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How To Declutter Clothes

How Do You Get Started Decluttering Your Wardrobe?

So you want to learn how to declutter clothes the easy way? You have come to the right place. The first thing you want to do is plan carefully. Set out a time and day to declutter your clothes and go from there. If you have too many, consider decluttering by garment type over some time. For example, start with jackets then move on to jeans, trousers, skirts and so on and so forth. Make sure you gather all of your clothes in one place. That includes from the car, shed, outhouse, loft or basement. Wherever they are stored, you can only truly learn how to declutter your clothes by seeing all of it altogether. You may well have similar things stored in different places, so getting it all out is essential.

Once you have decided where to start, you can begin planning a capsule wardrobe. If you are not sure of your body shape and colouring, getting a body shape guide done alongside a colour analysis is helpful. By doing so, you will know what to look for and what to avoid before you purchase anything and add anything else back in. From your colour analysis, choose no more than eight colours. This will usually be around four or five canvas (neutral) shades and three or four paint colours (usually brighter in hue). The colours you choose will help you focus on what works in your wardrobe and what does not. It will also be easier to mix and match to create outfits.

Before You Declutter Your Clothes

Before you start to declutter your clothes, you need to ask yourself a series of questions. Write the answers down because it will help you focus on your plan. Download and fill out my FREE guide as you go along it will really help you focus. 

  • What items do you like in your current wardrobe and why? 
  • What do you wear to work?
  • What do you need for hobbies or leisure activities?
  • Where do you tend to go on holiday? Is that regular? What do you need for that? 
  • Do you need clothes to be with the kids?
  •  Are there any special events you attend each year?
  • What is the environment like where you live, and how do you need your clothes to protect you?
  • Are there seasons?
  • If you have seasons, do you want one capsule for the whole year, two for autumn/winter and spring/summer or four for all four seasons?
  • What style do you admire? 
  • What’s your authentic style?
  • Is there something in between the two, and does it meet your practical needs?
  • How long does it take you to get ready? 
  • How do your clothes make you feel? 
  • How do you want to feel?
  • What types of clothes do you need? Exercise, work, formal, etc pr a variety of different styles? 
  • What clothes make you feel good and why?
  • What clothes feel comfortable and why?
  • What do you buy and never wear and why?
  • What do you wear over and over again and why?
  • Are there fabrics that you find uncomfortable?
  • Do you prefer ethical brands?
  • Do you have a strict budget?
  • How often do you go through a wash cycle, so how many options of each style do you need?

When you answer all of these, you will start to look at your wardrobe differently from how you do at present. Build your capsule wardrobe around your personal requirements so that your wardrobe works for you. 

 
a woman surrounded by messy clothes

Ask These Questions As You Declutter

Once you know how to declutter your clothes,  have looked at colour and style and thought about your lifestyle requirements, you can go through everything and ask these questions as you declutter;

  • Is it damaged?
  • Is it so worn it needs replacing?
  • Does it still fit my lifestyle?
  • Does it still fit well?
  • Does it feel comfortable?
  • When I wear it, do I have to continually adjust it? 
  • Is the material pleasant to wear? 
  • Does it make me feel good when I wear it?
clothes hanging on rail in white wardrobe with boxes

Intentional Shopping

Now you know how to declutter clothes, do not fill your wardrobe up again with impulse buys! Every time you feel that pang or feeling low, missing out, excitement or any other feeling that leads to impulse buys ask yourself the following questions;

  • Is it excellent quality? If you buy a cheaper alternative, will you replace it more regularly, so spend more in the long run?
  • Will the purchase leave you in debt? How much will that debt cost you? 
  • Do you need it and love it, or do you just aspire to have something like that?
  • Have you been caught up in a marketing ploy?
  • Do you have something similar at home?
  • Does it fit with your lifestyle and will you wear it regularly?
  • Does it fit with your colours and styles?
  • If it is a three for two deal or similar, will you use the extra garment or is it a waste of your money? 

Repeat after me; A bargain is only a bargain if you use it otherwise it is a waste of your money!

I hope you found this post helpful, let me know how you get on. If you need more help building a capsule wardrobe you can book a FREE consultation with me.

pile of clothes on a pink background
pile of clothes on a grey patterned background

What Next?

