The wardrobe reset: 6 rules for spring cleaning

Summary

Style-ish Podcast: “The Wardrobe Reset: 6 Rules for Spring Cleaning”

Host: Shameless Media
Episode: September 9, 2025
Co-Hosts: Madison Sullivan Thorpe, Joanna Fleming
Special Guest/Producer: Kate Emma Burke

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Episode Overview

This episode of Style-ish is dedicated to “resetting” your wardrobe for spring, with a focus on practical, actionable advice for a thorough, meaningful closet clean-out. Madison, Joanna, and Kate discuss their personal approaches to decluttering, sustainability in fashion, and share six top rules to guide listeners through an effective wardrobe reset — featuring both classic strategies and new listener-submitted hacks. The tone is warm, relatable, and peppered with humor and personal anecdotes, making tips both engaging and easy to implement.

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Key Segments & Insights

1. Tribute to Giorgio Armani – [02:09]

• The episode opens with the news of Giorgio Armani’s passing at 91, reflecting on his lasting impact on fashion, his hands-on creative control, and his work across film and sports.
  • Quote (Madison): “The magnitude of what Giorgio Armani has done for fashion cannot be ignored... But also, this is one of the last sort of houses where the designer carries the brand's name.” [02:27]
  • Notable mention of Armani’s contribution to “American Gigolo,” “American Psycho,” “Wolf of Wall Street,” and even costuming in “Sex and the City.” [03:29–04:29]

2. Road Launch & Beauty Industry Dissection – [05:01]

• Discussion of Hailey Bieber’s Rhode launching in Sephora US/Canada/UK after ELF acquisition for $1 billion.
  • Quote (Madison): “It was actually the biggest launch in Sephora in their 50 year history.” [05:53]
• Speculation over whether Rhode will partner with Mecca in Australia, and comparison with Charlotte Tilbury’s launch.
  • Quote (Kate): “For me, it makes the most sense for them to go with Mecca... I think it would be the biggest launch for Mecca ever.” [08:03]
• Highlights the intensely beauty-obsessed Australian market and the importance of early access for local consumers. [09:23]

3. Weekly Recommendations & Life Hacks – [09:52]

• Kate: Recommends branding academic Eugene Healey & his insights on “friction” in modern life. [10:18]
  • Quote (Kate): “Friction is how we create meaning as humans... that extra time we have to take to achieve something or do something.” [11:14]
• Madison: Swaps in two tips: Anna Wintour’s candid New Yorker interview, and the resurgence of “dad cams,” film photography, and capturing life’s moments. [12:19]
• Joanna: Suggests “hanger hooks” for vertical wardrobe storage – easy, practical storage hack, especially beneficial for couples. [14:54]
  • Quote (Joanna): “They are like a little plastic hook that you loop over the neck of your hanger and then you can hook another hanger vertically on top…” [15:18]

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The Six Rules for Spring Cleaning Your Wardrobe

1. Put Out-Of-Season Clothing Aside – [23:41]

• Store away winter clothes and accessories to clear main wardrobe space for current season.
• Use vacuum bags and airtight containers to keep items fresh and safe from moths and dust.
  • Quote (Joanna): “If the clothing you’ve put aside is definitely not going to get anywhere until it’s back in season, storing it away from your main wardrobe...is a great way to make space.” [24:16]
• Realistic about storage limitations, but enthusiastic about vacuum bags and grouping clothes by type.

2. Go Through EVERYTHING — Even Socks & Undies – [27:43]

• Complete clean means emptying all drawers, including underwear and sock drawers; clean and refresh storage (vacuum, wipe down, add moisture absorbers or scented liners/soap).
  • Quote (Madison): “My mum was always really big on, every six months going and getting fresh bras, fresh underwear, fresh socks.” [28:19]
• IKEA boxes recommended for drawer organization.
• Socks, bras, and underwear get particular attention — time to ditch ill-fitting or worn pieces.

3. The “On the Fence” Rule: Keep Maybes Visible for a Week – [33:22]

• For items you’re unsure about, hang them outside your wardrobe for one week, see if you reach for them; if not, time to part ways.
  • Quote (Kate): “What I do...is I hang them on the outside of my wardrobe for a week, and then I see over that week how often I’m, like, inspired to style them or not.” [33:41]
• Applies best to wardrobe staples (“workhorses”) over “show ponies” (occasional wear).

4. Haven’t Worn it in 12 Months? Let it Go – [38:59]

• The classic rule: if it hasn’t been touched in a year (except for formalwear), move it along.
• Sort outwear into “donate, sell, recycle” piles for maximum impact and easier decision making.
  • Quote (Madison): “If you haven’t worn the item in 12 months, you’ve got to start asking yourself why, and it's probably gotta go.” [39:29]
• Big plug for using textile recycling programs like UPPAREL for unwearable items. [39:46]
  • Quote (Kate): “They make their own fabric...Up Tex, and it’s a fully recyclable material that they make. And they also help close the loop on textile waste.” [40:08]
• New pile: “Would I Wear it if I Changed it?”— consider tailoring to refresh well-loved pieces.

5. Fit Test Everything – [46:12]

• Try on all items — if they don’t fit (and can’t be tailored), they go.
  • Quote (Madison): “Keeping them in your wardrobe can make getting dressed a lot harder and you just kind of get a bit overwhelmed.” [46:11]
• Discussion around the emotions tied to letting go of clothes that no longer fit, and the benefits of selling or swapping vintage/sentimental pieces.

6. Listener Hack: The Coat Hanger Trick – [50:09]

• At the beginning of the year, flip all hangers backwards. When you wear something, turn the hanger back the right way.
• After a year, whatever’s still backwards should be cleared out.
  • Quote (Joanna): “At the start of the year...you flip all of your hangers backwards...whatever’s left on the unworn hangers after a year goes into the sell pile.” [50:11]
• Alternative: Second set of hangers for worn clothes only, for extra clarity.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Sentimentality & Letting Go:
  “Do you know when Marie Kondo was like, does it bring joy?...Every single one of them...I attach memory to a lot of my clothes.” (Madison, [20:14])

• On Tailoring:
  “If you can tweak it, would you wear it?” (Madison’s advice for repurposing well-made pieces via tailoring, [43:21])

• On Body Changes & Guilt:
  “Keeping them in your wardrobe can make getting dressed a lot harder and you just kind of get a bit overwhelmed...your wardrobe might look really full, but then in reality you’re only really using like a quarter of it.” (Kate, [46:12])

• On the Listener Hack:
  “Stylish listeners, you are a clever, clever bunch of people.” (Madison, [50:38])

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Implementation & Takeaways

• Each host commits to at least one new rule — Kate will liberate herself from ill-fitting clothing and use the money to reinvest, Joanna will tackle the undies and socks drawer, Madison aims to clean more regularly and try selling select high-value items.
• Overarching advice: be kind to yourself around body change, focus on sustainability, and make spring cleaning as “frictionless” as possible.

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Useful Timestamps

• [02:09]: Giorgio Armani tribute
• [05:01]: Rhode/Sephora/ELF deal breakdown
• [09:52]: Weekly swaps and recommendations
• [15:18]: Wardrobe storage hack
• [23:41]: Start of spring cleaning rules
• [24:16]: Out-of-season clothing advice
• [27:43]: Deep clean everything (socks & undies)
• [33:22]: “On the fence” items hack
• [38:59]: “12 Month” rule & textile recycling
• [46:12]: Fit test and body image talk
• [50:09]: Listener hanger-flip hack

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Tone & Style

Conversational, self-deprecating, and open; the episode balances practical advice with personal stories and is welcoming for listeners at all stages in their wardrobe journey.

