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  1. The weather seems to have finally broken for Spring and the sun is shining.

    If you aren't on holiday or entertaining friends, or out with family, the Easter bank holiday is a perfect time to think about swapping your wardrobe over to your Spring / Summer clothing, not just because we get a 4 day weekend and therefore extra time, but Easter is a time for new beginnings and birth of all things new.

    What a perfect time for de-cluttering, tidying and making space in your wardrobe (and your mind) for all the clothes you will be wearing over the next 6 months or so.

    Many people don't have the space in their wardrobe to fit in every single item of clothing and accessories they own, and if they try and cram it all in, it ends up in a huge cluttered mess.

    The best way to keep your clothes looking great and organised is to separate them through the seasons, ie Autumn / Winter and Spring / Summer.

    Boots and heavy winter coats get packed away and the summer dresses, light jackets and sandals are brought back out.

    But where do we store it all?

    If you don't have any extra wardrobe space in a spare room, or one of your children's wardrobes, here are a few suggestions of where you can store your out of season clothes:

    • In a suitcase - almost like packing for your holiday, you are packing for your clothes to go on holiday for a few months.  Carefully fold or roll the items, even pack them with tissue or plastic in between each layer to prevent too much creasing.  Either store the suitcase up the loft or if you have room, under your bed.

    • Clear labelled plastic boxes - plastic boxes clearly labelled with whats inside, ie boots and winter shoes in one, chunky knitwear in another, etc etc.  The boxes could be stored under your bed (shallow under bed storage boxes are readily available) or on top of your wardrobe, or in the loft.

    • Ottoman beds - Ottoman beds are a great way to store your out of season clothes.  You could even lay the items flat, still on their hangers and place them in hanging storage bags to prevent dust. If you already store other items in your ottoman bed, is it worth considering if you need everything you store in there, or is it time for a de-clutter to make more space?


    If you don't have any other storage space or would prefer to keep ALL of your clothing in your wardrobe, my advice would be to hang your winter clothing at the back or in its own section of your wardrobe and maybe invest in some clear covers to keep your clothes in good condition while they aren't being used.

    Whilst separating out your seasonal clothing its a great time to really think about what you have in your wardrobe and do a wardrobe cleanse at the same time.

    Think about what you have worn during the Autumn / Winter months and whether or not you want to keep every single item.  Does it ALL make you feel good when you're wearing it, does it match anything you have in your wardrobe, have you actually worn it, and if not, why?

    This time of new beginnings is a great opportunity to consider your shopping habits too.  

    Only buy what you absolutely love wearing, not necessarily just because you love it on the hanger! We sometimes see an item online or in store and fall in love with it, but when we try it on it doesn't give you that wow feeling.  It's at that point we need to recognise that feeling and NOT purchase.

    Happy de-cluttering and organising everyone, and if you need a Wardrobe Fairy to help, you know where to shout x 

     

     

  2. Hi everyone, for those of you who follow me on Facebook and Instagram, you will know that I am in the middle of my #giveupshoppingforlent challenge.

    If you don't follow me on social media, here is what's happening .....

    At the beginning of lent I set myself a challenge to not buy any new clothes, shoes, accessories etc (or even charity shop bargains) during the whole of lent, for 40 days.

    40 days doesn't sound long and it actually isn't that long, but for somebody who works in the fashion industry, ALWAYS looking at new clothes and recommending them to clients, styling, looking good etc, 40 days is a long time.

    I'm now on day 26 of my challenge, so just over half way, and I thought I'd put down my thoughts and inspiration to others.

    At the very beginning of the challenge I found it very hard, it was so tempting when that email popped in to my inbox.

    How many tempting emails do we get each day, with 10% off here and 20% off there, new season styles, summer essentials, etc etc, all tempting you to purchase something you probably wouldn't purchase had it not been for the offer.  Before you know it you've clicked the link, browsed the website and within minutes you've added to your basket and hit "Confirm Order"!

    Sound familiar?

    The main emotion this challenge is really making me think about is the difference between want and need.  Do you REALLY need that animal print blouse or could you make the similar one you already have look better by styling it differently? Do you really need another pair of jeans? Could you cut off some old ones to make them into a trendy raw edge crop jean instead?

    I think I've come to the conclusion so far that its not necessarily the item you need, its the moment of purchase that gives you the buzz. It's that moment of happiness and joy when you hit the purchase button online, or tap your card on the reader in store and you walk away, carrier bag in hand with a new item.  It's almost a feeling of euphoria, like a drug. 

    Would you agree?

    During my Lent Challenge I've been wearing a few items I've not worn for a while, and enjoyed wearing them. I've been thoroughly practicing what I preach.  Shop in your wardrobe first and enjoy the odd new purchase to compliment the items you already have (I'll be doing the second bit in a few weeks after my challenge having identified I actually NEED a pair of short black ankle boots to compliment many of my outfits).

    By challenging yourself to spending less on clothes it also makes you think about those less fortunate than yourself, lots of people can't afford to keep spending on clothes and would love to have the funds to buy new items but have no option other than to "window shop".  It really makes you think how they must feel.

    I would thoroughly recommend to anyone to challenge yourself to a temporary Give Up Shopping Challenge, obviously not permanently, we wouldn't want the fashion industry to collapse!! lol