Between gross winter weather and the post-holiday-return-to-work blues I have not been getting out and about much so don’t have a great deal to write home about. Instead, over the past few weeks I have been focusing on slowly (and I do mean slowly) getting rid of stuff. Somehow in recent years I have accummulated so much in the way of material possessions that the idea of moving abroad is massively overwhelming.

With thoughts of relocating in just a few months I find myself faced with the task of down-sizing my belongings, especially my clothing. After splurging on a shopping spree at the end of January, I am refocusing my efforts and have set myself the challenge of not purchasing any clothing at all for the rest of the year. While I am not travelling and exploring I may use this blog as a platform to keep me motivated in my de-cluttering efforts, focused on my goal of moving, and to play with fashion as I revamp and reorganise my streamlined wardrobe.

Here are some tips I will be following to help me get organised:

Set goals
It is really helpful to visualise what you want to acheive with the decluttering process. Is it simply to reorganise existing clothing? Is it to completely overhall your style and make room for new purchases? Use these reasons to set manageable goals. In my case I have set myself the goal to reduce my clothing to fit inside two suitcases (excluding coats and shoes) because I want to feel comfortable moving somewhere with limited space.

Find time
Set aside some time dedicated to decluttering and getting rid of things. If your situation is not as overwhelming as mine perhaps you just need to spend a Saturday afternoon. The key is to actually schedule in the time otherwise it is easily left unfinished, or worse, not started. I have decided to spend a focused half an hour a day until the process is complete. At the end of each week I will remove the bagged items from my house which leads to the next point.

Make a plan to get rid
This is different from setting goals. This is the ‘how’ part. How will you get rid of your clothing items? Make sure everything is clean and in good condition. If it is damaged and you are not going to fix it then just recycle the textile. If it is in good condition, donate. If you find some items more difficult to part with perhaps you have friends who would appreciate them. If you need the money or have more valuable items, selling is also an option. I am mainly donating because it’s the quickest way to part with clothing and I have never had success with selling clothing items, although I do have one or two things in mind to sell. The essential part is to get the clothes out as quickly as possible once the decision to part with them has been made. I am terrible for rescuing items I have already decided to let go.

Organise
This is my favourite bit. Find a strategy that suits your space and your lifestyle. I prefer to have the majority of my clothes hanging as I find it easiest to see what I have. Due to current space constraints I find drawers are good for jeans and comfy trousers, sweaters and thick jumpers, basic tee-shirts, and of course underwear and pyjamas. Make sure the clothes you wear the most are the most accessible and consider storing out-of-season items elsewhere. I can’t wait to share my future organised closet.

If you have any tips please share them in the comments!