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Quick Reference: Six Rules for Spring Wardrobe Cleaning

1. Out-of-season clothes out
2. Go through everything, including socks and undies
3. Hang ‘unsure’ pieces visibly for a week
4. If unworn in 12 months, move on
5. Fit-test and lose what doesn’t fit
6. Listener hack: flip coat hangers at year’s start

For a more streamlined (and less stressful!) spring clean, try blending these rules with your current habits — add a little friction where it creates meaning, and let go where it adds stress.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

This episode of Stylish is brought to you by Tony Bianco's Made to Order service. Choose your style, leather and color for a pair of shoes that's uniquely yours.

[C]

This is Stylish, the podcast for all things fashion, brand, business and beauty. My name is Madison Sullivan Thorpe. My co hosts today are Joanna Fleming, and we are also joined by our senior producer, producer Kate Emma Burke, who will be filling in today while Annika lives her best life at New York Fashion Week.

[A]

Hi.

[C]

Hi.

[A]

Glad to be back here still to have you and welcome back, Mads.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

Yeah, it's really been rotating chair.

[A]

It really has.

[C]

I know.

[B]

Aside from me, Can I just say.

[A]

Your tan is like. I can't stop looking at it.

[C]

I would like to preface by saying I was lathered in svf50 the entire time. And for I facetimed Jo at one point in a very large market.

[B]

I was very proud. She's wearing sunglasses, like a shoulder covering, a wide brim hat. And I was like, did you deliberately put that on? Because we were gonna be FaceTiming.

[C]

I didn't know that I would be receiving the FaceTime. I would like the record to show. No. I had such a lovely time away, a really good break and actually switched off, which I didn't do in New York. So I'm really excited that I had a little break. It's been really nice recharge and very thrilled to be back.

[B]

We're glad to have you back.

[C]

I loved the episodes while I was away. Some great debate.

[B]

I've got a really good episode for you today. Just for you. I thought we'd save it until you came back. It's all about spring cleaning your wardrobe.

[C]

Yay. Cleaning content.

[B]

It's your punishment for leaving me for two weeks.

[C]

Look, we did speak quite a lot while I was away, but yes, I know that I've left you high and dry for two weeks, so this is the price I pay. It's been a big week, though, cleaning content aside.

[B]

Yes, it has. There's been a few things that we probably need to touch on before we jump into today's episode. Probably at the top of the episode, we need to mention that a very iconic person in fashion has left us. Giorgio Armani passed away at the age of 91.

[A]

I believe he was, I mean, incredible innings and productive right up until, like, the end of his life.

[B]

I know.

[C]

Still working.

[A]

I can't imagine having the, like, clarity, mental clarity to still be working in my 90s, like, or 80s. That's impressive. And such A visionary right to the end as well.

[C]

Totally. And I think the magnitude of what Giorgio Armani has done for fashion cannot be ignored. I think in terms of beautiful silhouettes and iconic red carpet moments, for him, they're endless. But also, this is one of the last sort of houses where the designer carries the brand's name. You know, we're in the era now of watching musical chairs for designer brands with different designers swapping between houses. But Armani has been, I believe, 99.9% privately owned up until this point, and his vision and creative direction has been entirely his own. So, I mean, I'm excited to see what the succession plan is going to be because it has been synonymously private and no one has sort of known, but terribly sad. Passing.

[B]

Yeah. And the end of an era, I guess, in that luxury space, for sure.

[A]

I also, I don't know, film wise, how much you guys are into film or, like, what level, but I love costuming a lot. It's like a little passion of mine. If I didn't do what I do now, I'd love to be in costume and film.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Oh, my God. Yeah. I love it.

[C]

Can you not say it like that, though? Say it like. I will also be like, I will.

[A]

I'll also work in costuming at some point. I just love it. And I've got friends that work in it. And I'm so fascinated by how big a role clothing plays in, like, bringing a character to life or a story to life. But anyway, Giorgio Armani did the costuming for American Gigolo, if anyone's seen that iconic Richard Gere film. And amazing costuming. And all the costuming for American Psycho also incredible suiting. Very iconic. And Wolf of Wall Street. So he was also Wolf Wall Street. Quite deeply involved in, like, film and costuming over the years. So. Yeah.

[B]

And sport, by the way.

[A]

Yeah. I read something about sport. Yeah.

[B]

Like tennis. Yeah, yeah. He was really into it in, like, sponsoring players off field or off court in what they wore.

[C]

I love that. Unless we forget that iconic scene in Sex and the City when she's like, there he was on Sunday dressed in Armani.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[C]

I'm like, oh, that's like the first thing I think of when I think of Armani is just like a beautifully tailored suit.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

Oh, very sad. And I think, you know, we're seeing the funeral privately play out at the moment. In terms of guests that are attending. I saw Donatella Versace was there. I believe they were incredibly close. So, I mean, you know, I'M intrigued to see what happen next for the house because as we've all mentioned, like super iconic brand.

[B]

And to another iconic brand, Road, that launched into Sephora, us, US and Canada. Okay. Canada as well.

[C]

And then rolling out into the UK as well. This is massive. I feel like I could die on this hill about how huge of news this is. For those who missed it, it was a billion dollar deal in ELF acquiring Road, which is huge, huge news. But we've had road as a D2C brand only, which is direct to consumer, meaning it's only been online and it's been available in all three of these markets. But now it's launching in Sephora in store. So if you missed it, there was this iconic footage of Hailey Bieber at the New York Stock Exchange for ELF to ring the bell to announce the acquisition and you know, the launch into Sephora and celebrate it. She was also joined by Lauren and Michael Ratner who are the two other co founders of Rhode. I feel like they often get forgotten. I feel like a lot of people reference Hayley, but it was announced there that it was actually the biggest launch in Sephora in their 50 year history.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

I think people are going to lose sight of why this is so important. But Fenty didn't launch D2C like Fenty launched in Sephora. Rare launched in Sephora. And when you think about the star power of Rihanna and Selena Gomez, then you compare that with Hailey Bieber who's had this brand in market for a couple of years now, available to all these consumers. The only new thing that's happening here is that you can go into store, touch, feel, play and buy It's My Roman Empire for the last three days since it launched.

[A]

Absolutely. I mean, that's wild to think. She also achieved that level of success with the brand without ever being in a store where you can go and physically touch it.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Which I think is such a big important component of like beauty brands. For me personally, I want to go and see what the texture, what the formula is like in real life. Yeah.

[C]

And I do wonder if maybe it was appealing to a group of early adapters who were willing to trust what someone on TikTok or Instagram was saying or who had the economic means to buy something without having tried it in store. And maybe now it's opened itself up to a customer who can go, I can go on Shade Match Blush or I can go and try a lip liner before I spend 20, 30, $40 on something.

[B]

Yeah. And in terms of price point, it's not the most inaccessible brand. Like, the price point is actually what I would probably consider mid to low range in terms of price point, when you consider what you. All of the other products you'd be able to buy somewhere like Sephora. But what does this mean for the Australian consumer? Because obviously we've got Sephora Australia, but that's a very different ball game to Sephora US and Sephora Canada in uk.

[C]

Yeah, great segue, Jo. And again, why this is sitting in my Roman Empire basket. I am watching this and holding my breath. So I think there's three avenues Rhode can go down. One is that they do the merit playbook, which is that they launch D2C here to get a feel for who their consumer is before they go with a retail partner. The other is that they continue. You want a global Sephora deal, which means that wherever they go, in whatever country, if there is a Sephora, they're with Sephora and that will be if they have signed a global deal. In the event they haven't, they could go with Mecca.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

For me, it makes the most sense for them to go with Mecca.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I think that it would be like the best possible partnership for Road and the best possible thing that Mecca could land. I'm comfortable saying I think it would be the biggest launch for Mecca ever.

