I don’t know what happened to winter (we really didn’t have one this year) but here in Durban, spring has sprung and it is getting warmer.  As I was looking into my wardrobe a couple of days back for something less wintery to wear, I noticed several items that need to move on. There is nothing like a change of seasons, particularly spring, to inspire a good clean-out! Not having worn most of our summer things for a few months helps us to step back and look at them with new eyes.  And often we find that we are holding onto items for a number of reasons, often without wearing them much, if at all.  Rather than cluttering up your wardrobe with items that don’t work for you anymore, I challenge you to let them go, to make space for the items that you actually wear and enjoy. And maybe even for a couple of new items this spring.

Here is a checklist to help you to review your wardrobe. Answering the questions honestly will help you to limit your wardrobe to an acceptable level that will fit in your storage space.  And which at the same time will support your current lifestyle, image and sense of well-being.

  • Lifestyle – Does the item fit my current lifestyle? Or am I just keeping it to remind me of what my life used to be like when I was younger/in a different kind of job/happier etc.?
  • Fashion – Is the item still fashionable or is it outdated?
  • Fit – Does the item fit me now?  Is it likely that it will fit me in the next 6 months? If not, it is likely to sit in my cupboard taking up space and never being worn?
  • The look – Does the item really flatter me? Does it accentuate my best features and hide the rest?
  • The clothes you love – Do I really love this item?  Or have I always been a bit unsure about it?
  • Special occasion items – Which of these items do I really love?  Which am I likely to wear in the next year?
  • Repeat items – Do I have too many of one type of item? How many do I really need? The shoes and handbags come in here!

It has been said that we wear 20% of our clothing, 80% of the time.  So this is an opportunity to decide which of your clothes fit into the 20% bracket, and which of the remaining 80% you really no longer need. Happy sorting!

A printable version of this checklist is available here.

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