Spring Cleaning: Wardrobe Edition

With all this extra time for us college students, it is the perfect opportunity for a wardrobe de-clutter. The stuffed wardrobe of unworn garments, identical shirts, old school hoodies and that dress you “definitely will wear soon!” is finally getting tackled. It’s a chore very few of us enjoy, especially because most of us have far too many clothes. You’ve been putting this off for ages but it is finally time. Go on. Just do it. It’ll be worth it in the end, trust me.

Preparation

Timing… Timing is absolutely everything when it comes to such a monstrous task. I would recommend commencing early morning and give yourself a sufficient timeframe based on how bad the situation is (2 hours for a minor tidy while a complete detox could take up to 5 hours). Make sure you have a good breakfast beforehand, this is going to take all the energy and motivation you have. A strong coffee might be also beneficial.

Comfy clothes… A hoodie and tracksuit bottoms is probably your best bet for spring cleaning attire. Some stages of this declutter will require you to try on numerous outfits in between sorting and dumping. Choose an outfit that is easy to move in while easy to take on and off.

Playlist… Creating a new Spotify or Apple Music playlist of all your favourite tunes is something worth getting excited about. Pick those songs guaranteed to get you in a good mood and ready to get the job done. Alternatively, there is already a playlist called “CLEAN” on Spotify at your disposal. Connect to a speaker and get yourself in the mood. Keep it upbeat, fast-moving and cheerful!!

Water… A wardrobe clear-out will undoubtedly involve blood, sweat and tears. Keep a bottle handy to keep hydrated… this is going to be a marathon, not a sprint.

Process; My Tips and Tricks

To begin… Take EVERYTHING out of your wardrobe and presses. And I mean, absolutely EVERYTHING. You’re going to have to place your clothes on the bed or on the (clean!) floor. Take out the hangers and give the space a good dust down.

Bit by bit…

· Go through every single item of clothing that has been thrown out of your closet. Make four piles; one for keeping, one for charity, one for selling and one for the bin. Clothes for the bin should be in dire shape and no longer fit for wear. Pop the charity, selling and bin options in three separately labelled bin bags to clear the room.

· Next ask yourself the ultimate wardrobe clear-out questions; do I really like this? Is this my style? Is this comfortable? Do I look good in this? Do I feel good in this? Have I worn this in the past year? Is this too faded? Too worn? Stretched? Being ruthless is difficult but many of us don’t have the storage to keep every single sentimental outfit. Do you really need that Irish dancing skirt you wore when you were seven? Or your first ever pair of heels? Or your TY hoodie? No you don’t. Generally, once they’re gone, you’ll forget about them… Tidy room, tidy mind and all that.

· Make sure you have enough hangers to hang up shirts, tops, dresses, skirts, jackets and coats. The slim velvet hangers, readily available in Penneys and Dunnes are ideal as they save space and prevent garments slipping off. They will also provide a more organised look to your completed tidy wardrobe.

· Fold heavy items like jumpers, hoodies and sweatshirts. This will save space but will also keep the shape of wool jumpers in particular.

· As you come across clothes that you are uncertain about, try them on. Have those Levi jeans you bought in 2014 seen better days? Is that little black dress a bit tight on you these days? You won’t know until you try them on in front of a full length mirror. Remember; IF IN DOUBT; THROW IT OUT!!!

· Roll basic t shirts, turtle necks and leggings as they often won’t crease and won’t require ironing before wear.

· Store your most worn pieces like your everyday jeans and jumpers at eye level while less worn bits and pieces such as summer shorts and going out outfits can be stored up higher.

· Individual storage boxes are handy to place at the bottom of your wardrobe if you have the space. For example, you can keep all your gym gear in one and summer clothes in another.

· It’s a good idea to rotate your wardrobe seasonally. With summer approaching, you can begin to reduce the number of wool jumpers, hats and scarves at the forefront of your wardrobe. Storage boxes are an efficient way to store swapped clothing in between seasons.

· There is nothing worse than heading out and not being able to find a pair of matching shoes. Instead of throwing your heels, boots and trainers under the bed, a shoe organiser should become your best friend.

· Work with the space you have and do not jam pack your wardrobe with hanging items. If you can’t fit every single shirt and dress you own, think about folding your least worn items. You need to be able to SEE your clothes when choosing an outfit.

· Hang your clothes by category; for example all tops together. It seems obvious but will prove extremely useful when you are trying to locate your favourite summer day dress in a few months.

· Use drawer dividers for tights, underwear, socks and bras; not only is it more functional but is also more aesthetically appealing.

When the task is FINALLY completed, you’ll probably be fit for bed so either collapse on the couch with something nice or sleep it off.

It’s done, it’s clean, it’s organised… Try keep it like that!

HAPPY SPRING CLEANING !!