Detox your wardrobe

Set the desired outcome

Whether you're attempting to bring order to clothes chaos yourself, or considering hiring professsional assistance, the first step should always be to 'set the desired outcome'. So says Marcella Caricasole, who translated the organisation and high standards of a career in project management into Think Tidy, her own professional organising agency.

As a fully trained member of the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers (APDO), Caricasole helps clients with everything from moving home to taking control of the family finances. She believes that a tidy wardrobe not only means we can wear and enjoy more of our existing clothes, but also that bringing order to our belongings can help support a healthy mind.

'The first step should always be: set the desired outcome,' says Caricasole, providing examples ranging from basic needs (such as to see all the clothes I own or keep only the clothes I wear) the time-saving (such as create 15 outfits for the season, be able to plan weekly outfits, or discover my 'uniform') to the emotional (such as to reset my wardrobe after changes in body or job).

Assess what you own – honestly

Depending on the size of your wardrobe, lifestyle and determination, Caricasole advises this stage could take from five hours for a small wardrobe up to three days for a walk-in wardrobe. If that sounds daunting, consider breaking the process into smaller steps.

Firstly, pull out anything that hasn't been worn for the last 12 months. Ask yourself why and then decide if you want to keep it or donate it. It's helpful to examine it using the following criteria:

Does it fit? If it can be altered set it aside, otherwise put it in a bag for donating.

Is it stained or torn? If it can be mended put it aside, if it can't be mended or reused around the home, put it in a separate bag for recycling.

If it's not failing for a practical reason, Caricasole suggest the 'shop your wardrobe' test, asking yourself 'would I buy it again?' In answering this question it's helpful to consider whether it still suits you and if you know what to wear it with (and own those items).

Confront your emotions

Many of us cling to clothes we don't wear for emotionally loaded reasons: they perhaps represent a person we wish we could be (or were), or the expense of the item means it seems wasteful to give it up. Items that once brought joy become loaded with guilt instead.

If that's the case, then consider following Marie Kondo's method, thanking the item before removing it from your wardrobe. And ensure it has a second life: well looked after designer clothes can retain value for years, so donating, renting out or reselling unworn items are always preferable to recycling.

The fast-changing guidance over social distancing means that many charity shops and non-essential services are not currently operating in the UK so you may have to wait to take this step. Clothes should never be put with household waste as this means they are taken to landfill where they will take decades to decompose, releasing gases like methane and contaminating soil and water with dyes and chemicals.

Organise to create order

As we're all spending record amounts of time at home, it's little wonder that many of us are trying to make the best of our habitats. But sorting a wardrobe is no small task, especially if lockdown means there's no escape or way to take a break, says Caricasole.

'If there is no space to lock the mess away at the end of the day, it might be overwhelming, so if someone has limited space it works better if we break the process into smaller steps.'

Deal with the overflow – practically

If wardrobe space is at a premium, consider creating a form of overflow with wall hooks or a freestanding system. The same rules must apply as your wardrobe though: this isn't a dumping ground, rather a stylish way to easily see exactly what you have.

Bulky coats and jackets can swamp a small wardrobe so consider keeping them in a hall closet or on a set of sturdy wall hooks. Jewellery too can be hung on the wall, meaning you enjoy looking at pieces even when you're not wearing them.

1. Graham & Green Baxter industrial coat rack, £360 – buy here. 2. Arket Iris Hantverk rack, £17 – buy here. 3. Made.com Fibar valet mirror with shelf, £149 – buy here. 4. The Conran Shop Captain Hook set of three hooks in brilliant red, £68 – buy here. 5. Anthropologie Maggie jewellery holder, £48 – buy here. 6. Charles & Ray Eames for Vitra Hang it All hooks, £239 – buy here. 7. Graham & Green Ola copper mirror with shelf, £95 – buy here.

Make the most of every inch

'Once you have edited your clothing, the wardrobe itself needs assessing before you put anything back,' advises Caricasole. 'If you are able, move shelves and hanging rails to create the space that best fits your clothes: dresses, shirts and trousers should be hung (preferably on slim velvet hangers.). T-shirts, jeans, sweaters and exercise gear can be folded and stored in drawers.'

'Use smaller fabric boxes to separate underwear, socks and tights. I like Muji boxes because they last a lifetime. I bought mine 18 years ago when I organised the bedroom of my first child.'

Don't overlook spaces such as backs of wardrobe doors can be pulled into service with an over-the-door organiser. Roll up gym gear, hang your dressing gowns or store your accessories collection for easy access.

