-loved pieces at one of it's locations. Then, the charity puts the proceeds from sales towards improving working conditions and practices in the textile industry.
3. Garment upcycling: Get creative about what you can remake out of your old clothes. The tie-dye maxi dress I'm wearing is a pretty pattern, but it fits me so terribly. It has this weird, wonky fit that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I'm thinking, maybe I'll make a cool set of opera gloves and a face mask, or maybe a fun '80s-inspired scrunchie, or even a pillowcase — you've got so many options.