Unkrate Exclusive: Wardrobe Decluttering is not minimalism, it is a wise decision to make your wardrobe work for you
Jainee Gandhi
Decluttering the wardrobe is essential because it not only organizes your space but it will organize your life as well. People consider decluttering as a major task and often procrastinate doing it. Here are some tips that will help you declutter your wardrobe in quickest and systematic manner.
Decluttering is a mental exercise more than a physical one. Sometimes we are emotionally attached to a piece or sometimes we just totally forget about that garment or everyone’s favourite "I will surely fit into this someday." To start decluttering, raid your wardrobe, remove every single piece of garment that you have.
This is a very important step emotionally because you will realize how many clothes you have and how many have you been actually wearing. It is said that "People wear 20% of their clothes, 80% of the time."
Divide your clothes into 3 categories
A: Clothes you like and wear too often
B: Clothes you don’t like but have to wear them
C: Clothes that you like/don’t like but have not worn them in the last 3 years.
Category A is safe, it is the 20% of the clothes that you wear often. For Category C just close your eyes and donate. What you have not worn in the last 3 years for whatever reason, you will never wear it again. Some argue that I will fit into, whenever that happens you will buy a new one. The only exception here is emotional value, wedding dress or children first or something else, that piece is not a garment but a treasured emotional piece, store that away.
Now, let us come to important category B, this the part where most mistakes happen. "Clothes you don’t like but have to wear them," why does this happen? is this because you fall for fashion trends, or because you buy too often? Or that you have still not figured out your personal style and hence unsure of what to buy? This category reduces with practice, patience, and knowledge. Build your Basic Wardrobe to avoid that 80% of clutter in your wardrobe.
So what exactly do you understand by Wardrobe Basics?
They are those boring clothes that are always there in our wardrobe. Black Formal pants if you are working, denim for outings, basic black tee and so on. Although they look boring, they are very versatile and essential.
Few ways to style different pieces
I. The same skirt looks different with different tops and accessories.
II. Sometimes even a different hairdo can make a difference. Using the same jacket for a dress, skirt and trousers mean one fewer garments.
III. Same silhouette, same jacket, different colour kurtas for two different looks.
This is how you can play around with a smaller wardrobe and still create new looks.
Decluttering the wardrobe is essential because it not only organizes your space but it will organize your life as well. People consider decluttering as a major task and often procrastinate doing it. Here are some tips that will help you declutter your wardrobe in quickest and systematic manner.
Decluttering is a mental exercise more than a physical one. Sometimes we are emotionally attached to a piece or sometimes we just totally forget about that garment or everyone’s favourite "I will surely fit into this someday." To start decluttering, raid your wardrobe, remove every single piece of garment that you have.
This is a very important step emotionally because you will realize how many clothes you have and how many have you been actually wearing. It is said that "People wear 20% of their clothes, 80% of the time."
Jainee Gandhi
Divide your clothes into 3 categories
A: Clothes you like and wear too often
B: Clothes you don’t like but have to wear them
C: Clothes that you like/don’t like but have not worn them in the last 3 years.
Category A is safe, it is the 20% of the clothes that you wear often. For Category C just close your eyes and donate. What you have not worn in the last 3 years for whatever reason, you will never wear it again. Some argue that I will fit into, whenever that happens you will buy a new one. The only exception here is emotional value, wedding dress or children first or something else, that piece is not a garment but a treasured emotional piece, store that away.
Now, let us come to important category B, this the part where most mistakes happen. "Clothes you don’t like but have to wear them," why does this happen? is this because you fall for fashion trends, or because you buy too often? Or that you have still not figured out your personal style and hence unsure of what to buy? This category reduces with practice, patience, and knowledge. Build your Basic Wardrobe to avoid that 80% of clutter in your wardrobe.
So what exactly do you understand by Wardrobe Basics?
They are those boring clothes that are always there in our wardrobe. Black Formal pants if you are working, denim for outings, basic black tee and so on. Although they look boring, they are very versatile and essential.
- Flexible: They can change your whole look by adding few accessories.
- Trend Proof: They are basics, you can never go wrong with that. For example, in an interview, you can never go wrong if you are wearing a white shirt and formal pant.
- All Season: No matter what season it is, these clothes are always in season.
- Style Saving: If Red hot pants are in trend than tone them down by a basic black tee.
- Outfit Multipliers: It is said that 12 basic garments can create up to 80 outfits. So just think about it. Even if you have 50% of your wardrobe as basic wardrobe than how many looks you can create.
- Wardrobe Foundation: They are wardrobe foundation. If you are on a low budget and trying to just get started then these basics are of great help.
Few ways to style different pieces
I. The same skirt looks different with different tops and accessories.
II. Sometimes even a different hairdo can make a difference. Using the same jacket for a dress, skirt and trousers mean one fewer garments.
III. Same silhouette, same jacket, different colour kurtas for two different looks.
This is how you can play around with a smaller wardrobe and still create new looks.
The author is Certified Image Professional and
Founder of ImagEdge Academy, Mumbai & Singapore
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