1. Urban Outfitters four-tier over-the-door hanging storage rack, £19 – buy here. 2. Made.com essentials Warren freestanding or wall-mounted shoe rack, was £79, now £65 – buy here. 3. Urban Outfitters Devon over-the-door multi-hook shelf, £40 – buy here.

Consider separate shoe storage

'Ideally, shoes should have a completely separate wardrobe or space where they are stored by type. Buy or keep original boxes for shoes if they cannot have a separate wardrobe,' says Caricasole.

Rather than searching through a jumble of shoes for a matching pair, consider making a feature out of footwear storage with a shoe rack that allows them to breathe between each wear:

1. Made.com Thornton hallway bench, £129 – buy here. 2. La Redoute Yaka two-level bamboo and metal shoe rack, £60 – buy here. 3. Made.com Huldra umbrella stand with shoe rack, was £59, now £49 – buy here.

Fall back in love with your clothes

While the process of clearing out your wardrobe can be painful, it often leads to discovery: both of items loved but long forgotten, and how freeing it can be to dress from a wardrobe filled with care. To ensure you don't end up in the same mess a few months from now, Caricasole recommends you follow the rule of 'one in, one out' where buying a new piece means getting rid of another. In this way the buying process is less impulsive because the purchasing requires you to ask: 'do I really need it? What am I prepared to give up for this? Does it fit in my wardrobe?'

It's also key to 'keep your clothes clean and ironed. If they can be worn more than once, don’t throw them on a chair at night, hang them and air them before putting them in the wardrobe. Be aware of what you own and treat it with love and respect,' advises Caricasole. 'You probably have everything you need.'

Let's face it, tackling the laundry pile is never an exciting chore but caring for clothes needn't be complicated. There are a host of products that can help extend the life of your clothes, and debobbling a cashmere sweater can provide a surprising amount of satisfaction and zen.

1. Tefal Ixeo all-in-one garment steamer solution, £289.99 – buy here. 2. Bürstenhaus Redecker sweater stone, £17 – buy here. 3. Bürstenhaus Redecker Spot-Gone Stick, £5 – buy here. 4. Arket Wool & Silk Wash, £7 – buy here. 5. Steamery Pilo fabric shaver, £35 – buy here. 6. Swan handheld steamer, £34.99 – buy here. 7. The Laundress No10 fabric fresh spray, £13.50 – buy here. 8. Perigot pair of cat-shaped moth-repellents, £11.50 – buy here. 9. Steamery Cirrus No2 travel steamer, £110 – buy here. 10. Iris Hantverk cedarwood rings, £5 – buy here. 11. Modelli mothproofer sachets four-pack, £5.99 – buy here. 12. Green Protect clothes-moth trap, £5.99 – buy here.

Clean and care for your accessories

Whether you've got a penchant for designer bags or a growing trainer collection, establishing a routine of cleaning and caring for your items can have a meditative quality as well as keep them looking their best for longer.

1. Andrée Jardin trainer cleaning kit, £35 – buy here. 2. Otter Wax leather care kit, £45 – buy here. 3. Attirecare ultimate shoe care set, £40 – buy here.

Set a regular date for reassessment

So you've edited down your clothes and are operating a strict 'one in, one out' wardrobe door policy. But that doesn't mean your work is done.

As the seasons change, so do the clothes we wear: in early spring heavy woollens, padded winter coats and chunky boots make way for light layers, fine knits and sandals. Unless you're blessed with an expansive walk-in wardrobe you'll need to store out-of-season clothes somewhere.

Whether that's under your bed or in a spare room, make sure that clothes, shoes and accessories are clean (and any damage repaired) and well protected from moths before putting them away, and make a calendar reminder to replace any moth-prevention items such as lavender sachets or cedarwood blocks.

Storage options vary from purely practical to pretty, so if you can't find room under your bed to stow things away make a feature of your organisation prowess with a stack of matching boxes.

1. Habitat Jolie set of three grey soft storage trunks, was £35, now £28 – buy here. 2. The White Company large cotton storage bag, £20 – buy here. 3. Brora purple zip storage bag, was £3, now £2.40 – buy here. 4. The Laundress all-purpose storage bag, £13.50 – buy here. 5. JML jumbo vacpack set of two, was £14.99, now £9.99 – buy here. 6. The Laundress large cotton canvas storage box, £23 – buy here. 7. Habitat Jolie orange under-bed storage trunk, was £18, now £14.40 – buy here.