G’day Beach Cottage ladies, hope you rocked the weekend…well I got stuck into my wardrobe de-clutter as per the Beach Cottage Mission for these two weeks.
This, for sure, was the one I was dreading the most…my wardrobe is tiny and it was STUFFED, literally rammed with things, many of them not clothing related…
Now I have to hold my hands up here and tell you something….I was actually considering fudging the ‘Bedroom’ part of this de-clutter challenge, I was going to take a pretty picture of the rest of the room which because of the state of the cupboard and the stashing, mostly stays pretty presentable…I was going to pretend I did the de-clutter and keep my dirty little secret all to myself
…and then I got myself a Styling Session with the Queen of Australian styling…
yep Nikki Parkinson-Hubbard, sprinkled me with some of her StylingYou glitter and I was raring to go….you see alongside her blogging and her styling business, Nikki has a little club, join in by getting yourself a membership and you get her guiding you in updating and planning your wardrobe, season by season, helping you select items that withstand the test of time….membership begins with a client questionnaire and one-on-one 30-minute skype or phone session and is especially suited for mums on the move, who need to look their best, juggling parenthood and part or full-time work.
Sounds too easy huh? Well it worked for me!
I learnt a lot from this session and the editing of ahem one’s wardrobe…it’s amazing that I feel like I have a whole new wardrobe to choose from when actually I donated 4 big sacks of clothes to charity!
I hope, if you are in a wardrobe mess, or even if not, if it’s time to edit your wardrobe, these tips below will help you along they way…they are tailored for me and my circumstance, but I thought you might like them too!
so here are Nikki’s tips, especially for me…and how I worked them into my wardrobe editing session for the Beach Cottage De-Clutter Mission
10 steps to editing your Beach Cottage Wardrobe
1. Get in the right frame of mind. If you need a glass of wine to help achieve that then go for it. I’ll wait here while you go to the fridge.
hmm, I had been out the night before so I had copious amounts of coffee to get me through this
2. Lock the door so you don’t get any “helpers” in the form of children or well-meaning husband. They will distract you with requests such as, “can you please drop me to my mate’s house?”, “borrow the car” or “mum, why are you drinking wine for morning tea?”.
it was a beautiful day on the beaches…a Saturday morning and my kiddos were either down the beach or at sport…perfect
3. Pull EVERYTHING out. There’s seriously no point flicking through the racks, offering only a cursory glance at that floral top you bought three years ago. That still has its tags on. You know you don’t do flowers except on a table in a vase.
I did this sequentially…working right to left, I pulled something out, decided if it was a keep or donate and worked until the whole wardrobe was empty…trying on stuff as I went…this black dress got me wondering, I love how it fit on the body, I love its classic shape, I love the shoe string straps, I love the fabric…I did not love how it fit on the bust…it was large and gapey and never felt right up there…out it went
4. Look at your empty wardrobe. At this point another glass of vino may be called upon. You’re not wardrobe gazing here. You’re taking a good look at the space available to you and thinking how best you can make the most of that space. If moving your partner’s clothes into another room is what you think best, who am I to come between you and wardrobe bliss?
I did this and then looked at the stuff all around me and couldn’t believe what had come out, no wonder I was feeling over-whelmed! I moved a couple of coats and jackets to another closet.
5. I know you don’t have one of those large, spacious custom-designed wardrobe systems with all those clever shelves (nor do I, if that makes you feel any better … I actually dream of having a whole room dedicated to my clothes and accessories … but that’s another dream) so you have to get serious about how you’re going to organise what’s in there.
I organised my scarf collection into colours and Summer/Winter…the Winter ones went inside the wardrobe the summer ones went on here and the same on the other side…these are the ‘blues’ and the ‘stripes’
6. When you have all your clothes out of your wardrobe, start to organise them in to type and colour. This is particularly essential if your week involves two completely different type of clothing demands. One client I’ve worked with is ultra corporate during the week and surf lifesaving all weekend. We were able to split her wardrobe into two, so that Monday to Friday she opened one section; on the weekends and holidays another. You will have your wardrobe mainly filled with your Beach Cottage day-to-day uniforms plus a few key pieces for meetings and nights out.
this is an Instagram of my culled pj’s….why I thought I needed lots of pairs of pj’s I have no idea….they are now off to pj Heaven and I am left with these…who knew I liked pink?
