I have been staring at my clothes these past few days and it prompted me to write a post on how to declutter your wardrobe – it’s a big task but rather than put it off I felt there had to be a way to do it, that made dressing more organised. In my life as a personal shopper, I learned about capsule pieces, investment pieces and plenty more fashion buzz words, but what happens if you have lots of these pieces and you end up at square one which is, albeit, a wardrobe that reflects organised chaos? My go-to guide has always been to colour co-ordinate rather than keep specific items or types together. I find seeing my clothes in colours helps me create outfits with less stress. But I know there is a lot more to it than this, so I went to consult the experts. A Sorted Affair, set up in 2021, was founded by two friends, Lyn and Kim who met in RTÉ and instantly hit it off. Soon after a business idea was afoot and now with nearly 5,000 Instagram followers, their organisation skills are in demand. These ladies are pro-organisers and having worked with them both in the last few months, I know their knowledge and tips will help us get the best out of our wardrobes as well as eliminate the stress of decluttering.
I reached out to Kim Fitzgerald and Lyn Luxford for my research and wow did they give me all the tips I need.
“You go to get ready for the day… The wardrobe is messy, you can’t see what’s what. Can’t find jeans that fit or that top you were sure was in there, you have no knickers and one sock. Now you are completely stressed and frustrated before you’ve even had your morning coffee”, the ladies explain being one common scenario when it comes to dressing every day. Or the alternative, “You go to get ready for the day…you open your wardrobe. It’s pretty to look at, clean, clear and organised. Everything can be seen at a glance. You can put your hand to anything you need and more importantly you know these clothes fit you and make you feel good! Your underwear drawer is sectioned and perfectly organised so you can grab and go. You have now walked down stairs with a pep in your step and feel ready for the day ahead” – well I know which one I would choose, except scenario one tends to be where we are in terms of the levels of organisation.
Kim and Lyn explained – “Studies show that clutter completely bombards our mind causing our senses to work overtime, leaving us feeling anxious and defeated. Following our few simple tips and tricks you will be amazed at the increase in your morning productivity and positivity”. Ok so I want to know more. One of my promises to myself this year was to have a more calm mind, and one trigger for me is mess. I hate it, and despite constant tidying I don’t ever seem to reach Marie Kondo levels of joy. So to us all, A Sorted Affair has some amazing tricks and tips that they have shared with me. Get ready for life changing stuff –
1. Sort it elsewhere
When decluttering your clothes always do it in another room, if you declutter next to your wardrobe you are more likely to pop it back in!
2. Change your hangers
Save space by changing your hangers, wooden hangers take up a lot of space so if you’re short on it, swap for plastic/fabric hangers that are thinner. You will be amazed at the difference this makes. Jysk is our favourite spot for a great selection at a great price.
3. Two hanger approach for long garments
If you are short on long hanging space for dresses etc use two hangers – hang dress as normal, then feed the bottom through a second hanger and meet the handles. Magic (picture above).
4. Get folding
A uniformed fold on shelves and in drawers is not only pleasing to the eye but it also allows you to see what you have clearly. Make sure you store items in categories like gym-wear, basic teess, jeans etc. together so you know where to go to find what. This will save the whole wardrobe from being disturbed. Imagine how you feel when you walk into your favourite shop……do your best to recreate this feeling at home and it will make you fall in love with your clothes all over again.
5. Drawer dividers
Drawer dividers are the best invention for sectioning items. We all have that drawer with everything mixed together. Dividers or even boxes (old shoe boxes etc) will help keep everything together. We have some great options in our shop.
I’m adding to my to do list year and each step above is going on it! If you would like to learn more, email in**@as***********.ie or check out their website for a full range of services and products www.asortedaffair.ie/service
