You’ve probably seen the phrase ‘new year, new me’ at least 100 times by now, and as cliche as it might be, a new year to me always signifies a fresh start, and new possibilities on the horizon. It also typically tends to be a time of year when I find myself feeling inspired to clean up my closet, and reduce the clutter around our home. My attitude towards my belongings has been heavily influenced by Marie Kondo’s Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up; if I don’t have a use for something and it doesn’t give me joy, then it’s usually an indicator that it’s time for that item to go. While I’m not a minimalist by any means (I do try my best though!), I don’t relish the thought on hanging on to things that are no longer being loved, that are just taking up space both in a physical sense, and mentally – where possible, I’d rather see these possessions go on to find a new home to be cherished. So, on the back of a recent declutter I’ve done around our house (which you’ll find the results of here), I wanted to talk about six things you don’t need in your wardrobe, starting with…
#1 THINGS THAT DON’T FIT
I think we’ve probably all been guilty of buying something on sale that’s either too big, or a smidge too tight, with the intention of either having it taken in, or losing a couple of those holiday pounds. However, I usually find that those well-intended trips to the tailor happen about once in a blue moon, and buying something that’s too small with the intent on losing weight to fit is never a good motivator, as if you fall off the bandwagon, it can serve as a reminder of your failings, so it’s better to wait until after you’ve lost the weight to go shopping, even if it means having to pay a little bit more. Then there’s also the items that you’ve been hanging on to for years; they’re styles that you absolutely love but they just don’t fit the same anymore. Our bodies change over time – along with our style and preferences – so you might find that these old wardrobe favourites no longer fit the way they used to. It’s also a good time to have a rifle through your intimates drawer, and part with any underwear that is no longer looking its best.
#2 STATEMENT JEWELLERY
A strong piece of jewellery is often all you need to give your wardrobe a bit of a refresh, but if you’re anything like me, these obsessions with a new necklace or pair of earrings can be short-lived. Given how small and inconspicuous they are, it’s easy to hide away any pieces of jewellery that we aren’t wearing, and these can quickly stack up. I like to take the opportunity at the start of the year to review what I’ve been keeping in my jewellery box, and declutter the pieces that I’m no longer reaching for.
#3 UNCOMFORTABLE SHOES & CLOTHING
It’s pretty easy to fall into the trap of hanging on to things that just don’t fit right. It might be a skirt that rides up as you walk, a pair of shoes that pinch at the toes, or a blazer that pulls uncomfortably under the arms. At any rate, these items are uncomfortable to wear and I suspect, they don’t make you feel good when you wear them. I know it can be hard to part with these items when you’ve already spent some of your hard earned cash on them, but in economics terms, it’s a sunk cost, that is ultimately never going to make you happy. The start of the year is a good time to finally bite the bullet and let these things go – you can even look at selling them on eBay or via a consignment store, to make that bitter pill of finally giving these pieces up a little easier to swallow.
#4 WORN OUT WARDROBE STAPLES
The beauty of a wardrobe staple is that it’s something that you’ll reach for time and time again, regardless of what styles are currently ‘trending’. However, years of frequent wear on these hard working pieces can result in something that’s starting to look a little bit worn. We may be attached to these wardrobe workhorses, but if they’ve seen better days, it’s probably a good idea to start thinking about investing in a replacement, and parting with the item.
#5 OLD LOUNGEWEAR
Loungewear is one of those categories that can be pretty easy to stockpile without even realising it; old tees, worn out comfy staples or items that are just completely past their use by date naturally tend to become pieces that you choose to wear, but just around the house, which means that we can end up with too much loungewear, or at least more than we actually need. As with any other part of your wardrobe, your loungewear should make you feel good while you’re wearing it; anything that is looking particularly tatty is worth parting with, and if possible, to be used as rags around the home.
#6 CLOTHES YOU AREN’T WEARING
Finally, it’s time to declutter the clothes that you just aren’t wearing. Generally speaking, it’s pretty safe to say that if you’ve been hanging on to an item for a year and you still haven’t worn it, it’s probably never going to happen. These belongings are just adding clutter to your home and more specifically, taking up precious real estate in your wardrobe. Perhaps the most difficult item of all to part with is anything with the tags still attached; you’ve spent all that money on something absolutely gorgeous, but sometimes we make the odd fashion mistake, and invest in something that isn’t right for us, whether it’s due to personal style or our lifestyle. For anything that you’re feeling on the fence about, pack these into a suitcase or a storage box and hide them away somewhere for 3-6 months. If you haven’t thought about it at all during that time (and chances are, you probably won’t), then it’s probably time to move those pieces on.
