With the turning of the season and the coming of spring, many of you will be looking to reorganise your wardrobes. We spoke to Shelina Jokhiya from DeCluttr Me to provide you with the best guide to this task.
Before even thinking about how to reorganise your wardrobe, you must think about decluttering. According to Shelina from DeCluttr Me (a company of professional organisers that help to declutter and arrange homes and offices) decluttering isn’t only about transforming your space but also your mental health.
A build-up of clutter and possessions can become a significant source of stress; tackling it properly enables people to live more relaxed, motivated, and productive lives. Studies published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin have shown that minimalistic exercise helps lessen the likelihood of depression, while studies conducted by Princeton University have shown decluttering leads to reduced stress and increased focus. Plus, donating your clothes to people who may need them is highly sustainable and contributes to an attitude of giving and can help you appreciate the things you do have even more.
Shelina recommends using the: “Buy one, get rid of two rule: when you buy something new, get into the habit of clearing out two existing items (preferably in the same bracket as what you have purchased). So, if you buy one dress, declutter two dresses from your wardrobe.” She recommends: “Decluttering every quarter to clear space in your wardrobe and reviewing your winter clothes every year as you’re unlikely to need 20 thick jumpers in this region. Place the winter clothes you want to keep in boxes or unused suitcases on the top shelf of your closet.”
Categories
The central question for many when it comes to wardrobes is the determining factor for ordering their things. Should one go by style? Colour? Type? Shelina says it all comes down to personal preference. One must be able to determine what is most important to them. She says: “It is all about how people live their day-to-day lives. So, if they do a lot of sports or go to the office, those clothes should be the ones that are easily accessible. Once the items are categorised, they can be arranged by colour and then style. Additionally, when doing it by colour, you can clearly see what you have too much of, as well as any colours that are an anomaly and can be removed. Don’t make the systems too complicated. Instead, aim to keep your categories simple so that you can find any item in five seconds.”
Shoes: A girl’s best friend
When it comes to these very prized and delicate companions of ours, we often get stuck at deciding where to place them. Again, Shelina says it is up to each individual. “Some prefer them to be in their closet, especially fancier shoes. I prefer mine to be by the door in a shoe cabinet, so it’s quick and easy to find shoes for my outfit before I leave the house.” So, since most of us have some very special pairs and since we tend to pile up shoes in the shoe cabinet where they can get damaged and dusty, it may be best to store that special footwear in the wardrobe where they are safe and leave other everyday wear in the shoe cabinet by the door.
Little treasures
For most, outfits are not just the clothes we wear; they are also the jewellery, watches, scarves, and ties we adorn ourselves with. It is, therefore, important we keep a special place for them in our wardrobes. Shelina recommends compartmentalising to keep these items organised and in order: “If you have space to have accessory dividers in your drawers, then use them, as they can be very helpful when organising your accessories. Use boxes or drawers for belts, scarves and shawls, and jewellery boxes for jewellery. Always try to repurpose storage solutions from things you already have rather than spending money on new ones.”
No drawers?
For those unfortunate enough to not have any drawers in their wardrobes, Shelina urges you to opt for storage containers and boxes: “If you have shelves, use boxes to store your clothes neatly. The boxes act like surrogate drawers. If you have a lot of hanging space, hang your tops, trousers, dresses, etc. The only things that shouldn’t be hung are woolly and delicate items.” For most women, long precious gowns and beautiful party dresses are part of their attire and must be stored safely in the wardrobe. For these prized items, Shelina recommends you: “Double hang using two hangers or fold them in half and hang.”
No hanging space?
For those who have very minimal or no hanging space, Shelina recommends prioritising items and controlling your purchases: “Obviously buy less, so you have less to fit in the wardrobe. Then, if you have shelving or drawers, fold tops, T-shirts, trousers and jeans and put them in these spaces. Leave any hanging space you do have for dresses, suits, blazers and abayas.”
Efferve-scent
Scents can be the cherry on the cake when it comes to our wardrobes and can put us in a great mood when opening those closet doors. Shelina recommends using “perfumed wax tablets or lavender sachets” to make sure the storehouses of our most precious items are well-fragranced.