One thing: Clean out the wardrobe

This week’s #onething had been a long time coming. Years of chucking stuff somewhere because I didn’t want to deal with it. I’ve said it before, I might be clean and tidy, but there’s mess everywhere if you just open a cupboard door. Or in this instance, walk into our wardrobe.

For those of you not playing along, #onething is where I do just ONE THING from my to-do list, but not your every day to-do list. Oh no, this is the list of non essential items that sort of kind of need to get done but it’s no biggie if they don’t get done until next week, or next month, or um, next year. Those things. Just one. Every week.

Time to come out of the closet with my mess, or into it if you will. We have a smallish walk in wardrobe situation: some drawers and open shelves for each of us and some hanging space side by side. There are shelves at the top where things like handbags and hats and bags get thrown (old sentimental empty champagne bottles from when we got engaged, bought out first house etc) and other crap that generally gets dumped.

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I hadn’t done a good cull of hanging clothes for years. I did the drawers a littler while ago, but the hangers were bulging…you couldn’t see what was in there, everything was crushed and awful.

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And as for the shoes? DISASTER. You can call in Hoarders the TV show now if you’d like. Shoes that haven’t been worn for YEARS…all just thrown in willy nilly.

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Cupboard management friends, cupboard management. I think you will agree, it was time.

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I hightailed it to the Reject store for shoe rack solutions AND velvet hangers that apparently make more space. I was serious. I put the Oscars on in the background and started the attack.

First things first, were the clothes. Taken off inappropriate hangers and categorised into various areas: fancy pants, dresses, coats and blazers, shirts etc. Had it been worn in the past 12 months? No? GONE. If not did it cost a lot of money and would it be likely to be worn again and or passed on somehow? Yes. Kept.

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In the end I got about 4 full bags of stuff for Vinnies. And SPACE! Clothes that have room to move and only clothes that I wear. No clothes that make me feel bad that I don’t fit into anymore. Clothes that work and can be worn in lots of different ways.

Look!

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And shall we all just clutch our pearls in unison as we look at the new shoe situation?

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There’s not much I can do about my husband’s penchant for a Dunlop Volley. Lucky he is a very kind and loveable man.

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Dead set, I spent much of that afternoon when it was done sitting and looking at it. There were times I will admit when I thought “what have I STARTED” when there were hangers and clothes and shit EVERYWHERE, but I got through it. Bags of clothes to Vinnies and a load to the tip. I tell you there is something to be said for cleaning our parts of your home…it’s like clearing your mind.

And like crack to a pregnant woman.

When was the last time you cleared out your wardrobe?
What was your one thing this week?
Go choose something, right now, just have a look around and there will be something waiting…

Comments

  1. Spooky Beth! Cleaning out the wardrobe is my #onething this week (only it might stretch over two weeks!). My GOD it needs a good clean out. It has been years since I’ve cleaned that bugger and the things I found in the deepest, darkest spots boggle the mind. I went out and bought my velvet hangers (inspired by Nikki Parkinson) last weekend and I’ve been doing a section most days (haven’t tackled the shoes yet…eeek!)
    I have lost 17kg in the last 10 months and it has been such a cathartic experience to throw out so much shit!!! I am loving getting the house in order and I’m not pregnant but it still feels like crack to me 🙂

  2. Every school holidays I take a good crack at sorting out a few cupboards and shelves (I’m a teacher). I’m a woman on a mission, and CB doesn’t stand a chance. I still sometimes just open my linen press to admire it – it makes me happy. These Easter holidays coming up, I’m tackling our wardrobes (though I haven’t told CB yet) and the sideboard near the door which is full of crap. Who knew that sorting out cupboards could make a person so happy???

  3. i did mine the other week – making some money on ebay with some of my good brand clothes & even grouped them in colours !!!

  4. I did mine 2 weeks ago after some excellent motivation from Nikki Parkinson’s Unlock Your Style. Felt so great. I had 4 years worth of crap in there.

  5. I bought a cookbook called Limoncello and Linen Water (by Tessa Kiros) last year and in it is lots of traditional Italian recipes however there is also old fashioned home maker type stories and tips along with Sapiente (wise words). Anyway, it’s a beautiful book and it inspired me to clean out the linen closet. The sheets are now bundled in sets with a ribbon tied around each set to tell me whether single (red ribbon), double (green ribbon) etc. I even placed scented drawer liners on all of the shelves.
    I know…..some might say I have too much time on my hands.