[A]

Yeah. Bigger than Charlotte Tilbury.

[C]

Yes, I think it would be.

[A]

No, you're probably right.

[C]

I'm going to be really ballsy with that and just go ahead and I think Charlotte Tilbury. Fuck it, why not? You reckon Charlotte's launch.

[A]

I think Charlotte might be bigger for people like us that care a lot about beauty and in the industries or the surrounding industries. But I would argue maybe Rhode is bigger for people that are like lay people that aren't necessarily invested in the, you know, goings on of the industry. Yeah.

[C]

If I was to be a bit more conservative, I would say like dollars per sku. If you went range size, it would be the most successful.

[A]

Interesting.

[C]

I mean, we're never going to know because Mecca don't share any of their sales data with us. But I'm really, really intrigued to see when Rhode comes to Australia and I really, really hope that we are not sort of in that glossier bucket where we end up getting it three, four years later when the height dies. I would love to see ROAD here in the next six months and I think that it would show other brands that we are, you know, a population that is worth investing and backing early on and that we shouldn't be forgotten because we are a very sizable beauty market.

[A]

Yeah, we're beauty obsessed. We really are.

[C]

Yeah, we're beauty junkies.

[A]

Yeah, sue us.

[C]

All right, so we're going to get into our rules episode now and we know that you've loved our previous rules based episodes, so we thought we'd keep them going. Except this time we're going to discuss six rules for spring cleaning. Your wardrobe. Joy Fleming. No jumping and clapping in the studio, please. Before we do that, we thought we'd swap in some of our favorite recommendations of the week. Kate, you are our very special guest.

[B]

So why don't you sit in on.

[C]

It's only right. You go first.

[A]

Yeah. Tradition. Yeah. I'm swapping in a creator that I really enjoy following and I get a lot of sort of, I guess work adjacent ideas or talking points or it helps me sort of understand what's going on in the media and branding a lot more. His name is Eugene Healey. Has anyone seen him before?

[C]

No.

[A]

So Ri is a big fan of his as well. And Ri and I have been talking a little bit about how fantastic he is. He distills like really complex ideas around like branding and brand identity and a lot of different things. Like also the social element of branding and how people form identities around it and Yeah, a lot of interesting stuff. And he's an academic, so he was a lecturer. So he's got that real like amazing. Yeah, the actual incredible sort of skill base and knowledge. If you work in media, if you work in marketing, if you work in honestly any creative field, he is worth a follow. Yeah.

[B]

I've just pulled up his profile here. It looks actually really interesting.

[A]

So interesting. And there's a series he did about. Have you guys heard about the whole thing about. We're in this era where we don't have any friction in our lives. We need more friction. Do you know about this?

[C]

No.

[A]

So it's this idea that we can get everything really easily these days. We can go online, order clothing, we can order Uber eats to our house. We can find a date on an app in a minute. Right. There's no friction. But friction. Well, okay, you could find a date, but you just might not. Like, like, you know, but anyone can find a date. Technically, we just have to. Yeah. Lower our standards. Sadly, that's the reality of dating hell. The bars in hell. Honestly, it is. But yeah, it's this idea that we need friction and friction is how we create meaning as humans. And friction is that like extra time we have to take to achieve something or do something.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

We have to even little things like walking down to the takeaway place and having to interact with a human. Instead of ordering Uber eats, you're adding friction into your life, but you're actually making your life more meaningful and like having human connections. And anyway, he's done a series on that. I strongly suggest checking it out because it's blew my mind.

[C]

Yeah, I love the concept of that. I'm really intrigued by that frictionless thing. I feel like that's going to be an hour of doom scrolling tonight. Falling into Eugene's hole.

[B]

It is, I think. And she's back.

[C]

Oh dear. I'm going to be a greedy pig. I missed two episodes so I'm going to give you two swaps. I'm going to keep them nice and light. The first is Anna Wintour's interview with the New Yorker. If you haven't listened to this, this, I can't recommend this enough. I think this is the most unfiltered we have seen or heard Anna Wintour speak. The most candid, probably the most warm as well. I just really liked it. I think if you have any intrigue about the future or the past of Vogue or any insight into Anna Wintour, you'll love it. I don't even think you have to be interested in fashion even if you're just interested in publication and the future of it. And the second is just cameras and documentation. I've just gotten back from holiday. I was with friends who just got married. I took a number of cameras with me. I used to shoot in film a lot. So I've got some recommendations. The first is dad cams are back in a big way. I bought my dad cam from Amazon. I think it cost me 120 or $130 and was there in like two days. Thanks Uncle Jeff. Another great camera. If you like to shoot in film they can be quite expensive if you want to get a reloadable. But 35 millimeter CO are a lot more affordable so I love them. Also Maddie's like a 26 year old Australian girl so we love a female founder. Otherwise jump on ebay. They have some great cameras that you can buy secondhand. I have also invested in a digital camera and I use the word investment very deliberately here. It wasn't cheap, it was very expensive. But I have captured friends, baby showers, photos of their newborns, wedding days, getting ready for weddings, bridal showers, you name it. And I think it's the most beautiful gift I've ever been able to give my friends is like special little moments that I'VE been able to capture on film or in a photo. So they're my two ReKos, like go by the camera or the $130 dad camcorder, which is really fun because I kind of feel like the mum on Mean Girls.

[B]

You're the content friend and that's the best kind of friend to be.

[C]

Oh, thanks. Really nice.

[B]

I'm also the content friend.

[A]

Yeah. Every group needs one.

[C]

Every group needs. I do. I did joke I was going to send an invoice at the end of the trip that I was. Cause I was like, honestly, between what I got at the recovery, the pictures of everyone on the boat, at one point she was like, you're not actually in any of the photos.

[B]

There are footage of you doing anything. I always say to my brother and sister in law, I'm like, you have the best photos of your kids. You better return the favor to me when the time comes.

[C]

My problem is I'm a control freak. And also, am I going to give you my very expensive camera over an open body of water? Hell to the no.

[A]

No.

[C]

Yeah, but they're mine. Jo, what have you got for us?

[B]

I thought I'd lean into today's theme of the episode and give you one that's a pretty affordable storage hack for you. If you have a limited space in your wardrobe, they're called hanger hooks. I don't know if you have these at home, but they are like a little plastic hook that you loop over the neck of your hanger and then you can hook another hanger vertically on top of it, if that makes sense. So you just kind of like it's.

[A]

Just a bit lower.

[B]

I don't know how to describe this.

[A]

I need this.

[B]

It's really hard to describe, but basically I can hang like three of Adrian's shirts down the one hanger, if that makes sense. So you just hook them on to each of the necks of the next.

[C]

Well, you know, I have a lot of shirts, so this sounds right.

[B]

Yeah. So it really helps to.

[C]

Oh, Lucy's just got up a photo.

[B]

Lucy's pulled up a photo.

[C]

We have a visual that is a bit of me.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it really saves space because Adrian obviously only gets half a wardrobe in our house. And so I use those to store his shirts a bit more effectively so that there's not as much hanger space cutting into all of the storage.

[C]

And it's just what you're gonna say, cutting into your space.

[B]

Well, that too. Yep.

[C]

Two things can be true.

[B]

And they're really affordable and you can just, you know, throw them onto your existing hangers. Problem solved.

[C]

Was that $5 for a pack of eight? Five fifty.

