Decluttering Your Wardrobe Part 3 - Clean my room

The bedroom is a mess. When I say mess, I don't just mean a bit untidy, I mean really disgustingly messy. I have what is known as a "Floordrobe"! You know - your wardrobe is not a wardrobe, the floor becomes the place that holds your clothes. I must make a start. Back later.................

Room update - Dumped clothing into a laundry basket then changed the sheets and made the bed. As I could barely see the carpet, picked up paper, plastic bags, clothing labels/tags, the plastic strips that come with it, you name it, I had it, found the supermarket plastic bag too small so went and got the big black bin liners - one for plastics the other for paper stuff.

Picked up and dumped all the other stuff in the other room to clear a space, looked under the bed and nearly had an apoplexy - lay flat on the floor with a long thing to "sweep" the stuff from under the bed (couldn't reach otherwise). Sorted out what has to go (either haven't worn for ages or doesn't fit), granddaughter is coming tomorrow to have first dibs before the charity shop. Have hung up most of the clothes. Still have to do pants, leggings, sleepwear, lingerie. And there is a huge mess on the tall boy, but that will be done last.

I have the unfortunate habit of picking something up, or taking it to the room and plonking it down (usually on the tall boy or bedside table). There's stuff in one corner which has reached high height proportions and that will have to be done too. Do you know there's a boxed dinner set that son and dil received for their wedding which they didn't want, so left it at my place, also a pair of crutches from my time in NZ in 2007! I just checked when they were married - five years ago! I can't believe it's been sitting there for so long. I have the problem of saying, oh I'll do it later.......I toyed with the idea of taking before and after pics, but in the realms of decency, decided against.

Still haven't had lunch, and it's almost 2.30 in the afternoon. Coffee first I think.

Room update #2. It's now the wee hours of the following day (nearly 12.30 am) and I'm going to have me dinner. The clothes have now been folded, hung up, flattened, compartmentalised and put away. Phew! Checked and cleared the bedside table and tall boy drawers - found the bottom drawer full of neatly folded tees and tops which haven't seen the light of day for it must be around two years. I'd forgotten about them (they no longer fit). They're in one washing basket for the charity shop.

Still a long way to go, but I can see carpet! Two laundry baskets of clothes for gd to check out tomorrow. The other room is still an obstacle course, shoes haven't found a home, still more paper, plastic, bits and bobs to clear and throw out. I found I was slowing down to a trickle over the last few hours, ankles swollen, triple their size, lower back ache from all the bending. I swear once this is done, I ain't never going to allow this to happen again..

I feel a bit like Clancy
In my wild erratic fancy
I have visions of a neatly ordered house
The kitchen's looking tidy
The lounge room's just as neat
And when I get home straight from work
I can go put up my feet.

The bathroom will be sparkly with taps all shine and gloss
And the floor will have a smart look to it too
The laundry will be empty
The washing's all been done
And the dunny bowl will swish with Jays blue loo.

This is a flight of fancy which I hope to come true blue
And the day cannot be too far long away
For I'm sick of mess and clutter
Cannot find what I am after
And the never ending search for what I need today.

Decluttering Your Wardrobe Part 2

Anyhoo, I started and after beginning my new "collection" went through all the old stuff and ended up with several laundry baskets full which were given to the local charity shop. A family member of similar size was given first dibs at anything she liked. Move forward seven or eight months.....................some of those first clothes I bought when I started to change my wardrobe I realised were not really me. Either they were the wrong fabric (polyester) and/or it wasn't something I really wanted. Like the purple short sleeved top with the frill at the bottom and the white top thingy which looked alright on the model but not really on me - I'm not a wear hanging off one shoulder kind of girl.



Above: Fashion Mistakes. These two items were among the first things I bought when I started planning a new wardrobe. I wasn't really happy with them, but the sales lady who was the store manager was so positive about them and how they looked great on me, she convinced me to buy them.


Ask yourself the following about every item in your closet:
1. Do I love it?
2. Do I wear it?
3. Does it project the image I want to project?
4. Does it itch or scratch?
5. Does it pinch my toes? Are the heels to high to walk in?

Everything in your wardrobe should:
*Fit well
* Be worn regularly
*Comfortable enough that it is not distracting
*Project the image you want to project
Any items that do not fall into one of these categories are ready to be let go.


