A few months ago, I had the pleasure of reading "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin; needless to say, it inspired me to go out of my way and put a little more effort into creating my own happiness. One of the things about the book that I really liked was the topic on decluttering. It was mentioned in the book that other people "believe that their physical surroundings influence their spiritual happiness" and I found this to be true with me as well. I personally don't mind a bit of clutter, but I still prefer to live and/or work in an area that is clutter-free and organized; it gives me a clear head and none of the unnecessary stress that clutter brings.
However tempted I was to declutter my space from the bedrooms to the kitchen, I still am aware of the fact that any kind of cleaning can be tedious and to tackle everything in one fell swoop would be nigh on impossible for me since I easily get distracted and bored when it comes to cleaning/decluttering. Believe me, I tried doing it once with my whole bedroom and it was not a pretty sight (for a week).
I decided that I would tackle my closet first and started sifting through the mountain of clothes crammed into the small space. It probably took me a good 2 hours going through the vast amount of clothes I didn't even realize I had until I ended up with 2 garbage bags (!) full of clothes I no longer wear. I was shocked and also proud of myself for not giving in to my sentimental side.
Since I'm all done with decluttering my own wardrobe and wouldn't be doing so again for another couple of months or so, I figured I could help my readers tackle their wardrobe decluttering and make the experience a bit more fun.
- Invite your friends over to help you out and maybe turn it into a small decluttering party. Remember that scene from the Sex and the City movie where Carrie had her best friends over to help her decide which ones to keep and throw? Perhaps you could do the same thing complete with the "Keep" and "Throw" placards for each girls to hold up as you go through your clothes.
- Wear something comfortable with a hint of style to get you in the mood. Maybe a colourful scarf or one of those cute knitted turban headband. There's a scene in the movie, "Confessions of a Shopaholic", wherein she was trying to declutter her wardrobe wearing a scarf and a pair of yummy yellow pumps.
- Play your favorite music/songs in the background. Doing so will make you feel upbeat or relaxed (depending on your choice of music) and get you through the process without much stress. Dancing while decluttering is allowed!
- Divide your clothes into 3 groups. Yes, 3, under the categories of Keep, Throw, and Give. Sometimes we have clothes that have gone through wear and tear to the point where it's fruitless to try and repair them and the only thing they are good for is as a rag or the trash. These are the clothes you put in the "Throw" category. Remember, only Keep clothes that still fits you perfectly and are still in style (examples of these are classic pieces and recurring trends), the rest, Give away (yes, even that little black dress you've been meaning to wear once you lose a few pounds. And then go buy one that fits and flatters you now).
- Have a break! Allow yourself some snack time in between. Just don't make it longer than 10 minutes so as not to lose focus on the task at hand. If possible, bring the refreshments and snacks into your room to lessen the temptation of doing other things and promising yourself to continue the decluttering on another day.
- Organize. Now that you've decided which ones to keep and which ones to throw or give away, you can now start organizing your wardrobe. Different people have different organizing preference. You can either sort your clothes by color, by outfit types, or however you want it done. I, myself, sort my clothes by type. For my tops, I sort them by their sleeves (sleeveless, short sleeves, and long sleeves) that way I can easily grab a top without having to go through everything I own and creating a mess. I also have a separate section for lounge wear for when the only plans I have for the day is staying in and binge-watching on Netflix. If you have no clue how to organize your wardrobe, I suggest you go on Pinterest or Youtube for ideas.
- Extra tip: If you're having friends over to help you declutter your wardrobe, maybe you can ask them to wear something comfortable yet fab to give the Decluttering Party an uplifting vibe. For the refreshments and snacks, you can browse through Pinterest for ideas on what to serve. Champagne or cocktails are okay (assuming you're no longer a minor), but it's still ideal to stick to juice or perhaps mocktails. After all, we wouldn't want to go overboard with the alcohol and regret everything the next day, right?
Well, that's all the tips I have for you, and if you do decide to declutter your wardrobe, let me know in the comment box how you went about it and if my tips were helpful. I would really love to know!