[B]

Yeah. Where was that? I got mine from Kmart.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yes, I got mine from Kmart.

[A]

Such a smart idea for couples, like you say, because the amount of space you have is suddenly halved and women always have more clothes. Let's be real. So, yeah, okay. That's really smart.

[C]

I love that a lot. Catch me in Kmart.

[B]

Okay, next we'll get into our spring cleaning rules, but that will be right after a word from today's sponsor. Can we talk about how hard it is to find the perfect shoe for an event? I've had a couple of special occasions coming up, and I've struggled big time. It's like you've got the outfit, you know the vibe you're going for, but the shoe just doesn't exist. Then I heard about Tony Bianco's made to order service. It's honestly genius. You get to create your dream pair, from the style to the leather choice to the color. And it made me think of all the days I've spent scrolling and shopping trying to find the perfect shoe. And if you're a bride, it would be even more difficult to find your perfect pair, especially if you dream of wearing something that's unique to you. The made to order service is such a beautiful experience too. If you're in Australia, you can visit a Tony Bianco boutique and be guided by the team to personalize any style in store or create your exclusive pair online. From a curated edit anywhere in the world, every pair is personal to you, handcrafted and delivered within a few weeks. It's simple, elevated, and very intentional, which we love. It's if you've got a big moment coming up or you just want to invest in a signature shoe, visit Tony Bianco store or tonybianco.com to craft your pair. Thank you so much to Tony Bianco for making this episode of stylish possible. Let's jump into our six rules for spring cleaning.

[A]

Your wardrobe.

[B]

I know that all three of us are probably guilty of overstuffing our wardrobes, but now that we've officially entered spring, we've been chatting a lot about our approaches to spring cleaning our wardrobes, and Maddie hasn't, but I personally have. There really is feeling than streamlining your wardrobe and getting rid of pieces that are taking up precious space but not getting enough wear. But it's very easy to put off doing a spring clean. It's time consuming it involves a lot of decision making and then there's figuring out what you want to do with the pieces you no longer want once they're all dumped on your bed and it's 11pm and you need to go.

[C]

To bed and you're like lost the world.

[B]

What am I going to do with all this?

[A]

And you're breaking out in a stress rat.

[C]

Yeah, seriously.

[B]

So to help you out, we've compiled five of our go to rules for getting the most out of your spring clean, plus a bonus sixth rule from you guys. Guys, our listeners, we asked you a few spring cleaning related questions and there was one rule that a lot of you swore by, so stick around to the end for that one. We also asked you guys over on our stylish Instagram stories a few questions about cleaning your wardrobes. And 84% of you said you've done a spring clean before, 16% of you said you've never done one before. So I'd love to know how you're squeezing anything in there. So for those of you who have spring cleaned your wardrobe before, 65% of you said you did one in the last six months, 23% did one 12 months ago and 10% did one two years ago. So a few of you are staying quite on top of it. Proud of you guys. So to kick us off, when was the last time each of you did a spring clean of your wardrobe?

[C]

Oh, you go, Kate.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

That'd be better if you wouldn't they? I definitely do a big spring clean at least once a year, but I do multiple smaller sort of clear outs. I don't know, like anywhere between six to ten times a year.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

I go to Goodbye and Swap very regularly as both a customer and a seller. And I'm very like passionate about the circular fashion economy. I love giving clothes another life by selling them, so I'm often clearing out for that purpose. But that's like a small bag. I'm not talking like a whole huge clean out. So I do the big spring clean once a year. Right now I'm right on the cusp of desperately needing to do one and looking around my room and there's bags everywhere and it's, I'm stressed about it. So every weekend. Kind of putting it off at the moment. Yeah. What about you, Mads?

[C]

Yeah, probably not as good as, as you. Feeling pretty shameful in this chair actually. Look, my last proper clean out was about 15, 16 months ago when I moved into where I live now. Like I'm a self confessed clothing hoarder. Do you know when Marie Kondo was like, does it bring joy?

[A]

Yeah. Does it spark joy?

[C]

Does it spark joy? Fuck, yes. Every single one of them is fun. If I have worn something, I can tell you where I've worn it, what I wore it with, who I was with. Like, I attach memory to a lot of my clothes. Like, I find a lot of joy in dressing. So getting rid of things I struggle with, unless I haven't worn it, and then I don't want to get rid of it because I haven't worn it. Yeah. So I'm trying to be better, I think. For me, I hate getting rid of things, as I mentioned, but I also am just terrible at reselling things. So for me, when I do get rid of things, it is a donation bag. Like, I am going to my local op shops and I'm dropping things off.

[A]

You're not taking your beautiful clothing, which I'm sure you'd be able to make great money from it, to a consignment store.

[C]

I know, and I've thought about it a lot. But I do think. And if anyone who is listening has actually an organization that is, you know, for women, you know, re entering the workforce or who need assistance with wardrobes, I would love to be donating my clothes there because I think a lot of what I own is smart casual workwear. But for me, I would rather it goes somewhere like that for someone who may need the opportunity to purchase something. So I realize that's a place of privilege and a fortunate position. But I do find that. That, I don't know, fills my cup a little bit.

[A]

Yeah, that's really. Now I seem like a greedy little.

[C]

No, you're not a great little kid. Because I just. There are definitely things that I have held onto in my wardrobe for a longer period because it feels like I spent a lot of money on it and maybe I don't want to donate it, but then it kind of gets to the point that it dwindles, so the value of it is so little. So it ends up at the op shop three years later.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

When really I should have sold it and then put a donation towards something, you know, like. So I'm not saying it from my ivory tower.

[A]

No, I'm impressed. I like it.

[C]

There are things that have sat in that wardrobe for way too long and probably would have been better to sell or to just go straight to the op shop.

[B]

Yeah. No fair. I probably am about six months in, maybe, to not doing one. I need to do another. I'm due yeah, I'm due for one. I've, as you said, Kate, you've got the bags piling up in your room. I'm the same. I've literally got piles of folded clothes there that I just cannot fit in the wardrobe.

[A]

It's just so stressful being surrounded by clothing like that. I love when everything's hidden away. Same. And I have like cupboard doors that I can close and be like, okay, it's fine.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But now it's spilling out into my room.

[B]

It's like, yeah, I can't live like that.

[A]

No, no.

[C]

Do you find it as well funny when you do your spring clean of like you start to really realize that sometimes you are buying a lot of the same thing or you're gravitating to the like the amount of button down polos I have, I just love.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

A knitted polo. I don't know what it is. I'm never going to stop buying them because I'm wearing the living daylights out of them. But I'm like, oh my God.

[A]

Oh, absolutely. And like color palettes as well. Like I actually.

[C]

Yeah, you were talking to queen of it.

[A]

Yeah, well, you are the queen of cleaning, but the queen of color analysis and informing your wardrobe. So when you do a clear out, you must be like, oh, this makes sense. All my colours honestly makes cleaning out.

[B]

Your wardrobe so much easier once you've done a color analysis because you then realize why you weren't gravitating towards those pieces that you thought you loved and you bought on a whim maybe and.

[A]

Were like, oh, I love this.

[B]

And then you just never wear it. And you're like, why don't I ever wear that? And when you put it on, you're.

[A]

Like, nah, it's bright orange.

[B]

Yeah, like there's, there's a reason you're not gravitating.

[A]

Although I would wear it. Yeah, I would wear that. Yeah.

[B]

I just, it really helped me to clear things out that I was never gonna wear.

[A]

I love that. Yeah.

[C]

All right, so it sounds like we're all kind of due for one.

[A]

I think we are.