  6. Beth I love what you did. I love how honest you are. My wardrobe has a situation too and I need to fix it quick sticks. I have even been called ( unfairly mind you) a hoarder by my mum in law and by my partner. This gets me angry. However I like seeing how down to earth you are like most of your readers ( I assume) and how your wardrobe “before” probably resembles the norm. Thanks for showing us your closet, if a preggers lady with two small kids under 8 can do a clean out what’s stopping me. I also have to do the toy area! And start putting away summer clothes for the cooler weather that should come around soon. Un beso

  7. This has just gone on my list of things to do. I’ve been living in despair at my weight of late, all I can think about is the clothes that don’t fit me, the ones I hate that do.

    Your words “No clothes that make me feel bad that I don’t fit into anymore” really touched me. Wardrobe cull next weekend and hopefully a happier brain to go with it.

    • It really makes SUCH a difference. Cull the bad stuff and if it means going shopping and getting new tops that fit and WORK then it takes away a lot of pain when you go to get dressed each morning. Nikki from Stylinf You talks a lot about this stuff in her book – it’s really made a difference to me. Good luck!

  8. I cleared mine out a few months ago when Mrs Woog mentioned those non slip hangers. I got mine on the internet and they are one of the best things I’ve ever bought. I’ve been able to cut off those annoying ribbon like loops they put on shirts, dresses and cardigans etc because the clothes always stay on the hangers. You’ll love them.

  9. Bravo! That pile of shoes had me subconsciously reaching for a garbage bag! My best tip is to bugger off all those wire/plastic hangers & replace them with wooden ones – they make your wardrobe look like a fancypants clothes shop (though I haven’t heard of these velvet ones, might have to look into that!).
    I’m so glad that you don’t just let us all go on thinking that you live in a perfect, magazine-pretty house Beth. Hooray for imperfections x

    • I got rid of all my wooden ones because they take up too much room. I now have velvet ones from Kmart and plastic ones, too, with the indentation so singlets, etc, sit in the grooves. They have changed my wardrobe space.

    • NO ONE lives like that surely? But it’s true, my house really looks like how it does all the time…ask amy of my friends who pop in any time of the week!!

  10. Can you come and do the cupboard that we call “the hoarding cupboard”. I got worried when I saw that champagne that was up there. I am glad it has been digested!

  11. In the lead up to the wardrobe cull my #onething is in the washing machine as I type. It is a skirt and top bought on sale but never a good colour. This is its last chance I have been meaning to have a go dying it for ages. Bought the dye while I was doing the groceries and now it’s wait and see. If I wear it this week it stays if not next weekend it will been gone in the cull.

  12. Lisa Mckenzie says

    It is one thing I do very often Beth ,it’s so much easier to choose clothes when you know you like what you’re wearing,great job xx

  13. You know how much this pleases me don’t you? Well played Pooks. Well played.

  14. Usually I do our wardrobes every six months. It will be due soon. Looks great Beth ☺️

  15. Jane Allan says

    Just discovered your blog and found myself nodding my head and agreeing with what I have read so far. I cleaned out my craft cupboard yesterday. It was my one thing, and now it is done. One full rubbish bag has gone into the bin. I too, stood back and admired my handiwork. This morning I went in to work on a ufo and was able to put my hands on everything I needed to get my task completed. It was then time to sit back have a coffee and feel very happy with myself. Loved your comment on clutching our pearls.

  16. I keep a washing basket with a garbage bag in it in the bottom of my wardrobe, any time i pull something out of the wardrobe or the srawers and just feel “meh” it gets tossed in the washing basket. When the bag is full, off to charity it goes! Because it is an ongoing process it never feels like a big job.

    • Jan Fawke says

      Now THAT is a great idea!

    • Great ideas – thanks for sharing!

    • Thanks for that tip Q.D.

      So simple…and why didn’t I think of it…I know…the cupboard floor though neat and tidy was used as Zone 3 storage. I have been decluttering for twenty or so years…because I forget the one-in-one-out and the do-it-now rules…sigh!

      I have two nesting folding rattan baskets in the spare bedroom that are multi-use. I was a little befuddled when my daughter gave them to me years ago but they really are well used…collection spot for stuff for the op shop…laundry and shoe baskets for guests [op shop runs are made when tidying up for guests…external motivation IS a good thing…]…beach or picnic baskets when extra is needed…container for the clutter, one room’s trash is another room’s treasure…and so on and on…

      I will relocate the small basket to my wardrobe and, with frequent reminders, encourage the man of the house to use it too…

      Tip: As a private and commercial cleaner over two and a half decades I turned around before I left the room and looked to see what the owner or the supervisor would see and often had to go back to do that little extra job. I do the same for me…pause, look, see, tidy and appreciate.

