Wardrobe Cleanse

Tue 01 Apr 2025

The Wardrobe Cleanse

Cleansing or detoxing your wardrobe isn’t an easy task, especially if you’re sentimental and like to keep hold of pieces. However, an organised, tidy and structured wardrobe is great for the soul. It makes shopping your wardrobe and getting ready in the morning so much easier.

Cleanse

Dedicate at least two hours for the process, there will be a point where you have created a huge mess, but persevere and it will all come together. If you have a large wardrobe then it can help to split it by season and focus on the current season. You can then tackle the other section another time if necessary. Go through each item and ask yourself the following questions;

When did you last wear it? If it was over a year ago, then perhaps it’s time to get rid of it.

Is it a wardrobe staple, a classic item that won’t date? If it’s a staple, then keep it.

Does it still fit you? If it’s too small then it needs to go. There’s no point having items in your

wardrobe that no longer fit as they take up valuable space. If it’s too big, then can it be altered to fit you? Some alterations are really simple, don’t cost too much and will breathe new life into the item. Similarly if the item is damaged, can it be mended rather than being sent to landfill? Find a local seamstress to you and they will be invaluable, there are three below that I can recommend.

Cambridge Tailoring - https://cambridgetailor.co.uk/

Ely Alterations - https://www.elyalterations.co.uk/

Shiralee in Milton - http://shiralee-alterations.co.uk/

Sort

For the clothing that’s being removed from your wardrobe create three separate piles; one to be resold, one for charity and one to be recycled. There are some great local resale businesses who will sell your clothes for you with a commission. A few examples include Neon Leo, Willow George and Brooks, all based in Saffron Walden, plus Back on the Rails, in Great Staughton. There are also online companies such as Your Preloved Stories who can sell on your behalf. Alternatively you can sell items yourself via Vinted, eBay, Depop, Vestiaire or Shpock. Any remaining pieces can be passed on to charity shops but these must be in a good condition, clean and undamaged. Please recycle items that charity shops won’t be able to sell to prevent these ending up in landfill. There are dedicated clothing recycling collections and drop off points; avoid putting them in with household recycling.

Organise

If you have items of sentimental value then wrap them in tissue paper and put them in a box which you can revisit when taking a trip down memory lane. They will then be separate from your wardrobe and the pieces that you actually wear. 

Once your wardrobe is clear and edited, put the items back by category and colour. If you can invest in co-ordinating slimline hangers then this will help with space and tidiness. Ensure your knitwear is folded to maintain its shape. When folding items in a drawer do this in the Marie Kondo way; essentially creating a small rectangle shape that’s able to stand up on its own. Once placed in a drawer you are able to see each item of clothing clearly.

If you need help with a Wardrobe Edit then please get in touch. We can discuss colours and shapes that are right for your body and lifestyle, whilst sorting your existing pieces and working out what is missing from your wardrobe.

* As seen in the March 2025 edition of Velvet Magazine *