[C]

Let's kick off with rule number one. Put your out of season clothing to the side. So when you're doing a spring clean. We know, as we've mentioned, it can be very tempting to sort out your entire wardrobe in one go. But as Kate said, you will probably end up with a pile of clothes on your bed at 11pm and a stress rash. But it's more realistic and more productive to focus on the clothes you'll actually be wearing that particular season. An important spring cleaning rule is to always put out of season clothes to the sun that also includes accessories. Realistically, you're not going to be reaching for gloves or scarves in the warmer months. Unless maybe you're Joe Fleming to cover yourself up from the sun. Who knows? If the clothing you've put aside is definitely not going to get anywhere until it's back in season, storing it away from your main wardrobe, if you do have secondary storage space or putting it in plastic bins is a great way to make space in your wardrobe. And it also allows you to focus on in season clothing that's left over. Do you guys follow this rule when you're spring cleaning?

[B]

I'd love to be able to. I simply do not have the storage in my house to be able to put anything anywhere else. Yeah, it drives me nuts. I wish I could. And you know what? I'm thinking of investing in those vacuum bags because I do want to vacuum bag some of my coats.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So many coats. But obviously I'm only wearing them for a portion of the year. I mean, most of the year if you live in Melbourne. But I do want to be able to store some of them away that I don't wear super frequently and just leave out the ones that I tend to rotate through very frequently. Frequently.

[C]

I'm thinking two things right now. One is I've just realized you do have a really impressive coat collection. Like, I feel like you every Monday you've come in with a great coat, except this Monday, ironically. And two, I've always wanted to use one of those vacuum bags. So if you do buy them, can I come over so I can have a good.

[B]

Yes, yes, I should do that. Because I think that's probably the only way I could manage that in my house where I could then put those bags somewhere and it's not going to take up a heap of space because I would fold one coat and that would be a whole plastic tub.

[A]

Yeah. And I think as well that would be good for like keeping moths, like away from the coats. Right?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Because if it's vacuum sealed, they probably can't get in.

[B]

Yes. Yeah, I don't think so.

[C]

I stored some clothes in a storage unit once and moths got in.

[A]

Me too.

[C]

That was heartbreaking.

[A]

I was like, little and they really go to town.

[C]

Yeah. They have like, it is Christmas in July.

[A]

Yeah. They are like, they're hungry.

[C]

Yeah. It's a buffet breakfast.

[B]

Well, that's, that's another bonus tip is if you're putting your clothes in storage, make sure you vacuum seal them or you put them in, like, plastic tubs that are not going to see the light of day.

[A]

Yeah, they need to be airtight because I've been researching this. So my situation is that I've got a bit of extra storage. So now I can, when I spring clean, do the, like, out of season, put it to the side. But I don't have enough room to store everything, so I can store all the coats, and then I've got knits that I'm like, I'll just have to put you back in my wardrobe after I do the spring clean. But I'm looking at getting airtight containers, putting the knits downstairs in our basement. Just going to make space, because I'm like, I just don't need big, chunky knitwear, you know, in summer in Melbourne.

[C]

Like, really, maybe leave one of them out, because you know what?

[B]

You actually never know.

[C]

Just one. Just one or two.

[A]

I would strongly suggest. No, I'll keep some knitwear for sure, but the big, chunky ones, I've got to go. What about you, Mads?

[C]

So I used to store all my clothes in height order, which is quite psychotic. And then I realized that I would have, like, a sundress next to, like, a coat. So now what I do is I kind of store, like, items together. So I'll have a lot of shirts all with each other, coats with each other. So I don't necessarily move them around, so to speak, but they're grouped together. So, like, there's kind of, like a little spot in my wardrobe I go to when it's summer and I need, like, my light dresses or light knits. And then, you know, I've got, like, the winter area. So I wouldn't say I go through my wardrobe that way when I'm spring cleaning, because I'm kind of going through each section just taking out things I no longer love or haven't worn, which, you know, we'll get into the rest of the rules, but I'm doing some of them, so I'm not always bad in the rules segments. Not always getting a tap on the wrist, But I think grouping things that way has definitely been a game changer for me because I'm kind of, like, going to my wardrobe and shopping my own wardrobe when I'm wearing something.

[B]

Rule two, go through everything, even your socks and undies. I know it might seem like overkill, but it really is the proper way to do a wardrobe. Spring clean is going through absolutely everything. That means including your socks and undies, drawers. I can't say that. Like, I do it because I still have some socks from high school in my.

[A]

I'm the same. I'm so guilty.

[B]

Yes. I don't know why I accumulate so many of these random socks, but I was looking for a pair of stockings the other day. I'm like, these are my high school socks that go up to my knees. Like, why have I got these?

[C]

So I'm quite smug right now.

[A]

Oh, yeah, okay.

[C]

That time I came in with a rule and stuck to it. My mum, who I know we shamed in the underwear episode for introducing me to a G string at an early age, she had some thoughts around that as well.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[C]

When we were at lunch, she was like, did you actually, that didn't happen that way. Did kind of did. Mum was always really big on, every six months going and getting fre bras, fresh underwear, fresh socks. So I have grown up in a household where that is like clockwork for me. I weirdly also do it anytime before I go on a holiday. I like having fresh underwear on a holiday.

[B]

Really?

[C]

Go figure. And I always take twice as much as I need for the holiday. I took 30 pairs of underwears for three weeks.

[A]

Never know anyone sells right to me. Not what I.

[C]

But no. I really like having an organized underwear and sock stores. And I also think now retailers do really great promotions a couple of times a year. So after pay sales, Black Friday, Cyber Monday coming up, there'll be like 30 or 40 off. Like popular retailers. I always wait for those and stock up then.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, that's it.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Mine is much. Yeah, the same as yours. Like a bit of a disaster. I feel really good about the rest of my wardrobe. I feel very ashamed of my underwear and sock drawer. There are random old socks that I'm like, why are these in here? I never wear them. There's underwear that I don't fit anymore. There's bras that I don't fit anymore. Like, I fluctuate in weight. So there's bras that I'm like, I'm never gonna have boobs that small again. Let's be real. But I'm not.

[C]

If it's a nice bra, are you like?

[A]

Yeah, it's like a silky, lacy one. It's like, I don't want to get rid of it.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So, yeah, I'm realizing now I have, like, demons in my underwear socks when I need to exercise it.

[B]

No, they're like. Like the one things that I don't usually Take everything out of. I just kind of like grab a few things. I'll chuck them out.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But, like, I don't ever really pull.

[A]

All that stuff out.

[B]

But then in my other drawers, I'll pull out all of those clothes and, like, refold them and then put them back neatly. But I like to take everything out of the wardrobe, especially shoes, because I want to be able to, like, vacuum and properly wipe down those surfaces because so much dust builds up in there. And, like, if you clean your shoes in there, there's like bits of grass and dirt and stuff. So I do like to properly clean that and then replace, like, moisture absorbers and things like that. If you use them in wardrobes, which I've recommended on this podcast before.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Another thing that I do is I use center drawer liners. So I get the ones from Lumira. I don't even know if they sell them anymore, but they have these center drawer liners. So you can put them down in your drawers and then put your clothes on top so that when you, like, open your drawers, you get this nice waft of fragrance and it kind of leeches into your clothes as well. So it's a nice little touch.

[C]

I do a bar of soap. Oh, I know.

[A]

That's really rare.

[B]

That is really rare.

[A]

That's quite 90s.

[B]

I've never heard of that.

[C]

It's my grandma. My grandma.

[A]

My grandma did that too. And I remember she, like, gave me a bar of soap and was like. This is for your underwear drawer?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Is it unwrapped?

