One of my tips for creating a stylish outfit is having an organised wardrobe. You can’t wear what you can’t see! Having your clothes arranged correctly enables you to complete visibility of the clothes that you own. You will be able to see at a glance the clothes that are missing in your closet, highlighting the holes in your fashion informing your next fashion purchase. Having this structure empowers you to get the best use of your style all through a good weekend tidy. There are so many instances where I have forgotten about clothes because they have been hidden in plain sight. Visibility = wearability.Â
Once in a while, it is essential to do a wardrobe cleanse. So take notes, book time in your diary to dedicate to your wardrobe and let’s get stuck in with the details.
Here are my tips on how to organise your wardrobe to set you up for fashion success.
1. SPACE
One of the first things you can do when starting to organise your wardrobe is to assess the space you have. Do you have hanging space? Do you have drawers you can utilise? The first assessment gives you a moment to set up realistic expectations. What you don’t want to do is get inspired by influencers with huge wardrobes and then try to apply that with the space that you have.
2. EQUIPMENT
Now that you have assessed your space, you want to find the right equipment to help organise your clothes. If you are fortunate to have hanging space, you probably need a good set of hangers. I like to have consistency with my hangers. This is not essential, but it is nice to look at when all your hangers look the same.Â
HANGERS
One tip I like to do I use, whenever I go shopping in the high street at H&M or ZARA most brands tend to use the same hanger style. When I get to the checkout, I ask if I can keep the hanger. So brands allow you to, some don’t so be patient.Â
You can get those hangers-on Amazon without the branding of course, which is an easy way to build your collection and have consistency.
Ikea has beautiful wood hangers, but I have never been a fan of them. Once you go down the path of quality hangers, it becomes an expensive hobby to maintain. The good thing about wooden hangers is that they are more sustainable.
HANGER STYLES
Not all hangers are made equal. What you don’t want to do is hang a blazer or a heavy coat with a thin hanger. These hangers are not designed for that garment and over time, the hanger will snap or damage the shape of your clothes.Â
OTHER EQUIPMENT
Another thing you may need is shoe horns to help you maintain the shape of your shoe. Garment covers are handy to protect your delicate clothing.
Regardless of the equipment that you have, the key thing is organisation, not perfection,Â
3. STYLE BLOCKS
Now that you have equipment ready, then you have to choose how you want to organise. I prefer organising by style. Collate all your shirts together, your trousers, t-shirts outerwear, and start creating clothing blocks. When you get ready in the morning, you will know that this section of your wardrobe is where you will find all the shirts that you own.Â
4. COLOUR
With style blocks created, you can now organise by colour – if you have the time, because I sure don’t from light to dark, dark to light, or by colour blocks. Organising by colours together gives you a sense of what colours you may be missing or what colours you buy too often.Â
5. DRAWER SPACE
If you do have drawer space, you are fortunate to decide on what to hang and what to fold. There are, however, some garments that need to be hung, like shirts, for example. With everything else, it’s your call. I like to fold my trousers and t-shirts because I have a lot more drawer space.Â
6. SHOES
When it comes to shoes, again, assess your wardrobe space. I like to layer shoes on top of each other because I don’t have that much space. With that in mind, be conscious of the gradual damage that may cause to the show below and maybe think of handy shoe hanging ideas as an alternative.Â
For my expensive shoes, I house them in a shoebox and ensure that I have either paper or a shoehorn to maintain the shape.Â
7. ACCESSORIES
For accessories, choose a storage method that suits your space and your collection. For belts, I have a hanger that has multiple hooks that work for the number of belts that I own. Alternatively, you can have a drawer divider for your belts and other accessories if you have space. Just ensure like your clothing, your accessories have some resemblance of organisation to be visible when you are deciding on what to wear.Â
These are just a few ways you can organise your wardrobe to help make the decision of what to wear each day much easier.Â