7. During this organisation process, you’re culling, right? If it doesn’t fit and doesn’t make you feel good it has to go (special consideration is given to sentimental pieces … I’m not that harsh!). If you want to hang on to those jeans (just in case … umm like my sass & bides I squeezed into for my 40th, drank too much and they’ve never fitted again), then store them out of sight. Otherwise, they will only make you feel like crap every time you see them.
I found 12 little black dresses in my wardrobe…I lost 4 of them…does a girl need 8 little black dresses in her life?
hmmm, well I pondered this…one of them is a maxi, one of them a beach dress, one of them a school event/meeting shirt dress, a couple of going out dresses
…so all in all I kept them…but I will probably cull these further
this top was a case in point of why my wardrobe was in the mess that it was…when I bought it I was swayed by the colour, the fact that I love tees and the ruffles, but in reality, this made my upper arms stand out a mile and I have therefore never really worn it…plus I had one in white too…they both went out, no point in keeping things that don’t make me feel good
8. Put things back into your wardrobe in a way that suits your space and lifestyle. I have a small wardrobe like you that I’ve been unable to convince my husband I should have sole custody of (despite regularly encroaching on his “side”), so I have taken up a sub-let in my daughter’s wardrobe to house the clothes from the season I’m not currently wearing. I figure I’ve not got long to go on this plan, though, as the teenage “must buy new clothes” bug has well and truly kicked in. It’s time to take over space in one of your children’s rooms now!
I realised that I have mostly casual clothes that I like to ‘smarten’ up with a scarf, nice shoes and a bag…I put things back in my wardrobe in an order that means I won’t touch the ‘going-out’ stuff / smarter stuff unless I am ….going out…duh!
9. Bag up clothes for your favourite charity store, keeping aside any you might be keen to eBay. From experience, it’s new, near-new designer labels that will pull the most cash and make your eBay session worthwhile.
I decided early on that there wasn’t going to be any selling in this mission, yes a bit of extra cash might be nice, no I cannot be bothered…my stuff was on the way to Vinnies…
10. Sit back. Pour another wine and admire the glory that is a wardrobe ready for the season ahead.
I sat back and eyed with glee a very, very nice cover for my bed that had been successfully hidden and stashed in the back of the wardrobe from Mr Beach Cottage..my reward for my work will be this on my bed…did I say white and ruffles and Love? oooh yeah, bring it on baby
and here are Nikki’s tips for me to improve further on my ‘new’ wardrobe…
A Beach Cottage Wardrobe Essentials
Effortlessy chic mum-on-the-move pieces are your key wardrobe essentials.
You already do this VERY well – with a signature look of shorts, jeans and layered tees, cardis and scarves.
As we’re coming into autumn-winter, do you have enough cooler-weather pieces that fit your signature ABC look?
If not, those are the gaps that you should put on your autumn-winter shopping wishlist. This is not a list that has to be filled in one session. It’s one you can work over a couple of months as you see perfect pieces in your favourite stores.
Yes, this session has shown me there are gaps in my wardrobe… I particularly will be looking out for a very nice white shirt, an investment top for the evening and a smart top to wear with pants
I know you’re a keen fan of Emerson at Big W and Mix Apparel at Coles and both have great pieces in store for the new season.
Yep I love mixing these affordable brands with investment pieces and good jeans /shorts, I particularly love how Emerson & Mix Apparel mean I can mess about with fashion and experiment without breaking the bank!
My hot tip: spice up your winter casual look with a pair of coloured jeans – I’m thinking that mallard green would fit the ABC look. They’re $19 at Big W – run, don’t walk!
You’re also starting to hang out with other bloggers, attend meet-ups and go to meetings as you blitz the blogging world with your greatness.
Keep your signature look going but maybe amp it up a little, wearing jeans with an ankle boot or wedged heel. It’s amazing the difference that will make. Also having a couple of cute tops that are a bit dressier than tees.
As for dressing up, you need at least one little black dress that is timeless and makes you look and feel fabulous … oh and killer heels (with some Tipsy Toe fold-up flats on hand at all times!) and some bling accessories. Not sure Mr Beach Cottage will let you out of his sight though 
… SMOKIN’!!
Thanks Nikki, I couldn’t have done it without you…well I could but I would definitely have cheated
I hope you enjoyed that Beach Cottage ladies…coming up what I learnt from this session, a fashion post on what feels like my new wardrobe when I haven’t spent a penny, but much much much more importantly, I have my newly dressed bed to show you with the linen I found
You.
