Starting a minimalist wardrobe is only the beginning of more streamlined style; it takes a bit of work to maintain a pared down wardrobe. If you're not careful, it's easy to fall into old habits of impulse shopping. Making sure your wardrobe is working for you requires a little maintenance to ensure you're not buying more than you need.
Seasonal Checks
Aim to declutter your wardrobe once a season or four times a year, at the very least. You don’t necessarily have to get rid of anything you own during these checks, it’s just to make sure you use what you have and love what you own. After the intensity of your very first wardrobe declutter, checking in every season thereafter becomes easier and easier. A quick flick through the rail and you’ll see all your favourites, pieces that are on their way out, and items you thought you loved but were mistaken. Use these seasonal checks to make sure you have exactly what you need and you’re not clinging onto items from the previous season that you ended up not wearing. It’s OK to keep things for a few seasons to make certain they’re worth holding onto, and it’s OK if you don’t get rid of any items during your seasonal checks. The process is as much about making sure you’re not keeping hold of any unwanted items as it is about looking for gaps. If you notice something is missing you can add it to your shopping list.
Make Do and Mend
Putting an item of clothing on only to find loose stitches or holes in the hem is frustrating and makes you dislike what you’re wearing. The knee-jerk reaction is to immediately start looking for replacements. Take the time to care for your clothes properly and store them correctly to avoid unintentional damage. You’ll feel a lot better about your style when every piece you wear is in good condition. Whenever you notice small repairs need doing, put the clothes aside (outside of your wardrobe) and make time to fix them. Not all clothes can be repaired but if they should be. Frayed hems, loose stitches, and dangling buttons can all be repaired with basic sewing skills.
Before deciding to buy a new piece for your wardrobe, make do with what you have and work with what you’ve got. Try reworking pieces into new outfits; discovering new combinations will keep your wardrobe feeling fresh and prevent impulse purchases. Making do with what you already own by reworking clothing into new outfits helps maintain your wardrobe without introducing new pieces. Make some time to get playful with what’s in your wardrobe and try out new combinations.
Regularly Sell, Donate, and Recycle
Make it a habit to regularly sell, donate, or recycle your unwanted clothing. After huge decluttering sprees we often get rid of things quite quickly. Sacks of unwanted clothing become eyesores and we want rid of them as quickly as possible. But when we decide to get rid of things one item at a time, the pile gradually grows bigger without us realising. This pile of clothing sits in the hallway, at the bottom of our wardrobe, or in our utility cupboard. Having it around not only saps our energy (it’s a reminder of a task we’re putting off) and the longer it sits there the more tempting it is to rummage through it and rescue a few items. If you’re selling items, give it three chances to sell before donating them. Donations and recycling should be done within a week, two at the most. Having a quick turnaround for selling, donating, and recycling means you won’t have piles of stuff cluttering up your home and zero chance of changing your mind about your decisions.
