Today is the day. It’s finally here after your week of preparation. Here we go with the first four steps to a wardrobe audit.

1 – First and foremost make sure you have the time, and either do it alone or get a friend to help out. Kids may need to be removed from the house for the day otherwise you may be constantly interrupted. Shut the bedroom door, take a deep breath, and open up the closet and drawers.

2 – As you remove each article, examine it. Thoroughly! Is it stained, dirty, stretched? You can see straight off if something isn’t looking good, so seriously question if it’s a piece you still want, will ever wear again, or you’re simply over it.

3 – Make different piles, ‘keep, maybe, rags, and giveaway’. The ‘keep’ pile is easy, as is the ‘rag’ pile. These usually consist of tshirts or tops of cotton material that are no longer wearable with holes or stains and can be used for cleaning down bathrooms, dirt, grease, or even the dog, as they absorb well, so have a big box or bag handy for throwing them all into while you go. The ‘giveaway’ pile are pieces that are still in good condition but you just don’t want, regardless of whether they fit or not, so they can either go to a charity store or be sold, and sadly, there will be some pieces you spent a lot of money on that you just don’t like anymore. Don’t feel guilty; sell it on eBay or to a friend.  The ‘maybe’ pile is the pile you just aren’t sure about… yet.

4 – Once you’ve finished, try on what is left from the ‘keep’ and ‘maybe’ piles, because now is the time to cut and cull and be even more brutal. The only way you will find out if something still suits you is to put it on and have a look. If you’re doing this by yourself, take photos of yourself in the mirror if you have one, or get your friend to do it. We don’t see ourselves in the mirror the same way we see ourselves in a picture. Is the piece too tight, too short, too long, or too garish? If the answer is yes throw it out. If you’re still unsure ask yourself this, “if I met ‘insert celebrity name here’ while wearing this outfit, would I be embarrassed?’ or “would I really want to be caught dead in this?” If the answer is yes, throw it out. If it’s too tight (and you want to lose or are in the process of losing weight) ask yourself, ‘will I wear this when I lose weight?’ If the answer is yes, keep it, if not, get rid of it. You also need to ask whether the piece works with others in your closet. You can get extra mileage from wearing pieces in multiple ways.

Letting go of clothes shouldn’t be hard. That’s why I have a ‘maybe’ pile and then really think about it when I decide whether it stays or goes. Is there sentimental value to the piece? Can you get rid of it if there is? Why are you hanging on to it? I have a small suitcase full of clothes which I just don’t want to get rid of because I’ve gained weight. They are really nice clothes and I’m determined to lose enough weight to fit back into them, so I kept them. I also have no problem getting rid of other pieces that I’ve either grown out of emotionally, or just don’t want anymore. So if you have a pile you just cannot let go of, find alternate storage, like a suitcase, for them until you’re ready.

Now that you’ve cut and culled and have smaller piles on the bed, bag up those for the op shop or for selling, put the rags in the laundry for later usage then take a break and get some fresh air for a few minutes. Breathe in and out and feel the weight lift off your shoulders that you’re letting go of stuff you no longer need or want.

Let it go, let it go, I’m one with the wind and sky…

Stay tuned for tomorrow when we tackle organising and storage.