Are.
Going.
To.
Die.
Love ya
Sarah
Here’s a bit more on Nikki and her blog…you can find more about her over here
Styling You is your online passport to looking and feeling your VERY BEST every SINGLE day. Looking your very best every day just may give you the confidence boost you’re looking for. It’s not about embracing the latest fashion (although this certainly helps). It’s about really understanding what makes you tick, what drives your personality, and dressing accordingly so that others can see the real you. (I’ll share a secret with you here … sometimes the “real” me isn’t so crash hot. On those days I choose to stay home and embrace my inner dag. (You have my permission to do the same.)
Oh you have so inspired me to clear out my wardrobe Sarah! I think I’m going to give the wardrobe itself a total repaint, grab some cute storage baskets for my many, many accesories and start decluttering my clothes! I am in desperate need of a shopping trip for Autumn gear so it’s the perfect time to turf out my old stuff !
xo K
Kirsty, it was just what I needed…waking up this morning pulling together a simple outfit for the day was a breeze!
x
She is totally amazing. I love following Nikki on instagram.
Ah, thanks for following x
I know
x
A job well done Id say – good one lady!
Im going in today… its not tooooo bad but you’ve inspired me to revisit and do the “next round of culling”- Ive adopted routine assesments in an attempt to keep it manageable and also to give myself a few second chances in case Im not ruthless enough first time round – it all helps
thanks for the nudge and for sharing Nikki’s tips xx
yes Melinda, I will be taking on those routine assessments from now on…I used to do that all the time, but since moving in here and having a smaller wardrobe than ever before I did the opposite…go figure!
Great tips from Nikki for what is a horrendous job. I recently did a wardrobe de-clutter but I know I wasn’t nearly ruthless enough. I did chuck the jeans I bought online that may have said size 12 but were more like an 8 and no amount of starvation was going to get these hips into those babies and the backless dress I bought on sale in Chapel street where I listened to my sister who said it looked great but with the labels still attached after 2 years who was I kidding I was never going to wear it (love my sis but lets just say she’s not my go to girl on fashion advice – ever!!) and the dress always just felt wrong in an age appropriate kind of way – and thats where my wardrobe malfunctions seem to be wallowing at the moment trying not to look mumsy or muttonish its a dilemma!
Can’t wait to see the new linen
xx
yes Caz, I don’t know why we keep stuff that doesn’t fit or look right…as if somehow we will change body shape lol…hence why I donated heaps of stuff! x
This was soooo cool Sarah – thanks for sharing … being on here at the beach house I only have about 35 items including shoes – not counting four scarfs and two hats – and it has been bliss – everything works … I have bought one black merino long sleeve top and one very green spray jacket – to add to the mix – and it is a thrill not having an overstuffed wardrobe with pieces that don’t work – I’ll take your tips back to bris vegas and combined what I have learnt here and cull my aussie/summer wardrobe too – hugs le xox
yes I know what you mean, I always think that when I go on hols…a more limited wardrobe actually works better! x
I have held hands with a dear friend and brutalized her closet twice. Sometimes you need tough love! BTW< I love you shiny, beautiful wood floor!
oh Ruth, there will be more brutal de-cluttering in this old cottage yet! feels amazing! x
Thanks for having me “style” you Sarah … but seriously you’ve nailed a fantastic signature look that works for your every day. You should be congratulated x
thanks Nikki, your tips helped me A LOT! X
Good for you !!!! I do this about every 18 months. There are some things I really have issues with….like what is in my bureau. I have too many tank tops….too many undies.. I have mastered the hang up stuff…just not the drawers !!! It is true though, you throw out and after feel like you have new outfits !
haha Angie I had 31 singlets not including the sports ones! xx
I LOVED this post. Exactly what I need to do. Can I pour a wine at 11am??!? I started following Nikkis blog this yr, she’s great, very very “real”! Now just waiting to see this bed Sarah! Cant wait!!!! x
Janelle…I think wine at 11am is a good idea for this particular job lol!
yep Nikki walks the walk unlike a lot of style and fashion blogs x
Brilliant! I knew there was a reason I hadn’t started my wardrobe cull yet – I needed this post first for the great tips and advice. Have been busy de-cluttering other spaces/cupboards and hope to do the wardrobe later this week.
