NOW the weather has finally turned, I’ve spent quite a bit of time this week getting my wardrobe Winter ready.

You may think this rather odd (and I wouldn’t blame you) but I actually LOVE sorting out my closet and getting it ready for the new season.

Admittedly it takes some time and I definitely have to be in the mood for it (battling with hangers is not my idea of fun when I’ve had two hours sleep) but when it’s all finished and everything is organised and looking rather wonderful, I feel like the cat who’s got the cream. I really do.

By my very nature, I’m not the most organised woman in the world. What can I say, I try my best but often fail on a daily basis to keep things in order. Which is probably why I like my wardrobe to always be in an organised state.

It’s one of the few things in my life that I can control (told you, I was bonkers sometimes) that can look neat and rather beautiful, as long as little Elsie doesn’t manage to get in there and have a good ol’ rummage!

There are many reasons why everyone should have an organised wardrobe but the main ones that swing it for me are these:

•  It will help you to get dressed quicker in the mornings
• It will help you dress better
• It will save you money (yes, really)

and

• It can be a place of calm in a house full of chaos (mums to toddlers will  understand this!)

If you haven’t sorted your wardrobe yet for this season or can’t remember the last time you had a good ol’ clear out, then I urge you to have a go and make a start. Not only will it make you feel better, it’ll help make you look a million dollars and save you heaps of time while you’re at it.

Here’s how to get your wardrobe Winter ready. And I promise you it won’t take you nowhere near as long as you think.

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Mean business

Set some time aside in your diary and do it properly. Take a few bin bags with you, a notepad and pen and get ready to get stuck in.

Get rid of all Summer clothes

Autumn has well and truly arrived so those Summer clothes hanging in your closet are now redundant. So remove them. ALL of them.

Take everything out that is only fit for the warmer months and pop them all to one side.

Separate your Summer clothes into 3 piles

Keep, sell or giveaway anything that no longer fits, you have never worn, no longer like or has gone threadbare. The rest store away, checking they are clean before you do so (you don’t want moths nibbling them).

Fold them up nicely, give them a cheery little wave and store them somewhere safe.

Go through the remainder of you wardrobe

Again think keep, sell, giveaway.

Is there anything lurking in there that you no longer wear? Does anything need to be dry cleaned? Is there an item that needs to be mended? Can you really ever see yourself wearing these clothes again?

Get rid of anything that no longer fits, that you no longer love or anything that is no longer in it’s best shape. Life is far too short to wear clothes that only make you feel so-so.

Tidy and sort

Remove any items that need fixing and dry cleaning, then put everything back into your wardrobe organising clothes together as outfits. Yep, you heard me. Not by colour. Not by garment. But by OUTFITS.

This little idea I had earlier in the year changed my life. If you spend ages getting ready in the morning, like I used to, because you can’t put an outfit together or visualise it, just do THIS.

Put in basic items first, like a pair of black trousers or a grey rollneck and then build the outfits from there. So for eg. next to your black trousers, you might put a cream jumper, monochrome blouse and grey T-shirt. Put items together that you know work well together in style harmony.

Not only will this enable you to see what you actually have that works together, it also forces you to be much more creative with your clothes. And the best bit?

When you’re battling to get out of the house in the morning, all you need to do is pull an outfit out and you’re ready to go! Da daa!

After clothes, sort the rest

This shouldn’t take as long but again don’t rush. Have a rummage through your shoes and accessories, ditch anything you no longer need, put to one side anything that needs fixing or cleaning and get organised.

Put your espradrilles to one side for next Summer and have a good look at your Winter boots and shoes. Are they still fit to be worn? Do they need reheeling? Could you do with a new pair? Think and make notes.

Make a shopping wish list

With everything back in it’s place and looking super lovely and organised, now it’s time for the fun bit!

Grab a cuppa, dig out some magazines or have a look on Pinterest and think about the kind of pieces you’d love to buy this season, with your existing wardrobe in mind.

Could you do with a new coat for the season that is both stylish and functional? Have you a Winter wedding coming up that you need a dress for? Do your skinny jeans need replacing? Have you enough knitwear and tights to keep you warm?

Then, make a list of:

a) Things you NEED – such as tights, underwear, shoes and coats.

and

b) Things you would LIKE – such as a shiny new frock and fabulous boots.

Set yourself a budget and shop wisely

Decide how much you can afford to spend then hit the shops with both of your lists.

Don’t scrimp on the essentials and buy sensibly but also, don’t be afraid of stepping out your comfort zone too. Try things on you would never normally go for in a million years and don’t just visit the high street either. Check out some independent shops online, find your local charity and vintage shops and embrace this season’s fashion offering.

Do all of these things above and I guarantee you’ll be a bobby dazzler of a dresser for the rest of the season. Not to mention, a calm and very happy one too. ;-)

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With love,

Kate