Autumn/Fall – A Warm Welcome…..🍂🍁🎃

…..to “Autumn” or “Fall”, depending on which side of the Atlantic ocean you live on.  Going into a new season is a great time to review what we are going to wear in the months ahead.  I’ll confess, I haven’t had any kind of order in my wardrobe for a while. It’s messy and chaotic so, this is the time!…..the details of which I’ll explain later.  At this time of year, there is that chance of the weather being unseasonably warm. Hence, I tend to steer clear of thick woollens – unless it’s a cardigan or shawl – layers are a much safer bet. Think, of sitting next to a roaring fire in the pub and the need to cool down, quickly!

My retro dress (Zara) bought in the Boxing day sales (2021).

In today’s post, I thought I would share with you what I have been wearing, lately, in this transitional period along with making room for items worthy of my very “limited storage space”.  Our son is between houses so has moved in with us until all is sorted. So, wardrobe space is at a premium.

As well as showing you my “retro” dress I have purchased some support vests in black and white (pack of two).  I avoid wearing bras if I possibly can, I have always found them so uncomfortable – I think these vests give good support, so they’re a great alternative.  I came across this quote, which I love :

 “I’m not wearing a bra, anymore, I don’t care if my breasts reach my belly button.” 

Gillian Anderson (I kinda agree!)

But, first of all, to create order and “to see the wood from the trees”, regarding my wardrobe space, I have been having a “de-clutter”. I will share the process I have been following with you. Hopefully, you will find it useful. 

To get started, I find it helps if I am in the right frame of mind. It’s so important because getting started can be a pain and, in truth, it is something I tend to put off. So, once the motivation is there, it makes the goal more attainable.

I usually take myself a nice coffee or drink of something with me as this is not a five-minute job. I also either listen to something like a podcast or the radio, for company.
I then decide where I am going to store the sorted items to avoid piles of clothes lying around the house for everyone to trip over.

I have bought three plastic storage boxes for my three categories which are: Keep, Sell and Charity Shop.  

When the Charity Shop box is empty, I will store my summer clothing in there instead of it taking up much needed wardrobe space – packed away until next year.

Next Step

Everyone approaches this differently. Some people tackle “the sort” by gathering every article of clothing and putting it all together in one place. I can imagine this would be an eye-opening or an eye watering experience! 

I like to tackle it “bit by bit”. I slowly go through my shelves and wardrobe. Doing it this way, I can see my progress – which makes me feel good in a methodical way. 

Which items to part with.

As you are decluttering your wardrobe, notice and pay attention to your immediate reaction to each item. Trust your gut, and if you are sure you will never want to wear that item, again, then put it in the Charity Shop box, or sell it!!  

Here are some questions I ask myself when deciding whether to part with an item:

* am I going to wear it, anymore?

* is it inferior quality?

* does it fit me well?

* is it damaged, stained, needing repair or lost its shape?

* do I feel good in the item?

* is it comfortable? and, finally

* do the colour and style flatter me?

Use a “Maybe” Box

Now, this is going against some of my “being ruthless” advice but this “maybe” box is a great tool to use. It will save any mistakes of parting with things you may later regret. I have done this myself and, to this day, I still miss that delicately sequinned top from” Kookai”! It’s a safety net!

If you want to ruthlessly de-clutter your wardrobe, get rid of any clothes that don’t work for your current lifestyle. For example, the clothes I needed for my past “corporate, office” lifestyle don’t work for me, now. So, if your circumstances have changed, get rid – especially if you are certain you will never have the need to wear them, again. 

Try a “Capsule Wardrobe”.

This is a great way to simplify your wardrobe space. A capsule wardrobe is a selection of clothes that you can mix and match together to create a variety of outfits with a limited number of clothes, and this can work whatever your lifestyle is. 

Use this as an experiment for a little while, dressing with fewer clothes (mixing and matching) to see how it works for you, while considering your preferences. After using a capsule wardrobe, you may become more ruthless when de-cluttering your main wardrobe because you have experienced (and hopefully enjoyed!) how freeing a smaller wardrobe can be.  

An example of this is when I have stumbled across a few different coloured jumpers and skirts which will be great for autumn/winter. The style is current, and I am quite excited to wear them. The trick is to keep all items which make us feel good when we are wearing them.

De-clutter your wardrobe, often.

I am trying to do a de-clutter more often as I will be more willing and able to let go of a little bit more, each time. I confess to being a “hoarder” so a regular de-clutter is a steady process of learning for me. I know that having a smaller, simplified wardrobe has benefits and makes life easier. Also, I am realizing I do not miss the clothes which have been taking up so much space. And, I also have my old favourites such as cashmere sweaters, leather jackets and jeans which come out at this time, every year. They are my investment pieces which I love and won’t part with as I know I would regret it.

And, finally….

De-cluttering clothes can be challenging work. But, with a few tips, tricks and tools, it can be made easier – which certainly helps, then, I can enjoy a simple and streamlined wardrobe.

During this last de-clutter, I love the fact that I have discovered things I had completely forgotten about. And, to be fiscally savvy, I have started selling my unwanted items on the likes of eBay, Depop and Vinted. EBay sometimes has 80% off fees. I managed to get some items on there, this weekend, but I underestimated how long it takes to photograph and upload images, and to write up the ads etc. Hence, I am still advertising items. It can be laborious but worth it to sell unwanted belongings.

In today’s post, I’m sharing with you the outfits I have been wearing, lately, as we go from one season to the next. I bought this Zara dress in the Boxing Day sales, and I’ve waited for the weather to cool before I start to wear it. I love the relaxed style and shall be wearing it, a lot! The other outfits are a black midi skirt (Zara) from my working days which I had completely forgotten about. I bought a pack of 2 secret support vests black/white (Marks and Spencer’s). I have styled them with some of my favourite shirts.

Do you struggle to de-clutter your clothes? If you have any questions or tips for selling online let me know in the comments.

I hope you have enjoyed my post which may contain affiliate links. If you click through to the product, there is no cost to you. The small commission I may earn helps me with the costs of running my blog. 

Alison xx