Thanks Sarah for forging ahead and paving the way
Tiff, all I can say is get stuck into, best work I have done for a long time on my house! feels so good to be free and see what I’ve got
x
Sarah!!! Thanks so much! I have been looking for coloured jeans everywhere (except big w) and for the life of me no one is selling them!! I am after a pair of red wine or egg plant purple (or prheps both) or even plum( I already have a nice pair of dark green almost khaki skinnies that I love… I found wine red in dotti but their fit is so small I can’t squeeze my big legs into them no matter how many sizes I go up(even the mannequin doll looked uncomfortable in them lol)! I will be heading out that way this week! Stoked as!
As fo culling the wadrobe…. I did a massive cul of my summer gear now I will be moving on to my winter cull when I get those clothes out of storage… I know I have a lot of clothes but I do actually wear all of it…Especially in winter where I tend to do a lot of layering just so I keep warm (thank goodness it’s a looks that seems set to stay!).
yep Alice I will be interested to see how the BigW’s ones fit…I too have been on the lookout for coloured jeans…though the colour I get will probs not be that bright and I will mix them with neutrals
…when I was on holiday in Coffs Harbour I saw a woman of about 50 in some green cropped coloured jeans…she looked amazing in them…before seeing that I wouldn’t have touched them with a barge pole
I am running to BigW’s Emerson asap
x
oh and yes I hear you on those strange fit skinnies…like who DO they fit???
x
I am have been meaning to clean out my closet for ages!!!! I’m convinced…I’m doing it!
you won’t regret it Kaye! x
Holding on to clothing that is not flattering is something I am definitely guilty of.
I would love to have someone help give me unbiased advice.
I am going to check out Nikki’s site, thanks for sharing the resource.
Can’t wait to see your new linens!
Nikki’s advice really helped me Jay…spurred me on too and I now have wardrobe power! x
Thanks for the tips! I am in the middle of purging myself! It does feel good and then we can start buying again. Lol ~Cheers Kim
yes, always a good excuse to buy… a good purge!
Purging for a hoarder, well, sort of, is…well…so hard. I will follow your lead, find desired space, fit and so much more wardrobe fun in knowing how great it feels! Pajama purge is first!
Thank you!!!! and thanks to Nikki!
bring on the purging Christine! x
i’ve got a confession to make, i’ve still got 3 laura ashley dresses from the mid 90s when my mom went on holiday to england!!! just seem to hold on to them!!! thanks for your wardrobe tips…will have to start thinking about my signature look!!!
hmmm, thinking you might want to lose those Sharon! x
nup sorry still to scared to even go there. But I eagerly anticipate a peek at your new bedlinen.
go on…you CAN do it! x
too scared even…
I have a very small closet sarah plus most things I kept is only because of emotional value. But I guess, its time to clear that up. Thanks for the prodding. You are doing this girl, her likes and the cluttered world some real good.
yep it’s all good!
Thank-you Sarah and thank-you Nikki. I loved that post, it spurs me on to do the same with my wardrobe. It is an absolute NIGHTMARE in there, and I am too scared to look in there at times. It is in serious need of a clean out and revamp.
Thanks for inspiring this busy mum.
xx manda
Manda, mine was really really bad too! well I cleared out 4 sacks of clothes from it and it’s TINY!
tell you what you won’t regret it…so so pleased I did it! x
Oh this is a timely post!You know when your wardrobe needs an overhaul when a) things fall out when you open the door, and b) wehn you only wear 20 per cent of what crapola is actually in there!
I.m guilty on both counts! Nikki, when are you coming to England? Help…….
I will have a cull…..I will….
Awesome post Sarah and Nikki. I have been following Nikki on Twitter and love her style. I think you may finally have convinced me its time to get rid of the first pair of country road shorts I ever bought and loved.
yes Deb, ditch ‘em! x
I love Nikki’s work.
I have started the wardrobe decluttering on my own, but I have some way to go. It would be fab to have a helping hand, although I find a good friend can help.
I’m all for decluttering and giving away as much as possible to charity.
good luck with your wardrobe de-cluttering! x
Love it when two bloggers I enjoy collide, great work with the declutter, and thanks for sharing the process Nikki used to help you
thanks Sandra, it was fun!
Sarah, I did this for myself years ago and when I cleaned out my closet of everything that either 1. didn’t fit, 2. didn’t flatter me, or 3. was worn out and old and out of style…I ended up with 4 tops left! Since then, I’ve become extremely picky about what I buy – I will only buy something if I absolutely love it. If I don’t, I’ve realized that I never wear it and it just takes up space. Salespeople hate me cause I’m so picky, but I love having a simplified and smaller wardrobe that actually has things in it that I can wear!
