“Spring cleaning isn’t just about sorting through things and getting rid of clutter. It's about taking stock of who you are and how others see you. It’s a chance to redefine yourself, to change expectations, and to remember that it’s never too late to recapture who you were or to aim for who you want to be.” (Anon)

This is never more true than when we spring clean our wardrobe. Seeing the spring sunshine after the darkness and gloom of winter energises us to make changes. There are more hours of daylight to get things done, and researchers at the University of Michigan have found that springtime is such a mood booster that it can lead to us being more creative.
So instead of just opening the windows to let in the fresh air, it’s time to open the wardrobe doors and breathe new life into your style.
Getting dressed to face the world can be hard. It is really important to know that when we wear clothes that make us feel good, that, in turn, affects everything in our life, and boosts our confidence. We literally walk tall,instead of wanting to hide away.

Having a cluttered wardrobe can be stressful, and negatively affect your mental health. It can cause anxiety as you search through the rails and drawers of clothes, seeing those that don’t fit, that you no longer like, and no longer feel confident wearing.
Ask yourself ‘How do I  feel when I open my wardrobe to look for something to wear?”
The last thing you want when you look at the racks of clothes, is that you have nothing to wear.
The average woman doesn't wear more than about 30% of the clothes in her wardrobe!
A wardrobe spring clean will help you know that you can get dressed in just the right clothes for any occasion.
It’s time for a national wardrobe spring clean to make the most of every item of clothing we own.

To make sure that the process doesn’t overwhelm you, you need to tackle the job in bite-sized chunks.
First, choose a category, and tackle the sorting one category at a time. Set a timer for about half an hour, and create the right atmosphere with some favourite music. Now take out all your tops. The aim is to separate those you love, are in good condition and fit you, from those you don’t like, don’t fit or are no longer part of your style. So now you have some to keep, some to sell, some to give to the homeless, or a chosen charity, and some to bag up for rags. ( Most charity shops will accept a bag of rags, which they can sell to be recycled).
As you tackle each category, make sure you include those clothes that are so often overlooked, like the underwear drawer. The charity ‘ Against breast cancer’ recycles unwanted or unloved bras to raise vital funds for pioneering breast cancer research, and prevent them from going to landfills. A lovely lady, raised post-war when every penny really did count, taught me that cotton knickers and vests which are past their use-by date, make the best cleaning clothes!
It is helpful when you are trying to maintain some order in your wardrobe to make a few investments. For instance, drawer dividers for the sock drawer can save frustration and valuable minutes of searching. It is also worth sourcing some good quality hangers. There are velvet coated ones that prevent clothes sliding onto the floor, and help take care of your clothes by preventing them from drooping out of shape. Another helpful wardrobe accessory is space-saving hangers, which enable you to see and access clothes that are stored in a confined space, and prevent them from getting creased.
One investment to save time and prevent stress over keeping clothes in good, wearable condition, is a steamer. Once you have one, you will wonder why you ever bothered with an iron and ironing board!
Take care to keep all your shoes clean and ready to wear, so you don't limit yourself by repeatedly wearing the same ones. It is recommended that we should rotate our shoes.

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"Rotating to a different style gives the foot and leg muscles a chance to rest by engaging different muscles. For those who get sore feet, changing your shoes twice a day can also make a difference" (Sole perspectives).

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Gradually tackle each category, taking care to include accessories such as bags, belts and jewellery.
Lots of us are in the habit of dividing clothes into seasonal wear. However, if we do this in the UK, it is clear that with our unpredictable climate, we can limit those bright summer tops and beautiful dresses to being worn for just a few weeks of the year. So that they don't get left in the wardrobe month after month during the winter, it’s good to pair them up with warm leggings or long-sleeved tee-shirts to add some brightness to what we wear all year round.

Now is a good  time to put your clothes together in colour order. Having your clothes in colour order not only looks satisfying but also will save you time in the morning. Once you have done it you can shop your wardrobe easily knowing what colour you want to wear that day. It can save endless decision making and doubts about which items to wear together. It also makes life much easier when you are putting items back in your wardrobe. 

Before your clothes all go back into the wardrobe, it's time to take this wardrobe spring clean literally,  and hoover out the dust that's accumulated in the corners over the winter.

 Honing your individual style is about wearing what makes you feel good.
When your clothes support you in being confident to face your day, it doesn't matter whether or not they are the latest trend, or cost the earth- they have done their job.
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"So it’s time to treat yourself, spring clean the wardrobe and reap the benefits, so that your ‘outer order contributes to inner calm" (Gretchen Ruben)

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