The information given in the post is the best of my knowledge at the time of writing. If you are embarking on anything new get professional advice if required.

If you enjoyed this post and wish to create a capsule wardrobe, I can help you create one quickly and easily. Get started immediately with one of my personal styling services or book in for a complimentary consultation

  • Personal Styling Gift Vouchers – Save up, ask for them for gifts or put towards any of my services. This is the ideal way to afford a personal stylist whatever your budget!
  • Capsule Closet Success Membership – Receive a copy of the Seasonal Capsule Essentials Ebook twice a year worth $19 and gain access to the Capsule Closet Success Course worth $200. Join our private community for support and advice and submit questions every week and have them answered live in our weekly live check-in sessions. 
  • Premium Personal Styling – A personalised colour analysis and body shape style guide, a live wardrobe edit, a personal shopping and a curated Lookbook
  • Personal Styling – 
  • A personalised Colour Analysis, a Body Shape Analysis And Style Guide, a Live Wardrobe Edit
  • A wardrobe Edit – A 20-minute zoom call to discuss your needs and to highlight any particular problems you want to address in the wardrobe edit. A private Pinterest board to pin styles and colours you love. A 60 minutes live video wardrobe edit
  • Colour Analysis And Body Shape Styling –

  • The Capsule Closet Stylist Colour Analysis looks at the natural colouring in your hair, eyes and skin tone and shows how you can complement your natural colouring in your clothes. The Body Shape Style Guide teaches you how to make the most of your best assets, hide what you do not like, find clothes that complement your shape, and choose the perfect fit.

Still Not Sure?

Book a discovery call with me where we can discuss colour, style, decluttering, body shapes and much, much more.  I can identify where you most need help and point you in the right direction. 

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**Please Note This Post Contains Affiliate Links

Capsule Closet Stylist is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Program, Shopstyle and LTK, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn commission incomes by advertising and linking to Capsuleclosetstylist.com 

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Capsule Closet Success testimonials

'When you join the membership it isn't generic it is tailored to your needs. Michelle considers each individual person and provides advice and guidance based on their needs. I have learnt so much since I joined I feel like I could sit an exam on it now! Honestly, without a doubt if you feel like you are lost with what to wear, you don't know what suits your body shape or your shape has changed, you've lost confidence, you're starting a new job, or you want to minimise your wardrobe, Michelle's membership is without a doubt for you. You can not get better for the price, I have looked!'
Rachel
UK
I joined Michelle's facebook "capsule wardrobe challenge" in June 2020. I loved her approach of starting off with a concept of what colours and styles you were attracted to, followed by what your lifestyle required functionally. It helped me assess my existing wardrobe with a checklist in mind instead of feeling overwhelmed and indecisive. I found the video format and weekly check-ins easy to follow and explained each stage of building a capsule well. She has been quick to answer any queries I have and to offer her professional stylist's opinion with a gentle manner. I am most grateful for Michelle's overarching aim to help her clients "find their happy place". This membership is about being comfortable in your own skin, not about being super fashionable, and that is exactly what I needed. Thank you for helping me find my confidence again. 😊
Helen
Australia
There is no doubt in my mind that having a personal stylist online is worth the investment. In fact, at the end of the day I will spend considerably less while looking and feeling so much better. Why? Because I will never again mindlessly spend and spend and spend on clothes that just aren’t right for me and that don’t make me happy. I think we all dream of that wardrobe that makes us happy and confident, but it is so easy to just give up and just wear something. I know I did. And that is just plain crazy because I love clothes! I have always been attracted to styles that I lacked the confidence to try out. Now, with the help and guidance of Michelle, I can finally explore those styles with confidence knowing that whenever I run an item by Michelle, she will give me her honest feedback on whether or not it will fit with my colors and with how I want to look and feel. In short: Michelle’s advice really is priceless. I feel an A-lister in the garments I have purchased since becoming a member! Pssst: One secret, you don’t have to become a minimalist if you don’t want to. Michelle is not about legalistic minalism, she is all about you finding out what works for you and that – along with her very deep knowledge of style – is why I think her membership works for me when in the past nothing else has.
Sisse
Denmark
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