In order to let anything new into your lives, we have to let some things go and do some soul searching. Closet detox is the very first step to developing your unique style, and you don’t have to wait for Christmas to do it. In fact, stylists recommend cleaning out our closets at least twice a year!
Think Feng Shui. Here clutter is associated with stagnant and low energy that – just like Dracula – drains life energy from you, the energy that could’ve been used for more creative and meaningful purposes. We tend to think that we hate closet cleaning because it takes time, and who has free time these days? But the real reason for the resistance is probably much deeper than that.
Closet cleaning is an emotional process that requires mental work and stamina because you have to let things go.
There are many benefits to letting things go. It can help you achieve psychological breakthroughs, declutter personal space, and get life energy flowing again. You will also understand which items you actually wear, and they will form the basics of your capsule wardrobe.
Let’s get you started.
The problem
Since the 1990s, we as humanity have been going through a global clothing crisis, which has been manifesting itself through the birth of fast fashion and clothing waste. We consume 400% more clothing than we consumed 20 years ago. We also throw away much more clothing. According to the EPA data, 12.8 million tons of clothing waste was generated in the US in 2017, and only 13.6% of it can be recycled. All this clothing waste poses a huge threat to the environment. Not to mention many other social and health problems.
Why do we throw away clothing? Partially because we are exposed to so much fashion advertising that we buy way too much. We clutter our closets with random cheap and convenient stuff we buy while grocery shopping, or designer stuff that just went on this amazing sale, or extravagant items we simply don’t have occasions to wear to. With the abundance of clothing lying around, yet when we wake up, we find there’s literally nothing to wear!
That would explain the results of a study by Movinga, an online relocation and moving company. According to this research involving 18,000 heads of households in 20 countries, Belgium and the US have the highest rate of unworn clothing – 88% and 82% respectively.
You can change it. And the first step is to learn more about the problem. Here are some resources that you might find helpful for the upcoming journey.
Movies
Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)
Video credit: MoviemanTrailers on Youtube
Start with a fun romantic comedy based on Sophie Kinsella’s novels. You might even recognize a bit of yourself in the main character – Rebecca Bloomwood – a cheerful and naive journalist who would give up a lot to keep up with her shopping addiction. Her triumph over fashion possessions proves that you can do it too!
True Cost (2015)
Video credit: Life Is My Movie Entertainment on Youtube
Available on: Amazon Prime, www.truecostmovie.com
“How did I live this long in my life without even considering something as basic as where my clothes came from?”
This question popped up in the mind of a talented filmmaker Andrew Morgan, and a great documentary was born in 2015, titled True Cost. As the creators describe it – “True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary film that pulls back the curtain on the untold story and asks us to consider, who really pays the price for our clothing?”.
Minimalism (2016)
Video credit: The Minimalists on Youtube
Minimalism a documentary highlighting two ordinary guys who gave up corporate lives full of things and gained freedom. That’s how Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus describe minimalism:
Minimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from overwhelm. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from depression. Freedom from the trappings of the consumer culture we’ve built our lives around. Real freedom.
Also, check out their website and use a unique opportunity to get a free ebook – Minimalist Rulebook: 16 Rules for Living with Less!
Tidying up with Marie Kondo (2019)
Video credit: Marie Kondo on Youtube
Available on: Netflix
Marie Condo is a Japanese organizing consultant, an author of four books, and TV show host who in 2019 helped create a Netflix show that has touched hearts of millions people around the globe. Best advice from Marie – only keep the things that “spark joy”! Checkout her Youtube channel for free videos and organizing tips!
The Next Black (2014)
Video credit: FilmBuff Movies on YouTube
Available on: free on Youtube
The Next Black produced by AEG is one of those documentaries that made us feel extremely lucky about the historical timeframe we live in, which is a rare sentiment these days. It explores the future of fashion by talking to the heroes of sustainability like Patagonia, Studio XO, Adidas, and Biocouture. It will give you an overview of the fashion problem and will take you on a fun ride that includes Lady Gaga’s famous “bubble-making” dress, brewing in bacteria sustainable fabrics, and the idea of an outfit as a tumbler for the body.
And of course, don’t forget to watch the famous Sex in The City scene where Carrie Bradshaw gets her dream closet from fiancé Mr. Big, and has to decide her keepers.
Books
If you are a reader type, more magic words of closet detox wisdom are waiting for you! Here are our top picks.
The Conscious Closet (2019)
Photo credit: Audible
A terrific read from Elizabeth L. Cline, a fashionista at heart and a person with passion for the environment. In this book, you’ll learn about how to do a closet cleanout and how to say goodbye to unwanted clothing properly. The author pays much attention to textile recycling and explains why donating to local thrift stores might be not the best idea. You’ll learn about the most sustainable types of fabrics and how to spot quality items straight away. You’ll discover the magic of second hand shopping and how to get your first Gucci or rent it. Last but not least, you’ll learn how to transform your wardrobe into a sustainable one. We’ll quote this book quite often in the Style Guide.
The Curated Closet (2018)
In this beautifully designed useful style guide, a German author Anuschka Rees guides us through a simple system for discovering our personal style and a dream wardrobe. There is also a workbook which can serve as your personal diary where you can record your thoughts and complete fun exercises aimed at helping you analyze and clean your closet, plan looks, and prepare shopping lists. This book will help you:
1. Shop smarter and more selectively
2. Make the most of your budget
3. Master outfit formulas and color palettes
4. Adjust your wardrobe for work
5. Assess garment fit and quality like a pro
6. Create a capsule wardrobe
We love and appreciate the hard work put into this book so much that we use it for some of the homework assignments – completely optional, of course.
