Six easy ways to organise your wardrobe from top stylist Antonia O’Brien
Watch: Stylist, Antonia O’Brien, gives some top tips on how to organise your wardrobe
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If you’ve ever opened your wardrobe and found nothing to wear, then it’s probably time to give your wardrobe a makeover!
As a stylist, Antonia O’Brien has learnt many tips over the years on ways to improve the wardrobe situation. This isn’t just about making something neat either – a tidy wardrobe means you can see what you have and makes getting dressed in the morning that bit easier.
O’Brien says: “It will instantly refresh what you already have, making your wardrobe more organised and considered, environmentally conscious and actually low cost.”
Read more: This is why you only wear a small proportion of your wardrobe
A survey by Weight Watchers revealed that in the UK we own about £10bn worth of clothes that we don’t ever wear. If that sounds like you, it’s time to sort out that wardrobe…
1 Buy proper hangers
Mis-matched hangers – especially anything chunky and wooden – don’t have a place in your new look wardrobe. Instead, you need to replace them with flocked, non-slip styles.
“You will be able to create so much space, fit so much more in your wardrobe and therefore see so many more of your clothes and wear more of what you've got,” advises O’Brien.
Shop: Pack Of 10 Black Wooden Hangers | £5 from Dunelm
2 Be season ready
Unless you’ve got a walk-in wardrobe worthy of a Kardashian, chances are every six months you’ll have to transfer over your seasonal clothes. After all, there’s no point in having floaty, summer dresses taking up valuable wardrobe space in the colder months.
O’Brien recommends using plastic zip storage bags that are relatively inexpensive and allow you to vacuum the air out so that they squash down, making them easier to store. This is particularly good for knitwear as it stops moths attacking it.
Read more: Eight affordable M&S staples we’re adding to our basket this autumn
“My moths absolutely love cashmere,” exclaims Antonia. “I'm very particular about keeping it and protecting it, meaning they will last longer - and the moths won't get them.”
Just make sure that everything is washed and clean before you pack it away for the season.
Shop: Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags | £19.99 from Amazon
3 Store knitwear – the right way
When it comes to winter wardrobes, chunky knits can take up valuable wardrobe space, but O’Brien believes the best way to store them is to fold them and put them into categories, for example, chunky, cardigans, roll necks.
She says: “This way you can see when you're looking for a jumper you're not faffing and wasting time in the morning.”
4 Sort out your shoes
Are your shoes in a chaotic pile at the bottom of the wardrobe? If so, you need to invest in a shoe rack.
O’Brien recommends sorting shoes into categories and, if they come with dust bags, using them, as it protects from dust and scuffing. She also says storing them heel to toe will save even more space.
And don’t forget to look after your shoes – after all, they get a lot a bit of a battering every day.
Read more: How 2020 reignited my love for Ugg boots
“I also keep a small shoe care kit with polish, patent gloss a suede protecter to hand just in case they need a little bit of TLC,” advises the stylist.
If you have shoes or bags that you love but are in need of repair, O’Brien recommends checking out The Restory. The company can make old purchases look like new, which means you don’t have to ditch your old favourites.
Shop: Crep Protect Cure Ultimate Cleaning Kit | £14 from ASOS
5 Don’t forget your bags
Whether your bags are Prada or Primark, storing them correctly can ensure that they last longer.
“You don't want it to get squashed,” says O’Brien. “Fill it with tissue paper so it can keep its shape and keep it in a protective bag - if it came with a dust bag - or just buy something similar.”
Read more: More top tips on how to organise your wardrobe
6 The finishing touch
Before attempting to organise your jewellery, O’Brien recommends that you have a proper sort through first.
She advises asking: “What do you love? What do you wear? Is there any trash that could be someone else's treasure?”
Once you know what you’re keeping, try storing it in clear jewellery boxes as you’ll be able to see what you have at a glance, making your jewellery choice a speedy finishing touch in the morning.
Shop: iDesign Plastic Storage Chest, 3 Drawer | £17.99 from John Lewis
Watch: Antonia O’Brien shows you how to inject some colour into your wardrobe
