• Fashion/Beauty

The Great Interior Design wardrobe challenge!

So I’ve had a monumental clear out of my wardrobe. I’m a terrible terrible hoarder and find it really hard to part with stuff but my attentions are turning to decorating the Forever House and well, I’m dismayed about the mass of clutter I’ve accumulated. I bought the Marie Condo, The Life Changing art of tidying up, book, but I’m still too scared to read. My mantra is that in order for your home to reach its full potential you have to be clutter free. Well it’s about time I took my own expert advice wouldn’t you have thought.

I’ve started with my wardrobe. After filming three series of The Great Interior Design Challenge I’ve amassed so many outfits. Many of which I have never worn again *shame*. While they are really ever so pretty, they will also always feel like work clothes so I’m biting the bullet and putting most of them up for sale on Ebay. I’ve got lots of new things I need to buy for the home renovation, not to mention replenishing my wardrobe, so it feels like  a win win. Ebay have this great thing too where you can nominate to donate some money to charity so I’ve opted to donate 10% to BBC Children in Need too. Which may help ease my consumer conscience just a little.

First I sorted stuff I wanted to get rid of. Most of it was bagged up for the charity shop and the good stuff was set aside for selling. I had to do this exercise twice. And when I revisited it, I was able to let go of a little more each time. I’ve heard from my fashion friend that Ebay is not the best place to sell clothing, she recommends HardlyEverWornIt for nearly new designer brands . Another good way to sell good quality clothes is through second hand clothes shops. We have two great shops near me in Brighton which I use a lot. PreLoved in Brighton and  EditSecondhand in Cuckfield if you live down my way are well worth checking out. You won’t possibly get as much as selling it yourself but the hassle is taken out of it. And selling on Ebay is yawn.

Next I decided I piled up all my summer clothes in neat piles and stored them away in Vacuum storage bags.  These things are genius. You can buy them from Argos, and you slide your clothes inside and then suck all the air out of them, so they pack down really small. Better still they’re protected that way from musty smells and moths. I’ve managed to get my entire summer wardrobe in the bottom drawer.

Next up everything has to be nicely organised in the wardrobe. That’s the de-cluttering prize, smug satisfaction that your wardrobe now resembles the rails in Gap. I can’t recommend enough investing in matching wooden coat hangers. They don’t need to cost the earth, I got mine online from Shop Fitting Warehouse.  The joy it will return on the investment is a hundred fold. The Asbo has been enforced on all Wire and plastic hangers are in my house as they are forever getting into a scrap with one another. I then bought a shoe rail to put all my shoes on which again is a genius investement. Heels are best kept in boxes, to stop them getting dusty. If I can ever be bothered I’d love to stick a photo of each pair on the outside of the box so I know where to find them.

So in short, here are my easy steps to sorting your wradrobe:

1. Sort out what you don’t wear and won’t wear
2. Bag up stuff for charity shop and recycling.
3. Store out of season clothes away in Vacuum storage bags
4. Sell good gear on websites like Ebay or at the local second hand clothes shop
5. Treat yourself matching wooden coat hangers.
6. Store shoes in boxes on a show rail
7. go shopping with the proceeds!

So if you have some space in your wardrobe, hop on over to my Ebay page and pick your self up a bargain. Aside from the dresses there are masses of shoes and jewellery to go up too. Everything must go!

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