Clothes Count
How many clothes should I have? It’s a common question and in my opinion, there is not a one size fits all answer.
Recently I read a survey suggesting the average woman has 103 items of clothing in her wardrobe, yet the results revealed,
21% of our clothes are unwearable
12% of our clothes have never been worn
33% of our clothes are too tight
24% of our clothes are too loose
10% of us are depressed every time we open our wardrobe!
So, the question isn’t the number of clothes that should be in your wardrobe, it’s making sure the garments that do hang there are the ones that are right for you and your lifestyle.
As we transition through life's various milestones, our clothing needs to change too. We tend to store pieces in our wardrobes either for sentimental reasons or because we think we’ll need them in the future. We also hold onto clothes for when we lose or gain weight. But these pieces don't need to hang in your wardrobe, they create clutter and confusion and can lead to feelings like, ‘I have nothing to wear' or ‘I always wear the same thing.’
What to consider when deciding how many pieces a functioning wardrobe needs for your lifestyle?
You might need more clothes in your wardrobe if you
only do laundry once a week.
work full time in an office.
play sports.
attend a variety of social events.
live in a changing climate and need a four-season wardrobe.
like to have a lot of choice in your wardrobe.
fluctuate a lot in weight so you need to maintain a few different sizes.
You may need fewer clothes in your wardrobe if you
regularly do the laundry.
work from home or part-time.
your social activities are similar and relaxed in nature.
live in a more temperate climate.
know what you like and are okay with a repeat outfit.
weight is relatively stable.
Of course, these lists are not exhaustive but I hope it’s got you thinking… perhaps you have a wardrobe for an office worker that goes out most nights of the week and lives in a continental climate, yet you work from home, rarely go out, and have consistent weather throughout the year.
If this is you, perhaps try the hanger trick to see how much of your wardrobe you're wearing. It's a simple process, turn all the hangers to face one way. When you wear something, turn the hanger back the other way when you return item of clothing. After a year, if there are still hangers placed the original way then it might be time to part with those pieces... or at least take them out of your valuable wardrobe space!
Does your wardrobe work for your lifestyle?