I am taking your advice Robin and being a lot more picky too…this has taught me a few lessons!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea of scarfs on the hangers. I have many scarfs and they are literally jammed in two little cubby openings in my closet. I am going to do this transformation this week. I would say today, but that just isnt happening. I need to be realistic.
Thanks for the great tips;)
~`Cheryl
Fresh Vanilla For C
no worries Cheryl, hanging them makes it so much easier!
I really like your blog:) Great pics and som much inspration…I wish you a lovely week
LOVE Maria at inredningsvis.se
(Sweden)
I’m with Cheryl – scarves on hangers!! Mine are spread between a very small drawer and the hook on the back of the bedroom door which is shared with Mr GK’s prize Holden jackets and chaos erupts when a jacket needs to be extracted from under many scarves …
Sarah, I am now inspired to declutter a long overdue wardrobe – thanks! x
yes it is such a good idea…so easy to choose and pull one off!
Oh, this has me inspired! I have sooo many pretty clothes in my closet that I’ve gained too much weight to wear. I need to just get in there and give (most) these items away which is hard to do but I think that it would be liberating too If (when!!!!) I do lose the weight, I guess I can just go buy some new things. I’m tired of the guilt I feel about gaining weight-I am excited to purge my closet!
yes, you should…I felt guilt about living in a mess…it was so very liberating… and now I feel like I can choose my clothes every day easily…which makes me feel better! win win x
GREAT tips, Sarah! I just unloaded SIX (count’em SIX!) BIG boxes of clothes from my closet and gave them to Goodwill! It felt soooo good! There’s still more culling to do….but at least it’s a start! lol!
xoxo laurie
oh Laurie, I hear you….I furthered my culling today….amazing! in fact I could just keep on going! x
I use to laugh at my mother-in-law’s sublet in another wardrobe. Well, now my daughter laughs at my sublet that strangely evolved in in her old wardrobe in recent years. How did that happen???!!!
I loved this post. I went to a stylist years ago and have continued to implement lots of her ideas. I’m looking forward to reading Nikki’s blog.
I got me some KMart $10 skinny jeans the other day. Can’t wait for their first day out.
alison
oh yeah, rock those $10 skinnies from Kmart Alison
…funny thing happened with mine…they are getting better and better per wash and wear and at $10 that makes cost per wear almost minus xx
send me a pic I’d love to see them on you x
We have a similiar wish list Sarah.
I too am on the lookout for a beautiful and classic white shirt. Can you PLEASE let me know if you find a great one in your travels?
I had a look in Country Road today, but cannot justify the $$ and what I found was either too corporate looking for a sahm, or marked down but too summery for autumn/winter in Tassie.
I was also thinking that a pair of ankle boots with a little heel would be great for going out and I seriously need some going out tops.
Any ideast where to start looking on a budget?
I am loving my $9 Emmerson skinny jeans and am going to go try on a coloured pair next.
Did you invest in a pair yet?
Scarves on a hanger is genius!!
How fab to have your own stylist to assist you in sorting your wardrobe
oh I cannot find a white shirt anywhere! I tried Country Road too…I don’t know who is doing their buying nowadays or maybe I am just old cos none of it was me apart from some of the accessories and shoes…which don’t actually fit me very well anyway! x
oh my! i forgot to read your declutter mission for a few days, and this was just fabulous! and the ruffled spread is a justly and perfectly lovely reward!
i love to buy clothing on sales regularly and have a bursting closet of beauties… how can i start with “that ” in mind? all the comments were helpful and if you gals can do it, i can too….thanks. xo jody
yeah! rock on Jody x
Thanks for sharing Nikki’s styling tips for you, Sarah – I think they would work for most of us, and I need to get into my (and hubby’s) closets/drawers and seriously do this.
I really liked someone above’s idea of having a good friend to hold your hand while you do this – another set of eyes are invaluable to help you honestly choose those unflattering outfits to donate, (let’s face it – mothers/sisters/HUSBANDS are useless at this) particularly if you are having a a bad-self-image day. Also a good friend just might help you mix up some items like you hadn’t thought of before.
By the way, can anyone tell me how to wear a cardi without looking frumpy?