Shopping Efficiently Part One The Edit

The best way to save some cash this season without making your fall wardrobe suffer the consequences? Shop with intention. Knowing what you need, what you want, and having a plan on how you intend to achieve both is your first step to having an amazing wardrobe full of options. In this four part series I will go over what to toss, what to keep, and how to organize your clothes so you can be on the road to a curated, well thought out, and well rounded wardrobe.

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Part One: The Edit

This is likely to be the part of this process that you may enjoy the least. It’s time to open those closets and drawers and play the game of favourites. The best way to get through this is by bringing in a second opinion in the form of your closest (and brutally honest) friends. Set yourself up with three piles or bags; one for donation, one for storage, and one for trash. Pull everything out of your closet and drawers and get ready to go through each piece one by one. Anything ill-fitting, damaged, or if you haven’t worn it in years (or ever) needs to go.

Keeping the Piece

This is where your very honest friend/s are going to come in to play in a big way. Every piece of clothing has a story, and if you can’t tell the story (or at least compelling lie of one) then don’t keep the piece. Be sure to give each piece a fighting chance for survival in your closet and try things on. A good fit isn’t always a good fit, however. If you can’t think of at 3-5 outfits that the said piece can be worn with – it’s a goner. Once you get rid of all of the “meh” in your closet, you can make room for the amazing.

Store

Items that you keep just for sentimental purposes like your favourite sweater as a child or your grandmothers vintage dress collection don’t need to be in plain sight or reach on a daily basis. Also, out of season pieces that are classic and that you know you will wear again can go in storage. Anything you know you won’t be wearing for at least the next 2-3 months. Under bed storage boxes work really well for this, as well as empty suitcases if you are crunched for storage space.

Donate

Items that are still in good condition but are too small, items that you have never worn or have only worn once or twice, or simply don’t fit your style or personality anymore are good contenders for donation. Some of our favourite places to bring donations include Salvation Army, Value Village, or Goodwill. You can also go the consignment route with Front and Co. (Vancouver), or Trend Trunk (Canada/Online).

Trash

Don’t assume that just because you are donating to a good cause that it means you give them all of your castoff pieces. While some places don’t have strict rules on what they do or don’t take, it is considered plain rude to send in; used undergarments, badly stained, and torn or ruined pieces. Chances are, if it is something that makes you wince to think of it being in a store for purchase – just trash it.

Up Next: How to merchandise your closet to make the most of your space.

Be sure to enter to win a shopping trip with notable Vancouver fashion expert/stylist Nicolette Lang Andersen! Details here.