[C]

No, it's in. It's in, like a paper wrap. So I had like a pack of birado soaps.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So I. Yeah, I put them in each drawer.

[B]

Interesting. I really like that also, if you.

[C]

Want to organize your socks and underwear. I was like, I wasn't always good with this rule. I am now. I'm excellent with this rule. Some of the others I'm sure will debate, but. But I also have a girl, my favorite, who loves to steal the other socks. So, you know, I was forced to be this way. But the little caddies, there's little boxes you can buy from ikea.

[B]

Yeah, the little tiny.

[C]

Really? Yeah, yeah. So they come in all different sizes. I recommend them just for organizing everything. And my type A best friend Christina was like, you need to go to Ikea. And I think I left with like 30 of these boxes for everything from electrical cords to books to, you know, cable ties, like, you name it. It's all organized now. But socks and Underwear. Very good. Little tip just to kind of keep you in control. All your bras lined up, socks lined up.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

It's a nice little tidbit.

[B]

Yeah. And also clearing everything out. Then you can change over hangers and things like that. Make sure that everything is properly sitting on a hanger. Nothing, you know, half falling off and maybe getting stretched out of shape. So it's a good way to refresh that kind of stuff.

[C]

Love that. Reminding me to also probably vacuum the bottom.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The vacuuming one.

[A]

I have to admit, I knew that you'd have some good. Yeah. Reminders to actually do a deep, thorough clean. Because the moisture absorbers as well, I've never actually used them. And now I'm thinking, okay, maybe that's the next.

[B]

Very helpful. In more humid environments or in Melbourne, where you get a lot of condensation. Of course, that really helps with my bedroom and not getting moldy areas of, like, soft furnishings. So I definitely lean on them a lot. But I know that people in Sydney really suffer with their mold, especially if they live near the beach. I don't know, is there something about the humidity there or just the right environment for it? But I often see people's Instagram stories of their clothes and shoes and bags being covered in mold.

[A]

I've seen this before as well. Yeah. And, like, designer bags just ruined.

[B]

Completely ruined. So definitely consider refreshing your moisture absorbers regularly within your wardrobe because that can help to keep it to a minimum.

[C]

Yeah, I need to do that for sure.

[A]

Great cleaning hack.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So rule three is put pieces you're unsure about in your line of sight for a week. This is actually a rule that I have religiously followed for so many years now. I've written a lot about secondhand fashion and reselling clothes and even written articles for magazines about spring cleaning. So I feel like over the years, I've accrued a lot of hacks and tips.

[C]

You're a part.

[A]

Well, not as pro as you, obviously, but it would be hard to be.

[C]

She's a cleaning pro.

[A]

You're spring cleaning pro. Yeah, that's true. So basically, you're cleaning out your wardrobe, and you'll inevitably encounter a piece that you're like, I don't know what to do with this. I don't know if I want to sell it. I don't know if I'm going to wear it again. I'm just not sure about it. Often I find that what has happened is that pieces get pushed to the side in your wardrobe, pushed to the back of a drawer. You don't really see them that often, so you don't really have enough chances to, like, try and style them because they're just not. Not in your line of sight very often. So what I do with those pieces that I'm on the fence about that I don't really see often when I'm putting my outfits together is I hang them on the outside of my wardrobe for a week, and then I see over that week how often I'm, like, inspired to style them or not. And then by the end of the week, if I haven't wanted to reach for it once. I mean, look, if it's a ball gown or, like, something. Not that I own many ball gowns, but if it's, like a extremely formal dress, that's a little different. But if it's just a regular item and I haven't reached for it at all or haven't felt inspired, it's probably gotta go.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

What do you guys think? Is it too harsh or are you like.

[B]

No, I really like this tip. I think I should try this because I forget what's in my wardrobe. I've got a terrible memory. And so if it's not directly in front of me, I forget it's there. This is why I have so many tabs open on my computer, because I genuinely forget what I do for a job. I don't even know what I would have open, but it's there to remind me. So I feel like I need to do that with quite a few things in my wardrobe because I sometimes see them, I'm like, oh, I love that. And then I forget I have it.

[A]

I know.

[B]

And I never wear it.

[A]

It's so handy.

[B]

So I need to do that.

[C]

Yeah, I like that a lot. I think I need to do that, too. I think my only exception would be whether it's a workhorse or a show pony. Show pony, as the name would suggest, is very much a statement piece. Those things that are a little bit more bold, a little bit more fun and playful. Your workhorses are those staples that you reach for all the time. Think knits, tees, jeans. The essentials. If it's a workhorse and it's out for a week and I'm not reaching for it, it's gotta go. But if it's a show pony, I've gotta think about why. Like, is it because I'm not feeling confident enough to wear it, or is it there hasn't been the right occasion? Cause I'd hate to get rid of a good show pony.

[A]

I Agree. I think this rule probably pertains more to the workhorses. Unless you've got, you know, you've got an event coming up and you're like, I'll put my show pony out and see what happens.

[C]

Great idea.

[A]

Yeah. Also with accessories, it's good. Like, I was thinking about selling a little nylon own like, 90s Prada bag, a little butter yellow one and two. Yeah. Never used it.

[C]

Yellow is so in vogue as well.

[B]

I know.

[C]

This is the time to get it.

[A]

I know. And I've had it for a few years and I just, like, hadn't worn it and then put it on a hanger outside my wardrobe, styled it like three times in one week, and I hadn't worn it for two years. Yeah. So there's something to it.

[C]

Have you fallen back in love with it?

[A]

I have fallen back in love with it. Now I'm like, why was I gonna sell it?

[C]

You're like, I would have had deep regrets.

[A]

Yeah, I would have.

[C]

I have a couple. A bit of a bonus hack for this too, that I started to do with some things that I loved in my wardrobe but couldn't style. If you go into Pinterest and let's say you've got like a burgundy coat, just as a random example. I don't know why I've picked that. But here we are. Pop in burgundy, co outfit or styling, and just pin like 10 outfits that you love. That item or something similar to that item. Styled in might be a burgundy jacket or it could be, you know, a burgundy scarf or something that you kind of love the colors it's with or the materials. It has helped me so much with things that I'm like, I think I love that. Or I just don't know how to style it, but. And I can't part ways with it. Helps me go, what do I have in my wardrobe that I can bring together to help me get it out of the cupboard?

[A]

I love that idea. And helps you with color combos, I think Pinterest a lot. Because often I'll be like, oh, burgundy. And that pale blue. Like, maybe I wouldn't have thought of it. And then you start seeing it and you're like, oh, that looks amazing. Yeah. You might not have paired those two things naturally together. Yeah.

[C]

And they'll have a hairstyle and a makeup look to go with it.

[B]

Right.

