Each month on the blogs I try and address some common questions I get asked.
A challenge which many people experience is having clothes they don’t wear, which they can’t bring themselves to get rid of.
Whilst there isn’t just one solution, here’s some ideas which may help.
A new life
Firstly, if you’ve got a lot of clothes you don’t wear, it’s worth seeing if you can identify any reasons for not wearing them.
Perhaps you’ve out-grown them, or they are no longer appropriate for your lifestyle. Maybe you don’t feel like ‘you’ when you wear them. Whatever your specific reasons, it’s worth asking yourself if this is likely to change and if you will re-wear them again.
Can you give a new lease of life to any of the items? With clothes I’m not wearing because of the colour, I’ve dyed them! Refreshing the colour in an old pair of jeans or completely changing the colour of other garments has helped me to wear things again.
Are any of them the wrong length or fit? It may take more effort or skill, but these can be altered so you do wear them again – even if it means taking it to a seamstress. Re-purpose clothes into other things, like a cushion cover, a bag or make a top or skirt from a dress instead.
If you’re not likely to re-wear them or change them to make them work for you, why is it that you keep them? Let the guilt go, thank it for it’s time and let someone else get joy from them.
Having a constant reminder each time you open the wardrobe doors does you no good. It’s a shame to let them gather dust at the back of your wardrobe when others would love them. Donating them will keep the item in circulation, avoid landfill and lighten your emotional load too.
Swap and swish
When I was younger, my friends at school would regularly have a clothing swishing party. Everyone would bring items along they don’t wear anymore and swap for something new! These events still happen today encouraging you to bring along your unworn items in exchange for a ticket to swap for another garment. They’re a great way of obtaining ‘new’ items, refreshing your wardrobe and culling things you don’t wear. You could even organise your own event too!
Sell
I like my money where I can see it; hanging in my closet! Carrie Bradshaw
A famous saying in the original series of Sex and The City. This is the reason that many people can’t let things go. The truth is that you’re unlikely to get the same money back that you spent in the first place (unless it’s vintage of course, then who knows!). But, this isn’t always the best reason to keep hold of things. Especially if you’re not wearing them.
Selling clothes you don’t wear (and unlikely to wear again) will help to lighten the load you feel emotionally and put some money in your pocket. Think of it as a reward for keeping them safe! There’s a huge pre-loved clothing market which I can’t see disappearing any time soon. Sure, it means competition, but everyone loves a bargain and your lovely clothes can be enjoyed by someone else whilst you earn a little cash.
Use the money you earn to treat yourself to something new (which you will wear), pay off some debts or treat yourself to a night out or a takeaway!
Ebay, Vinted and Facebook marketplace are the common places to sell and there are pre-loved groups on Facebook for certain brands too.
Rent
Whilst it won’t solve a bulging wardrobe, if you’ve got good quality, high end clothing and accessories you can’t bring yourself to part with, consider renting them out. Hurr, ByRotation and MyWardrobeHQ will facilitate the rental of your items to people for days or weeks at a time. It’s another way to give life to your unworn garments, make some money on the side and doesn’t mean getting rid of things.
The three F’s
Opening your wardrobe and feeling fed up that you can’t wear them will not help you to feel good getting dressed. There’s nothing worse than having a wardrobe filled with clothes that don’t fit you.
My advice? Get those clothes out of there!
If you can’t bring yourself to undertake any of the previous suggestions, store them away for now. Removing them from view will improve your mindset and how you feel each day. You can always revisit the items at a later date when you won’t feel quite so emotionally influenced by them.
Your wardrobe should be filled with clothes that fit you right now. They will be appropriate for you, right now. This way, you’ll have clothes you can wear now, even if it does make your wardrobe look sparse.
Clothes which fit you, flatter your figure and which make you feel good (the three f’s) should be in your wardrobe right now! Everything else is taking up space in your wardrobe (and your head).
Having help from someone who can be more objective and who isn’t emotionally attached to your clothes can also be helpful. This could be a friend, relative or a professional so don’t be afraid to seek assistance if you need it.
Use my guides here if you feel up for tackling your wardrobe on your own or get in touch: toni.carver@tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk