12 Steps
to Organizing your Wardrobe
Never have anything to wear? Do you have a wardrobe overflowing with clothes dating back to
1976 but don’t know how to start getting it organized and move it into the 21st
Century?
Try these 12 Steps to Organizing Your Wardrobe.
Step 1 Set aside 4
hours (minimum) to do this project with no interruptions. Put on some very
comfy clothes and have a full length mirror handy.
Step 2 Make sure you
have some strong garbage bags (for items to throw out or donate to charity),
some good quality coat hangers (no wire ones).
Flip
Tip:
Use large green garbage bags for rubbish and perhaps white
garbage bags for donation, will help you at the end of the project know which
bags are which!
Step 3 Set a goal
of how much you want to reduce your wardrobe by, for example 50%. This goal will keep you focussed and know
what you are aiming for. Keep reminding
yourself of your goal like a mantra throughout the project.
Step 4 Take everything
out of your wardrobe, cupboard, drawers, boxes and put them onto your bed.
Step 5 Pick up the
first item you see (we are doing this one thing at a time), you are not to let
go of this item until you have made a clear decision on it. How to decide?
·
How does it make you
feel when you see it?
·
How does it make you
feel when you put it on?
·
Does it fit?
·
Does it really suit
my body shape?
·
Is it worn out or
need repair?
·
Do I have a similar
item that I like better?
·
Have I worn it in
the last 12 months?
·
Does it suit my
current lifestyle?
Flip
Tip:
My dear
friends at Penny’s Boutique in Brisbane have what they call the “Smile Test”;
if you put something on and it makes you smile, then chances are you should
keep it!!
Step 6 Move the item to
one of the following categories
·
Keep
·
Throw away – Garbage
Bag
·
Donate - Garbage Bag
·
Mend – into a
shopping/carry bag
·
Dry Cleaning – into
a separate shopping/carry bag
Flip
Tip:
Mending – make sure the item is worth mending? Is the garment
still in good condition? Would it be
cheaper to replace it? Or even have it replicated by a dressmaker?
Step 7 For items
you want to keep, carefully hang them on a good quality hanger and place in
your wardrobe with the hanger facing inwards, ie the hook goes around the back
of the pole.
Flip Tip
In 12 months see how many hangers are
still facing this way, that will let you know what garments you haven’t worn in
the last year and can be reconsidered for inclusion in your next year’s
wardrobe
Step 8 Repeat this
process until all items have been sorted into the categories and neatly hung in
your wardrobe or folded in your shelves/drawers..
Step 9 Hang all your
clothes in groups, for example, all your tops together, all your trousers,
skirts, dresses together so they can be easily found when getting ready each
day. This will also give you an
overview of what items you have, you may find you have 5 black T-Shirts when
you thought you only had one, equally you will be able to spot any gaps in your
wardrobe; you may have donated all your black trousers and need to buy another
pair.
Step 10 Remove
items for donation, rubbish, mending or dry cleaning immediately. Sooner removed, sooner forgotten! And for the mending and dry cleaning, sooner
returned so you can enjoy wearing them again!
Flip Tip
To fold
a top like a pro, you must get a FlipFOLD, it goes without waying!. The only way to quickly fold all your
clothing, to uniform size in less than 5 seconds every time
Step 11 Make a list of
items that you need to replace (ie the gaps in your wardrobe) and keep it in
your handbag/wallet for when you are out shopping, you never know when you
might spot the item on sale. Also you
can refer to the list when you are tempted to buy clothing – stick to the list
items first!
Flip Tip
When considering an item for charity, ask you self “would you
ask a friend to pay you $5 for it”, if the answer is no then it should be
thrown out. Don’t use charity as a
dumping ground, remember people who ask for charity also have dignity.
Step 12 Reward yourself
with a new item for your wardrobe – remember don’t buy anything you already
have, and if you do buy something you already have, make sure you remove the
old item and either donate or throw away!
Flip Tip
Repeat
this same process for your shoes, underwear and accessories! Your wardrobe will
be organized in no time
Adele
Blair
Fellow
FlipChick!
www.flipfold.com.au
Happy Folding!
The FlipFold Team