  17. What a job. I went through my baby’s trunk of clothes that I have stashed away and pulled out some items of clothing that were stained and stretched – why did I ever consider keeping these lol! Anyway, a big bag in the bin and the rest will be shared amongst girlfriends who need some smaller girls clothes. As for my closet. I just went through and re-bagged a heap of clothes for my mum that she has lent me over the last little bit and that i do not wear. Another bag down!
    I am 21 weeks pregnant and look at all of my smaller clothes now and think “bin, hide, or pretend you never fitted onto any of them” 😉

    • Kids clothes are the WORST. I have so many storage containers in the garage…as soon as I know the sex of this new baby I am getting rid of them as I go.

  18. Huh! When I first met my husband over 15 years ago he was wearing a pair of dunlop volley!! I almost didn’t speak to him LOVL! !
    That shoe situation was bad, I could smell the mouldy leather!
    Yep, good thing you sorted that one out because your new babe will be crawling in there pretty soon..:-)

  19. Right that is it, between you, Nikki and Faux Fuchsia I am getting some velvet hangers because, well as Faux Fuchsia would say – “I am nothing, if not a joiner” and I need to get in on this hanger action. I will not be left behind just because i live up her…just need to get to town…hmmm. Good work, god it feels good doesn’t it. I didn’t mine last year but it does need a freshen up, you may have inspired me Betharoonie! WELL DONE…now go and pour yourself a milo and sit in that wardrobe and enjoy!!

  20. Dunlop Volleys! They are everywhere I look in this house. Blue ones. White ones. And some god awful brown ones- how they got past me I do not know!!!!

  21. We lent our Florida House to friends for Feb while meeting our Aussie kids for a trip through Morroco. I cleaned out and cleaned things I should have been cleaning since buying the place three years ago. It felt nasty and good even though won’t ever be preggers again!

    • I remember when we sold our last house I cleaned things out and de-cluttered and then wondered why I hadn’t done that before. It felt so good!

  22. I meant nesty, not nasty.#$$%&&- auto correct.

  23. holy shit that’s a lot of clothes…my fav thought the stash of champagne ;).

  24. It’s looks awesome Beth! Well done. I have been slowly culling clothes from my wardrobe as I lose the baby weight. Was so glad to part with my maternity clothes!

  25. I started my wardrobe clean out last May when I was pregnant and nothing in there fitted me. But I not so cleverly put a lot if things under our bed in vacuum bags . Now almost 3 months after having baby I have just started going through the vacuum bags … Now the big clean out begins .

    • Yes you see I did the same moving a whole heap of normal clothes into other areas that will have to be looked through when the baby comes…

  26. Wow! Super job. I wish my wardrobe looked so organised. There are Dunlop Volleys in this house too (not mine). I’d love to know what a velvet coat hanger is and where you get them? Might just inspire me to organise here. 🙂

    • If you google them you should be able to find them online. Reject shops have them now…they are just thing velvet covered hangers which mean that clothes don’t slip off them. They reduce space in your wardrobe too.

  27. I got my citizenship…that one took a few weeks.
    This week it is writing thank you notes from Christmas and sending out birth announcements…I am hoping that Lyddie’s cute face will help people overlook the fact that I am months late!
    My wardrobe needs a cull too but I am waiting for my mother to visit for that one…always good to have a voice of reason I think.

  28. Great work! It looks fantastic. I have so much more culling to do In my waredrobe and sorting. It’s on the list and has once again become the dumping ground for storing items not even clothing related. On the bright side we have a happy house this evening with great achievement of obtaining Miss Teens ball dress for her year 12 ball!

  29. Great job on the closet. I’m also working through my own decluttering challenge… 40 bags in 40 days. Getting rid of the clutter & junk is so freeing! Haven’t heard about velvet hangers…will definitely try them. Thanks for sharing.

  30. Elizabeth Holland says

    Simple yet inspiring. My wardrobe is not the worst thing right now but I love the #onething concept and plan to make a week of it as I have a wedding next weekend and want my home tidy! Next week I’m sure the wardrobe will be the #onething after every lost item in my home finds its way there this week!!!!

  31. Velvet hangers are the best!

  32. Far out those 1st photos, were you trying to KILL ME? I like my wardrobe to be super tidy because otherwise I can’t find anything and clothes get injured. Recently swapped to those thin line velvet hangers and have got a lot more space. Do you open the door and stare in wonder?

  33. Nikki at Styling You got me on to those velvet hangers … I found them in a box of 50 at Costco the other day – they were about $18!

  34. I’ve just skimmed this… Have you heard of capsule wardrobes? I’m aiming for one. Why do I have soooo many clothes? It’s a good thing to do – cleaning out the wardrobe. It’s supposed to take negative voodoo stuff with it to, that those clothes hold.

    Mel

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