By Ella Wingfield
The following weeks will be full of changes, adjustment and (hopefully) a great deal of staying home. Chances are, you’re going to find yourself with a lot more time on your hands. So, why not use this chapter for a wardrobe ‘aka’ mental detox? Like they say, ‘a tidy home is a tidy mind’, and the wardrobe is the ideal place to start.
Where To Begin?
Facing years of unworn clothes may seem an impossible task, so it’s always best to break it down. Get everything out in the open and separated into piles – tops, trousers etc. This will give you a sense of how many clothes you have, and what you own far too many of.
Ask Yourselves The Important Questions
We’ve all done it, saved that top from 5 years ago just in case the perfect opportunity arises when we can finally wear it again. But let’s be honest, it’s pretty unlikely, and your wardrobe is probably full of pieces you’d much prefer to wear.
Ask yourself – have I worn those shoes in the past year? Will I wear that jumpsuit again? Did I ever feel comfortable in that skirt?
Chances are, you have your favourite staples and the rest gets pushed to the back of the cupboard. Organising your clothing brings long forgotten pieces to the surface, helping you build new outfits and utilise the pieces you have to the fullest. Without having to fight through layers of unwanted jeans and sweatshirts, you’ll be surprised how owning less, means wearing more.
Repurpose, Recycle, Resell!
Now is the ideal time to get creative. Embroider your unworn denim jacket, turn an old pair of jeans into a new pair of shorts, replace the buttons you’ve always hated on your summer jacket.
Collect the items you love apart from that one little thing into a pile. It could be the length of a skirt, the colour of a dress or the awkward neckline on an otherwise perfect t-shirt. Look to YouTube, Google or sustainable fashion bloggers for inspiration.
Anything you want to neither keep nor repurpose, be sure to sell, donate or recycle. We recommend donating to Cancer Research, Oxfam or Sue Ryder. Sites such as Depop, Ebay, Hewi and Vestiaire Collective are our selling favourites, and sustainable alternatives to throwing unwanted clothes away.
Coronavirus may have limited our ability to simply go to the post office or charity shops as we please, however, we can use the following weeks to organise, photograph and curate our items ready for sale or donation.
Moving Forward
Be strategic when putting your detoxed wardrobe back together. Grouping similar items (oversized jumpers, baggy jeans etc.) makes it much easier to see what you own already before buying again.
Cleansing Your Mind
Organising the space around you is the perfect place to start when looking to cleanse your mind. However, a mental detox can be achieved in any number of ways, it’s all about what works for you.
Perhaps it’s learning something new. There are thousands of books and online courses just waiting to be explored. Discover new perspectives with Self-Care for the Real World, or get inspired with Ignite Your Everyday Creativity.
Start a journal, jotting down ideas, worries, ambitions and to do lists. Seeing your thoughts laid out in front of you can help tackle your stresses head on, set yourself goals and generally organise your mind.
Use this somewhat unconventional period to detox, organise and explore new ways to take care of yourself. Let’s find beauty in solitude and reconnect to ourselves in this time of uncertainty.
Stay positive, stay home and stay safe!
Ella Wingfield
Ella is a Fashion Promotion graduate pursuing her passion for ethical clothing and fashion journalism at KeiSei. You can find more of her work at ellawingfieldfashion.com.
