Make the Most of Your Wardrobe
Recently a friend (and client) shared her pride in having reorganized her wardrobe. I was instantly onto her: “You went shopping, didn’t you?” She sure had! To my delight, she also made a point of giving the new items a place, inspired by the structure our team had set-up for her. It didn’t take long for my friend and I to divert our attention to her new purchases. Regardless of what motivates your wardrobe reorganization, it’s such a worthwhile exercise to do seasonally. To be honest, I’ve found since becoming a parent I get more excited for the organization than the shopping now.
A couple years ago I went as far as declaring “decluttering is the new retail therapy.” On the heels of two pregnancies and a major career change, the decluttering process was key to decisively getting rid of many pre-baby or pregnancy clothes, helping me weed through what wasn’t working to give me greater appreciation for all that I already had and could continue to enjoy. Since that well-warranted wardrobe purge, and as my shape and size has found its new normal, I’m focused less on the purge and more on ensuring I make purchases that last.
I now find that reorganizing and curating my wardrobe by the season is an enjoyable way to tune-in to my evolving tastes and lifestyle. Below I break out my spring refresh process for you and also share my favourite organizing products to make the most of your space and wardrobe.
Shop Your Wardrobe:
Seasonal Turnover: Take stock of seasonal items to pack-up until next year, donate, clean or repair. If there were certain items that went unworn all season, ask yourself why. Now is the time to part with what no longer fits your body, tastes or lifestyle. For moms, it’s natural for body shape to fluctuate and if something doesn’t fit at the moment, selectively keep what you reasonably may wear again but set it aside so it doesn’t clutter what you feel best in now.
Sort & Categorize: If you’ve already set aside clothes for the upcoming season from the previous year, unpack what you have. Lay them on your bed and group clothes first by occasion or activity, and then by item type (tops, bottoms). Try them on to see what fits and what goes together, including paired with footwear and purses. Take note of anything you like but you’re unsure what to wear with. Make sure what you have aligns with your lifestyle. My ‘occasion’ categories include:
Everyday mom - Typically jeans and a machine washable top, paired with sneakers or comfy flats
Professional & networking - Clothes with more structure and polish including knits, shirts, and blazers
Special occasion - Celebration and event attire (I love an excuse to dress up!)
Active & workwear – Whether for fitness or on the job, painting or yardwork, I keep outfits handy that can take extra wear and tear and frequent washes (this is the category I retire snagged or stained pieces to)
Reorganize: An organized closet involves a well structured and edited space. These go-to products consistently help make the most of closets big or small, and ensure hanging space and drawers are put to best use to fit and care for what’s there, boutique-style. Taking the time to sort and structure your closet around your frequently worn items, will help you appreciate all you have and highlight what may be missing for particular occasions or to complete a look.
Felt hangers – These are major space savers, give the closet a uniform look and help delicate tops keep their shape. (I like to sort mine first by type of clothing: blazers, shirts, knitwear, sportswear and dresses, and then by colour.)
Pant hangers – These make it quick and easy to hang pants up. (I use them for tailored pants and sort them by pant colour.)
Baskets - Simple, fitted baskets in natural materials can bring structure to open shelves. Muji Soft Boxes are among my favourites for soft accessories like scarves, tote bags, tanks, travel accessories, and can make shelf space more functional for small items (such as socks or underwear) when drawer space is limited. The zippered ones are great for stashing away seasonal items in storage.
Drawer Organizers - Interior organization such as IKEA’s SKUBB organizers can keep socks, underwear, tanks and tees grouped and contained.
Shoe Storage – Caring for shoes by preventing pile-ups and keeping them dust free will keep them feeling like-new for longer. Protect your occasional use shoes in their original boxes or in coordinated clear boxes on shelves. Use simple stackable shoe racks or mounted racks on backs of doors to add storage space for frequently worn shoes.
Make a wish list: Once you are clear on your staples, colour and style preferences, and keeping in mind your own lifestyle needs and occasions, you can take inspiration from various capsule wardrobe looks. Referencing these, and saving them to Pinterest boards or Instagram collections can help you identify a few missing pieces that would best tie together all that you have for various occasions and fresh looks. There are so many great guides promoting capsule wardrobes, but they all advise that you start with clarity around your own staples and style. Focus on your wardrobe reorganization first to identify those few key pieces that can be integrated into a range of outfits. Solicit help from stylish friends, professional stylists or sales associates you trust help you pull your looks together and allow your wardrobe to evolve with you over time.
Since following this process, I’ve found my select new purchases are instantly worn and enjoyed in high rotation. I can wear what I have well and invest wisely.
In the spirit of Earth Month 2023, find sustainable fashion ideas in British Vogue and check out our resources guide for Toronto and Kelowna-based donation and consignment options.