[C]

God, love your Pinterest. There's nothing better than a pair of well cut jeans. Facts. And nobody does denim quite like Kelvin Klein. From their signature 90s straight to the wide leg that flatters and flows to the baggy fit made for laid back edge. Kelvin's have been perfected to fit your body. Head online or in store to shop denim for your body. Thank you so much to Kelvin Klein for making this episode of Stylish possible. Okay, rule number four God, this is a good one. If you haven't worn it in 12 months, it probably needs to go. Looking at you Madison Sullivan thorpe in your 1516 weight haven't spring clean look, this is a pretty self explanatory rule and a very easy one to follow whenever you do the spring clean. But if you haven't worn the item In 12 months, you've got to start to ask yourself why and it's probably gotta go. So there are exceptions. Kate, you alluded to ball gowns earlier, more commonly known as black tie dresses or formal wear, but something you might wear to a wedding or a formal occasion. Look, that probably makes sense if you haven't worn it for 12 months because maybe you've, you know, had a wedding with a different theme that wasn't black tie, it was cocktail or haven't had an excuse to get it out. So we let those ones get off. Use your own discretion, but particularly just focus on those everyday items, the workhorses that we spoke about before. If it's a T shirt you've been holding onto but you haven't worn for years, or it's a pair of pants that you've had for years and haven't worn, it's time for them to go. And another handy bonus tip is once you've pulled everything out that you no longer want, this is something I know I need to get better at is to sort it into donate, sell or recycle piles. So take the donate pile to your local op shop or op shop shop donation bin. The sell stuff you can list on sites like ebay or Depop or take into a consignment store like Goodbyes and Swap that Kate mentioned earlier and the unwearable items we're talking things that have been ripped, stained that moths have had a buffet breakfast on can be given to organizations like Apparel that will give unwanted textiles a second life. So you can actually get apparel to collect the items from your house and they will also accept shoes and bed linen.

[B]

Oh that's great. I didn't know about this apparel. U P P A R E L.

[A]

It's a great hack. They can come to your house because I find the thing that I hate the most about clearing out my wardrobe and getting this Pile of stuff. Like, if you're going through your pajama drawer or something like that and you find an old stained T shirt and you're like, let's be real. Like, there's no op shop wants this. Like, what am I going to do with this? I just don't want to just throw it in the bin.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

And then you have, you know, I don't know, an old ripped bed linen, like a duvet cover or whatever. They can all be re. I guess the word is, like, recycled by this company. They make their own fabric. I think it's called Up Tex, and it's a fully recyclable material that they make. And they also help close the loop on textile waste by getting this fabric and giving it to designers to use as well. So this so much I know.

[C]

Such a good tip.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Also, like, I have the most beautiful sheet society fitted sheet. I don't use a ton top sheet. I'll let you psychoanalyze me based on that. But George, if I'm not home by a particular food hour, has a little bit of a tendency to pull the doona off and rip up the sheet. So I've actually had six of those fitted sheet society sheets, and every time it happens, I'm like, this is such nice material. Like, what do I do with it? And I have been guilty of just throwing it in the bin because I didn't know about something like this. So look out, there's a whole lot of sage striped sheet society seats coming to apparel. If I don't get home by 7pm.

[A]

Feed time, you'll probably see them in some new designer's collection down the line.

[C]

I tell you what, they'd have a hell of a lot of shirts out of that material.

[A]

It's also good if you don't drive. I don't drive. And having someone that can come to your house and collect it, or you get a little tag and you can put it on the bag, take it to the post office. So you basically, you buy a box and it's like a certain amount worth of weight that you can put in that box.

[B]

Yeah, it's a bit like TerraCycle.

[A]

Yeah, it is a bit like that. Exactly. Empties.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think it's 10 kilos for $35, which I think is honestly a great deal. And just seeing as Australia has such a big issue with textile waste and we are like some of the biggest fashion consumers in the entire world, initiatives like this, I think are so important and it's so great that it's so easy to use as well.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely. I'm all for the donate, sell and recycle pile. I need to apply that a little bit more because that's what helps my brain to be able to do this exercise a little bit more seam, otherwise I get overwhelmed. So I have to have those piles and decide what's going where. I think it just makes that decision making process a lot easier because otherwise you just, you end up with all that stuff on your bed and you're like, ah, I'm just gonna throw this on the floor. And then you end up hanging it up like two weeks later and you just do nothing with it. Or it's in a bag in the back of your car.

[A]

Yes, exactly.

[C]

There's one other pile that I do think is worth adding to this though, and that is the would I wear it if I change it? So I've only done this a handful of times. But dresses that are, you know, a maxi dress that I think, oh, if I made that a mini, maybe I would wear that. Or a blazer that, you know, when oversized blazers were really big. Right. I had this beautiful blazer that I'd spent quite a bit of money on and I was like, I don't love this oversized look anymore, it's drowning me out. And I was like, if I just kind of cinched it around the waist and had like the sleeves brought up a little bit, whole new lace on. Life have worn that blazer so much now was a cos blazer and I've gotten so much wear out of it. So I think that's a really good tip too. If there is something that you're like, oh, I invested in that, or I really love the material but like, I don't love the fit anymore. Think about if you can tweak it, would you wear it?

[A]

Yeah, such a good point. I actually wanted to ask you both on that note about tailors. What are the signs of a good tailor? I know that you've got a good tailor. How did you find them?

[C]

So I love a personal recommendation. So if my friends get tailoring, I always ask them. But I also love a good old fashioned Google review. If someone's got over four and a half stars and over like 40 or 50 reviews use, I'm so happy to trust that and read through the commentary. For me, a lot of the time it's bringing things up. So it's not complicated tailoring. But I also am not a standard straight size top and bottom. So for me I need to get you Know, if I get a dress in a standard size, I usually need to get the waist brought in a little bit or the hips taken out ever so slightly. So I'm kind of like looking for short girlfriends that are maybe going to similar tailors. That's kind of my wreck.

[A]

What do I do that's a good hack to find people that have similar body types. Types. Yeah.

[B]

I don't have one that I go to frequently. I do have one that I would get things taken up at, but I'm not one to really get a lot of things tailored, to be honest, because height wise, most pants will be a suitable length for me, except if they're the Henny jeans and then they're always a bit long. But I. Yeah, I just don't really feel like I have to go there all the time. But there are a couple of things that are sitting in my wardrobe that need to be. Be cinched in just a little bit.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So I think I'm gonna do that before an upcoming holiday. So I might have to go to your tailormads.

[C]

Yeah. I think the funny thing about tailoring is it's not cheap and there have been instances I've gone and taken something and it cost me more to tailor it than the item itself. So I would just warn people, like when you are thinking about it, like, it can be expensive. So do always ask, how much is this? Before handing over your items. So, yeah, I would also just, just say, oh, you know, ballpark, what is this going to cost before you're handing over your item and they've got it hostage and you're holding it resting.

[B]

Yes, that's happened to me before.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I was like, okay, that's more than the item.

[A]

I'm not going to do that.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Well, that brings us quite nicely to the fifth rule, which is fit test everything when you're going through your clothing. We're all probably guilty of hanging onto clothes that don't fit us anymore. I know that I definitely am. It can bring up a whole cocktail of sort of body image related issues or even just like. Like you might feel very sentimental about a piece of clothing. You might have great memories in it. You might have worn it to a special occasion. It can feel really sad to think about getting rid of it. It's understandable that we hold onto these pieces. But often I find personally keeping them in your wardrobe can make getting dressed a lot harder and you just kind of get a bit overwhelmed. All these things that don't fit right. It's hard to put an outfit together so your wardrobe might look really full, but then in reality you're only really using like a quarter of it. It that's why fit testing every item when you're doing the spring clean is so important. And I think if it doesn't fit anymore, like beyond if it can't be tailored, that's a different pile, I think. But if it doesn't fit anymore, it's probably time to donate or sell it or give it to a friend. You know, a clothes swap is a great thing as well. Do you guys hold onto pieces that no longer fit or are you, like, good at letting them go? Where do you sit with that?

