How to declutter your wardrobe – to value your clothes more and maximise storage space

Now is the perfect time to declutter

Are you overwhelmed by all the 'stuff' in your closet? Do you despair at finding that one item you know you have somewhere?! It's time to declutter your wardrobe.

If you are a fast-fashion shopaholic or a bit of a hoarder, every wardrobe needs a re-edit every now and again.

We have the perfect tips for helping to create a more streamlined and fashion-forward wardrobe, while taking control over bedroom clutter.

Related: Expert reveals why you should never iron clothes before putting them away

Declutter your wardrobe and create a clothing collection that is altogether more fabulous by following a few simple rules. Afterwards, put your clothes and shoes that you are left with back inside your wardrobe, and with help from a wardrobe organizer or two, you'll be able to categorise your clothes with ease. For a tidy space and an immaculate-looking wardrobe.

room with white walls white wardrobe and printed wall

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Start from the beginning

Take everything out of your wardrobe. Yes, everything. Pile your clothes on the bed in one big heap, ready for sorting. Put them into piles based around the below categories:

Things you've never worn, label intact!

Items that have not been worn for a year

Things you hope to wear again some day

Clothes that are uncomfortable

Items that are ill-fitting

Reduce the amount of clothes

When decluttering your wardrobe, be realistic about an item if it no longer fits. If it's new, why not sell it on eBay? Ot, it may be better off finding a new home via a charity shop. Beware about getting rid of vintage items, like your Aunt's 60s shift dress that you only wear once a year, as you may regret it later.

For each item, ask yourself – Do I love it? Do I wear it? Do I need it? If your answer to any of these three questions is‘no’, its time to let go. Remember charity shop and textile donations are always warmly welcomed.

Separate seasonal clothes

Reduce the amount of storage space required by dividing your wardrobe between summer and winter clothes. Store out-of-season clothes in vacuum bags to keep them immune from moths or dust, minimise creasing and to limit the storage space needed.

This process gives what's left more space will minimise creasing and you'll be able to see it more easily.

More on moths: How to get rid of moths from wardrobes, carpets and vintage clothes

Give the wardrobe a clean

cloth storage room having wardrobe and blue cloth hanger

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Once empty clean your wardrobe or drawers, wiping down all surfaces with a damp cloth. Sort hangers into a good order and chuck out any broken or cheap wire ones. Give the wardrobe a good vacuum to rid it of any lurking fluff.

Rearrange items as you them put back

Put items you have chosen to keep back in the wardrobe, placing the items that are most frequently worn at the front. Make sure the hangers are facing the same way so your can grab things quickly.

Create a shoe rack in your wardrobe to store footwear for the last phase of decluttering your wardrobe.

Wardrobe Boss top tips for wardrobe wellness

As Wardrobe Boss, Gabriella, is announced as Hammonds new wardrobe wellness ambassador for 2020 we catch up with her to seek her top tips and advice on decluttering, organising and creating a sense of wellness in our home.

bedroom with white wardrobe and having white door

(Image credit: Hammonds)

1. Sort outfits into categories

'Separate our clothes into different piles – gym clothes; workwear; weekend clothes and evening wear' Gabriella advises. 'Then arrange each into colours. So your jeans could be sorted into blue, white and black denim for instance.'

2. Arrange your wardrobe wisely

'Once your clothes are organised, it's the fun part...putting them back into your wardrobe and drawers. Make sure the pieces you wear most often are easily accessible. perfect for cutting down your morning routine time!'

3. Do monthly check ups

Gabriella recommends a quick check each month to keep up stay on top of things. She says. 'A quick sort out will mean you're not wearing the same things all the time, because you can't find any other options. And that's always a mood booster'.

Related: The best Instagram accounts for all the cleaning tips you'll need 

So be mindful of what you wear to stay on track with your newly decluttered wardrobe.

Holly Walsh
Content Editor

Holly Walsh has been Content Editor at Ideal Home since 2021, but joined the brand back in 2015. With a background of studies in Interior Design, her career in interior journalism was a no-brainer and her passion for decorating homes is still as strong as it ever was. While Holly has written for most of the home titles at Future, including Livingetc, Country Homes & Interiors, Homes and Gardens and Style at Home, Ideal Home has always been her ideal home, and she can be found sharing her expertise and advice across both the printed magazine and the website too.