With everyone being asked to work from home, keep indoors and stay safe whilst the world is trying to stop the spread of COVID-19, more and more people are putting all of their energy into household chores that they don’t usually have time for. Because of this, I bet your house is spotlessly clean and your garden has been de-weeded and pruned to perfection, but what about your wardrobe?

It may not seem that important to have a sort through your closet at the moment as most days are spent in pyjamas or sweatpants but I promise, once you decide to have a clear out of your clothes, it’ll inspire you to get back into the routine of getting dressed, feeling your best and starting the day with a sense of normality in this strange time of self-isolation.

If you’re still not feeling very inspired to tackle your crammed rails and chest of drawers, a Netflix suggestion that has helped a lot of people around the world is ‘Tidying up with Marie Kondo’. The Japanese organising consultant, author and TV Host also known as Konmari, debuted her tidying skills on Netflix back in December 2018 and by the end of the last decade, she had everyone folding their socks, labelling every Tupperware box and asking their clothes: ‘Do you spark joy?’

Her equivalent to a spring clean is called ‘The KonMari method’ and is a system of simplifying and organising your home by getting rid of physical items that do not bring joy into your life. Before you start your wardrobe spring clean, why not take a look at her Instagram page, which is an inspirational mood board of before and after images from her home as well as reposts from fans with advice captions of how to sort, clear and tidy particular spaces and items.

Read through this guide if you’re ready to get on and start your wardrobe clear out Marie Kondo style: 

• Look at every item of clothing you own and try to think about how many times it has been worn. If it has been more than 4 months, put to one side.
• If you haven’t worn an item of clothing for a while but are still thinking about keeping it, Sometimes actually spending time to think about alternative ways of styling something can make you fall back in love and wear it again. If you can’t style an item to fit with more than three looks, consider again about giving it to a new home.
• Sort everything you own into seasons and put into piles. With the spring season now in full bloom, it’s time to put the winter wear into vacuum bags or suitcases and prioritise your hanging space for your spring and summer pieces.
• If you are looking for ways to sproose up your favourite items that are looking a bit too worn, buying tools like a de-bobbling machine will instantly refresh your knitwear to make them look brand new. (Keep an eye on our Instagram stories for a tutorial on how to be-bobble your clothes using a machine that can be bought from the boutique)
• Now that you have more spare time than ever before, start sewing up the clothes that have the odd wear and tear or hole in them before you think about throwing them away.
• With all of the clothes that you put to one side, figure out the best option of what to do with them. Charity shops are no longer open so why not contact some friends or family to see if they would like anything.
• Selling your unwanted clothes online is also another great option as long as you’re well enough to go to the post office and send the parcels out (taking multiple items at once rather than one thing at a time)
• Once you have gone through all of your clothes, putting them back in a way that utilises the space you have in the best way is where Marie Kondo’s advice and skills are most useful. Take a break and gain inspiration from an episode or two of ‘Tidying up with Marie Kondo’ or have a nice cup of tea and scroll through her Instagram feed to get some ideas.
• Make a list of things that your wardrobe is lacking… have you got all of the essential things that you need for the new season? If you think you need to buy a few staple pieces, why not take a look at what we have to offer.
• Our boutique may be closed but the online store is still running, so why not spend some time adding to your wish list and find the perfect pieces that will help build more outfit choices with the clothes you have chosen to keep. Freshen up your newly vamped wardrobe with some of our latest products here.

We’re currently in a time where we may feel isolated, less connected, and alone, so the Bernard Team are still working together (from home) to keep you inspired. For daily updates of all our new products, follow us on Instagram and make sure to look out for more posts on ways to keep you entertained during lockdown through our Facebook page and blog.