[C]

Yeah, I actually, funnily enough, I did a TikTok on this a few years ago. Cause I was cleaning out my wardrobe and. And transparently when I did ivf, I put on quite a bit of weight. And that's a natural thing that happens with your hormones. And I really beat myself up about not being the weight and stress size that I was before that. So I used to hold onto these clothes and it was honestly like a form of punishment. I would, like, put them on, not be able to do the zipper up on the jeans and like, then go and hate myself for three days for it. So I have gotten much better at getting rid of things that don't fit. The only exception that I make to this is I know where I fluctuate in my kind of, like, weight and size range. So certain times of the year, like winter kilos, there's probably a few more than there are in summer for me. So I usually have jeans kind of across two or three sizes, and they're probably the only things that I would keep to kind of go, okay, like, I'm not going to punish myself if I'm, you know, a couple of kilos heavier in those jeans. And equally if I'm like losing a few kilos, those jeans are there too. But I would never keep anything that was unrealistically too small because I just think it is destined to make you feel guilty or to shame yourself. And I don't want to feel either of those things in my own home, in my own wardrobe, with my own clothes.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

What about you? Have you had a similar experience?

[A]

I've. Speaking of, like, putting on weight, gone up two dress sizes in like maybe a two year, one and a half year period.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And it's really hard, I find, to let go of clothing because I shop a lot of vintage and secondhand and often I'm like, well, I can't find this piece again. Like this is a particular piece. I love the fabric, I love the cut, I love the story behind it. And if I get rid of it, that's it. You know, I can't find the same thing again. So I do find that right now I'm in a little bit of a toxic phase where I'm holding onto things thinking like, well, maybe I'll go back down to that size again. It's time I just sort of accepted and let them go and make space for things that actually make me feel good. Cause it is actually affecting my self esteem when I get ready and exactly what you say. Like trying to do the zip up and then being like, well, I hate myself now for three days. It's so silly and it's so toxic. And we don't need to do it because getting dressed should be fun and enjoyable and creative. So I think it's time.

[B]

Could you treat yourself and sell those items and then with that money you can buy a couple of new pieces.

[A]

Exactly, exactly.

[C]

That's why we put you in that chair.

[A]

Circular fashion. We love it. Yeah, exactly. And give someone else the chance to wear them. Exactly.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm a bit like you, Mads, in like, I don't keep anything that's the wrong size, but I like to have a couple of different sizes, especially across pants. Because at certain times in my cycle I actually cannot fit into some jeans that I can fit into in other times of the month.

[A]

So. Right.

[B]

The bloating is like next level. So I just, I have to wear like my looser hair.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

At those times. And I've got to have a few different sizes on hand.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I just also think different occasions too. Right. Like if I'm going to a eight hour meeting, I'm not wearing the same jeans I'm wearing for a two hour dinner with the girls. I'm like, I'm happy to be in a more fitted denim than. But for the eight hour, I'm like, yeah, I want like a bit of real room.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

You know, a bit of give never hurt anything.

[B]

100%.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

I agree with that.

[C]

That, Yeah. I think if you are holding onto something as a marker of a size that you want to be or that you were, that is just a form of punishment. And you know, there is more than enough body toxicity in this world. You don't need to do it to yourself. So set it free. And I love Joe's idea. Sell it and go and buy something that makes you feel good.

[B]

Well, that Brings us to our last rule, which is from you guys, our listeners. So our sixth and final rule was a creative one that you guys submitted via the question box that we put on Instagram. We asked you for the best spring cleaning rule or hack, and this one came up the most. It is the coat hanger trick, which I did not know about.

[C]

Neither did I.

[A]

Neither did I.

[B]

So basically, at the start of the year, when you do your big clean out, or it might be during spring, you flip all of your hangers backwards. And when you wear something, you turn the hanger the right way around, and if there are pieces that are still backwards by the end of that 12 months, then those items have to go. So that's the rule, and that's how you know what you've worn. It's just a really good, like, visual trick to convince yourself that you don't need all of the things that are in your wardrobe.

[C]

Stylish listeners, you are a clever, clever bunch of people.

[A]

Shout out to them.

[C]

Yeah, this is brilliant.

[B]

Some people also told us that they buy a second set of hangers and once they wear something, they switch it over to the second set. So then whatever's left on the unworn hangers after a year goes into the cell pile.

[C]

I love that. But I know myself enough to know that that's too much work for me. So flipping the hanger for me, Genius. Easy, Frictionless. I know we need. I know we need more friction. I'm willing to walk to my local takeaway, but I think coat hanger wise, I need friction.

[A]

I agree. I need as little friction as possible when it comes to maintaining the wardrobe. So you get a pass on that.

[C]

Okay, great.

[B]

I do really love this tip, but I also think I. I get frustrated as hell trying to pull the hanger out and it's the wrong way around. I would just get so frustrated.

[C]

I do also see this feeling to me a little bit like when the toilet paper is not the way I like it.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

But I'm, like, looking at the hanger like. Yeah. No, that's why I started doing sound effects all the time. I'm so sorry, Liz. Yeah, I think, you know, I could see that agitating me a little bit, but that is a small mountain to climb over for me. I can be a big girl and get.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think for people that don't like doing a spring clean or find it really stressful or find it really, like, they hate how much time it takes, this is probably the perfect hack because it's just all done throughout the year, you get to the end, you have a clear, obvious visual representation of the pieces you're not wearing, and you just focus on them. You don't really need to focus on the others.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because you're wearing them. Yeah. So it's. It's easy and it's streamlined stuff, and I love that. I think anything that can streamline the arduous process that can be spring cleaning is a great, great hack. So go, listeners.

[C]

So can I ask, of all of the rules and tips that we've spoken about today, what are the ones that you're going to go away and implement in the spring clean that we're all going to hold ourselves accountable to?

[A]

Me especially, I'm going to get rid of the clothing that doesn't fit me anymore.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm going to liberate myself from it. And as Joe suggested, I'm going to put that money that I make from selling it into buying new things. Yeah.

[B]

Jo, I think I need to go through the undies and socks drawer a little bit more thoroughly, and I might get some of those little IKEA storage boxes I recommended. Yeah.

[C]

And I'll let you know when the knickers are on sale.

[B]

Yes, please do.

[C]

Perfect. Now that I know which ones.

[B]

No G bangers. Yeah.

[C]

Don't worry. I remember. I remember these things. Mine is going to be trying to do it more frequently and maybe by season, because I do. I am guilty of getting quite overwhelmed. And if my clothes are already in season, kind of of, you know, naturally they're stored that way. It shouldn't be that hard. So it should be frictionless.

[A]

Yeah, it should be frictionless.

[C]

So I'm gonna try and do that and maybe just sell one or two pieces that can help kind of fund the next piece. I can still donate, and that can still make me feel good. But, you know, there's probably things that I'm buying for event wear, particularly that I'm like, you're not gonna wear that to a wedding in three months. If you just wore it to this wedding, you know, you're gonna wear something else in your wardrobe. So set it free.

[A]

And consignment stores make it easy. You drop it off, off you go, get a coffee. You'd shop around somewhere else, you go back and it's done. Yeah, I like that. That's frictionless. Well, actually, there's a little bit of.

[C]

Friction involved, but you get a coffee. So that friction feels worth it.

[A]

Exactly.

[C]

That's all for this week's episode of Stylish. Thank you very much for joining us and listening in. And of course, thank you very much to you, Kate Emmerburg, filling in for Arnica this week. And you, Joanna Fleming, who has been the most stable, permanent space I was last year's. You're this year's. Remember, you can drop us an email anytime at style-ishameless media.com or you can slide into our DMS over at Stylish Pod. And we can't forget to thank our audio engineer, Jonathan Last, and the Shameless Media team head of podcast Lucy Hunt, who we're very lucky, sat in with us today. We've missed you, Loose. And senior podcast producer Kate Emmenfeld. We will be right back with you next Wednesday. See you then.

[A]

Bye.

[B]

This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land, Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.