I am, as with many things, rather late to the party in even thinking about a curated closet, never mind actually taking steps to achieve it.  I have often bought clothes on a whim, gleefully ripping off the tag before I’ve considered whether I’ll get the opportunity to wear pink suede boots or a backless red party frock. However, since the pandemic, I’ve begun to realise that I am actually only wearing a few items in my wardrobe on a regular basis, and like most of us, I imagine, leggings are at the top of the list of most worn pieces I own. But I have so many clothes that I don’t wear, that I never reach for, and that take up space not just in my closet but in my head, as I mull over why I ever bought them or whether I’ll ever wear them again.

Mari Kondo had a point when she suggested that everything you own should spark joy, and many of my clothes were not, so I set about having a closet clear out, a declutter, but also a wardrobe organisation, identifying gaps that need filling so I have a wardrobe full of clothes that I actually wear.

So how did I go about achieving this? These are the seven steps that I followed, which worked for me and which i hope will work for you too:

Step 1 – take stock: remove all your clothes from your wardrobe and/or drawers and place in piles on the floor or where you can see them. I know it seems like a daunting task, but when you actually see your clothes all laid out together, you can really take stock of what you have, not just physically but metaphorically too.  For example, I honestly didn’t realise how many T-shirts I actually had – turned out I had I had 18, most of which I had barely worn in two years.  

Step 2 – keep or chuck: pick over all your clothes, which will now be so much easier as you can see them all at a glance, and decide what you want to keep and what you want to chuck. Now when I say chuck, I don’t mean that literally, I mean remove from your possession, or from your eyeline, by donating them to charity, selling them on Ebay or Vestiaire, or, if you’re unsure, put them in a “don’t know” pile, pack them away somewhere where you can’t readily see them, and if you haven’t worn them in a year’s time, then chuck ‘em. 

Step 3 – assess your personal style: you’ve cleared your closet of pieces you are not wearing, so now your closet contains pieces which reflect your personal style and clothes that make you feel good – the colours, the fabrics, the silhouettes, so that when you look in the mirror or you look down at yourself you feel good about yourself. So many stylists talk about “essentials” – an essential white shirt, an essential pair of black trousers – I don’t believe in essentials that are right for everyone.  You get to decide what your essentials are, and mine are definitely leggings! Consider your personal style and your lifestyle – how you live now and how the clothes you wear are compatible with that lifestyle.

Step 4 – consider and plan: now that you have a leaner wardrobe, you can begin to see what you can wear with what. Do your tops go with your bottoms? Have you got enough jumpers or cardis you can throw over your T-shirt and leggings if you’re working at home? How many times do you have to wash your favourite cashmere sweater because it’s the only smart one keeping you warm on Zoom calls? Get a notebook and pen and make a wish list.

Step 5 – what goes with what: now you have your smaller closet and a wish list, try on what you have. Be creative, could that blouse you’ve been saving for best actually look ok with your black leggings? If you are going into the office again, could you wear the cocoon cardi with smart black trousers? Try outfits on and take photos on your phone to remind you – yes honestly, I know it sounds daft, but try it – that way you’ll remember how good you felt in a particular outfit. And consider jewellery – necklaces and earrings in particular, which show up nicely on Zoom.

Step 6 – from wish list to purchase: now you’ve identified gaps in your wardrobe, and you have a wish list to work from, set about identifying where you can purchase your wish list items. This needn’t cost a fortune, as you can find reasonably priced items on sites such as Uniqlo and Weekday or buy second hand on Ebay or Depop, or at charity shops. 

Step 7 – monitor and review: sounds like a project plan, and in a way, it is!  You have completed your wardrobe curation, and you know have, or are on your way to having, a collection of clothes you are happy with, that fit you, that reflect your personal style and your way of living. 

As for me, a woman over 50, my main concern is comfort. I am working at home, and want to look and feel good in my clothes, but I also want to be as comfortable as possible when I’m sitting at my desk on Zoom calls all day long, which means leggings, leggings, leggings! Which then means I want simple but attractive tops I can wear with leggings, and can mix and match easily without opening my closet on a daily basis and wondering what on earth I’m going to wear today. 

Now the only snag with this method, apart from having to tidy all your clothes away again, is that these gaps you have identified may require you – or rather impel you – to buy more.  That is exactly what has happened to me with this exercise. Apart from the Five Key Transitional Pieces I have just purchased, I also bought two long sleeved T- shirts, three short sleeved T-shirts and a cardi. And I am coveting another cardi (I know, how many does a girl need, but with the weather being so unseasonably cold, I have to put something over the T-shirts, now don’t I?

But I am so glad I undertook this exercise, because I now know what I have – I honestly didn’t know how many T-shirts or trousers I actually owned, which is shocking really. I now intend to shop mindfully and be much more aware of what I have and what I enjoy wearing. 

One caveat – to myself really – because I want to be sure that everything I own goes with more or less anything, I may have gone a bit too monochrome, and overdone the black, so much so that I am starting to look a bit goth. So I just need to be aware, and add a touch of colour with a scarf or jewellery on the odd occasion I venture out. Watch this space!