When the outside world feels too loud, there is something comforting about staying home and turning to small and familiar tasks. Decluttering may not sound like the most obvious form of distraction, yet there is something strangely grounding about sorting, folding and deciding what stays and what goes in a closet. Isn't it true that a wardrobe holds more than clothes, but different versions of who we were and cherished memories? That's maybe why the detox urgency that arrives with spring-summer feels so familiar. The ideal moment to edit a wardrobe is always the seasonal switch, so it feels relevant to the life we are living now. Indeed, as soon as the weather shifts, the closet that carried us through winter suddenly feels heavy and crowded. The knitwear of cold nights is still taking centre stage, while the pieces we want to wear are buried somewhere out of reach. And getting dressed becomes a daily discussion between climate, mood and logistics.
The first step to do all this is to think like a pro. The perfect closet is not the fullest one, but the one that makes sense. Start by taking everything out and sorting the pieces by category. This may sound simple, but it is often in that process that the few white shirts turn into twelve and the pair of jeans we thought was missing suddenly reappears. This is without even counting the fantasy purchases we buy for a future version of ourselves or for this amazing trip we've been dreaming of for 10 years already. At this stage, visibility matters. It is only when everything is laid out in front of us that we begin to understand what we actually wear, what we have outgrown or what we have been holding onto for reasons that have very little to do with style.
Then comes the harder stage, along with some satirical existential questions that should guide every decision: Will I wear it? Do I need it? When was the last time I wore it? Some organising experts speak of the one-year rule, suggesting that if a piece has not been worn in the last year, it is worth questioning whether it still belongs in the main wardrobe – I guess we usually tend to extend that to the happy few pieces. Another popular framework is the 90/90 rule: if you have not worn it in the past 90 days and cannot imagine yourself wearing it in the next 90, perhaps it is time to reconsider its place. For those struggling to make a final call on what to keep, the reverse-hanger method remains one of the smartest wardrobe tools around. Turn all the hangers backwards at the start of the season, then return each one to the normal way only after wearing the piece. It is a simple visual tracker, but one that can be surprisingly helpful in making decisions. Clothes reveal themselves quickly when they are asked to justify their place.
But even if we go by the rules, our wardrobes are never entirely logical. We all have the comfort pieces, the ones linked to a happy shopping moment, to a trip, to a particular dinner, to a version of ourselves we still feel attached to. Then there are the clothes whose presence in a wardrobe seems to fulfil an emotional need, even if they are rarely worn. These deserve more than a strict seasonal deadline to prove themselves. So what do professionals think about all this? The Japanese organising consultant and founder of the KonMari Method™, Marie Kondo, built her approach around one simple question: “Does it spark joy?” This asks something deeper than whether a piece is useful; it asks if it still brings happiness. While Dubai-based Marie Sulebi, founder of TidyNest states: “After a professional training, I truly realised that decluttering and organising creates actual space in the house, but also in the head and in the heart.” Both ideas say something important: wardrobe editing is never only about tidiness, but about clarity, emotion and the choices we make about what still belongs with us and makes us happy. Also, another tip for the final verdict to bear in mind is that spring-summer wardrobes call for lightness, flexibility and repetition. They need to fit warm mornings, long lunches, unexpected evenings and all the in-between days when the weather can fail us.
So once all the exercises are done and the lucky pieces are chosen, here comes the real question: how to organise? Dubai-based professional organiser Eli Danila of The Tidy Flow says that “A professional organising session is structured decision-making. The folding is the easy part.” Start by putting the spring-summer pieces you reach for most often at eye level. Then move off-season clothing to the highest shelf, under-bed storage, or labelled, see-through bins. As for the accessories, they should be visible. Think of ordering shelf dividers to prevent piles from collapsing and slimmer hangers to create more usable space without any dramatic overhaul. The goal is to create a wardrobe that feels easy, personal and alive. And maybe we need to follow Vivienne Westwood's advice, “Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.” It is a fashion tip, certainly, but it is also the perfect organising principle. Another good tip to always keep in mind is that of Shelina Jokhiya, the founder of Decluttr Me, “One of the most effective ways to maintain an organised wardrobe is by focusing on quality rather than quantity. Well-made clothing tends to hold its shape, colour and structure far longer than fast-fashion alternatives."
Once each deserving piece has earned its place, the rest needs to go with no drama or separation anxiety. Donate, sell, repair or recycle are always the best options rather than keeping the clothes in a corner of the house under the fiction of “maybe later.”
A well-organised closet does not just look better, it makes us feel renewed and perhaps that is part of its quiet appeal. In putting a wardrobe back in order, we are not only clearing space but also reviving memories, reassessing who we are and deciding what still deserves to follow us into the next season. There is something intensely reassuring in that and even a little transformative.