(i) Things you've never worn - you can tell because the label's still on, and they're still shop pressed
(ii) Things you haven't worn for a year
(iii) Things that are uncomfortable
(iv) Things you have worn but you've grown out of
(v) Things you hope to wear again some day

1. Group like with like.
Slacks should be hung; knits and sweaters should be folded. Your favourites in front of the closet, less-frequently worn items towards the back.

2. Hang & stack by colour.
You might forget if your blue sweater is a v-neck or crew neck, but you will always remember it's blue. Ditto for your flare leg and straight leg grey slacks.

3. Separate Out Undies
The most useful addition I've made to a closet is a set of baskets for undershirts (men) and camisoles (women).

When you pull out a slightly see-through button down, too-low-cut-for-work wrap dress, or sheer sweater, you can easily find the appropriate under garment.

4. Organise with Baskets & Bins
Baskets or bins are also great for tights, gym clothes and winter gear like mittens, scarves and hats. If you can store your winter accessories out of season in the same bin, even better.

5. Own less clothing!
If you haven't worn something in its season for more than one season - get rid of it.

Remember: Each piece of clothing is taking up valuable space. A good rule of thumb to follow: when you buy something new, be prepared to get rid of/donate something old.


The new rules of shopping should be something like this:

1. If there's only one thing you remember it should be: "buy less, buy better".

2. Don't buy now: research has shown that we get a lot of pleasure from thinking about something. Think like you've bought it. Often, by the time you've come to actually buy it, you're bored of it.

3. Never buy anything you like. Only buy things you love. Never buy anything that almost looks amazing. Only buy something that absolutely looks amazing. If you have an issue with even one little thing, don't buy it.

4. The first place to shop should always be your wardrobe.

5. Think of your wardrobe as an exclusive nightclub, where you are the doorman. Have a one in, one out rule. Decide on a maximum number, and stick to it. If you love something enough to want to let it in, decide who's not pretty enough to stay.

6. You're also the maitr'd: it's your responsibility to make sure the right people are sitting near the right people. That helps turn any clutter into a collection. So, work shoes next to work shoes, evening dresses next to evening dresses etc.

Information about decluttering from This site.

Decluttering Your Wardrobe Part 1

I knew I had to get rid of a lot of clothes - I had what seemed like "heaps" of clothes, yet had nothing to wear. Some no longer fitted me, others didn't seem to "go" with things and most of the tops were prints. I would have preferred plain but most if not all, the tops only came in prints, they didn't make them in plain colours. There was the odd one or two which were plain, like the coral, sleeveless top with tiny buttons and pleats down the front, and the black one more suited to cooler weather and a white one I bought but never wore because nice though it was it emphasised my "fatness"! And so.....something had to be done.

I had discovered TS (Taking Shape) did have some things that were me. Previously I had ignored this clothing label because most of their stuff was all layers and stuff, weird, wide skirts and designs and definitely not me, but then I discovered they also had Virtu. This label is younger, funkier and a bit more casual, much more me and I quite liked some of their range. And so the whole new wardrobe thing began.

When changing your wardrobe, unless you make a conscious effort and sit down and plan it, it takes a lot of money, time and hit and miss which is what happened with me. How I wish I'd thought to find out and read up about decluttering your wardrobe before I began, but there we are - we think of these things later. Or shutting the stable gate after the horse has bolted as mum and dad would say!

Forget prints and patterns


Above: Top row - these are both from the Sara label from DJ's, on sale, cheap price, massive mark down. - Big mistake! Don't buy something because it's "on sale!" Second row: The black/white/orange top is from Yarra Trail Woman, not all that cheap. Bought in Port Fairy January 2015. Lovely fabric but bought on impulse. Beware impulse buying.. Next to this is the BIB top. Another fashion mistake. I don't wear the BIB label - it's old looking and old-lady clothes, daggy and dowdy. This looked alright online though - Myer had it for $17 (again, cheap) but I have never worn it and these too, went the way of the rest. See what I mean about impulse buying?

Remember - think before you buy. Look at it but don't buy it. Really think about it and picture how it will look with the rest of your wardrobe. Do this with every piece of clothing you are tempted to buy. It works.