About a month back, I was looking for something to wear for a friend’s and family dinner party, but I couldn’t find anything nice. What am I supposed to wear? I have nothing that is appropriate for the occasion…It was frustrating. Has that ever happened to you? This has been the story of my life for as long as I could remember…but then I realized may be, it’s time to declutter and organ my closet. I haven’t got around to doing it since I had Maria (for almost nine months). 

1. Decluttering

This is the most fundamental step of making sure you always have something to wear.  Often our closets are  filled with clothes we can’t wear anymore and those that we also hold on to, for sentimental reasons (but imagine the hassle when you have to sift through the huge pile every time you have to go out either to work or any other occasion)*sigh*.

You would think having a lot of clothes will actually give you a better selection but on the contrary. My closet was full until, recently I realized I was holding on to items that have run out of size and style. Basically, items I will never wear. So may be you could free up a weekend and declutter your closet. This will give you an idea of what you have(and what you don’t).

*Hint: create separate piles for: day-to-day wear,seasonal(jackets,scarfs,hoodie,rain coats etc.), storage ‘for later use’ (handbags,clutches,shoes,travel items etc.), giveaway, sell and may be.

2. Define your own sense of style

There was a time I used to walk in to a store and bought something because I like the color or simply because I thought it was nice. In fact, when I was decluttering I found so many of them, barely worn more than once or twice. If you are someone who can pull off anything from a 60s style shift dresses to boyfriend jeans, that’s great…(You are so lucky) but if you are not(if you are like me), it’s important you find the style or color palette/s that works best for you.

What you like and what suits you, happen to be two different things. For instance, when I was selecting my wedding dress, there was this gorgeous fishtail gown that I fell in love with instantly. It was even within my budget and I thought finally I have found the one but when I tried it on, I realized it didn’t suit me.

Pinterest can be quite a helpful tool in determining your style. Just browse through and start pinning different looks that may interest you and eventually you will see a trend. Use this as a guide to building your own sense of style. Or, you can take the longer route and try some of the clothes (from your may be pile) in front of the mirror and then decide. You can even do both.

3. Create sub capsules within the wardrobe 

You know how we pack when we travel, just a few basic items that can be mixed and matched for every situation or occasion (because we are unable to take all our clothes with us)? Well, now apply it to your entire closet. This is called a closet capsule. Personally, I love my clothes and limiting myself to a few items is not something I like to do. So I thought may be, I could create sub capsules within the closet.

 (However in order to do this you might need some extra space…)My weekend casual capsule has a few tank tops(mostly neutrals and some pastels), t-shirts (short and long sleeve – v neck, scoop neck, crew neck), blouses/shirts(button up, off shoulder,whites,blacks), jeans (blue and a black) black dress(maxi,skater) and couple of colorful cardigans. 

4. Shop with caution 

One you’ve decluttered, defined your style and created capsules within your wardrobe, you will be able to spot if there are any essentials you don’t have (or have in excess). So when you go shopping the next time you could give priority to items you don’t have, like for instance a white t-shirt or a sleeveless black maxi dress. I try to invest my money on basic pieces because they never go out of style. Once my essentials are in place, then I purchase pieces that can augment my basics. 

It would also be wise to consider your style( because now that you have established your fashion sense) before you make any purchase. This will help you stop wasting your money on clothes that will just pile up in your wardrobe (again) until your next spring cleaning. (Through my own experience I know we could easily get carried away and end up buying everything we consider nice … But I try to ask myself ‘do I really need this?’ ‘ Can I survive without it?’ ‘ Is it wow or just ok?’)

5. Repurpose

Sometimes we have clothes that we really love but we just can’t part with for whatever reasons. I had this lovely pink maxi dress that was just too tight for me post pregnancy. Many times I tried to give it away but I’m too obsessed with the print and the color. So what do we do with such clothes?  Yes, we could repurpose them. My dress was too tight from the bust area, so I turned it to a maxi skirt that fits me perfectly now. The top part that was cut out was used to create a lovely headbow for my little one. 

There are so many creative things that can be done with such clothing items. I will put down some ideas for you sometime soon.  Until then, check out April and Annika on Instagram. Often I find my inspiration from their work and they are amazing! :)x