Refresh Your Wardrobe—Without Leaving The House!

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Updating your wardrobe is a great way spruce up for Spring! But as a busy mom of a toddler, I know it’s hard to make time to go shopping by yourself and try on clothes. Instead, try refreshing your options by shopping your closet to see what older outfits you can revive.

5 Easy Ideas to Refresh Your Wardrobe and Accessories Without Leaving Home:

1. Clean out all bags, including purses, wallets and diaper bags.

The less extra toys you’re carrying, the easier it will be to stand up straight and look awake. Give yourself a second to clean out—err, dust off—that gym bag. Throw in an outfit and sneakers and promise yourself you’ll workout for real.

2. Sift through your jewelry and choose the styles you still wear.

Shine them up if you have time, or make a note to do it later. Cleaning your jewelry is a super simple way to refresh your wardrobe. Bundle up everything you can part with and send off to older nieces or younger cousins. If you have a few extra minutes, check your watches. If they need new batteries, make a note to get them replaced.

3. Gather your shoes together and determine what to keep, what to toss, and what to repair (either DIY scrubbing or with professional help).

Having your favorite pumps reheeled and shined up will make you feel like you’re putting your best foot forward—and if you do it now, you won’t be scrambling to get it together for that night out with the girls!

4. Go through your clothes. Check clothing for pilling, faded color, and stretched shapes.

Make sure that the style and fit of your pants are still working for you—and recycle all threadbare leggings! Choose the shirts you wear the most and donate the rest—or keep them and stuff in your purses to keep their shape. Take a long hard look at your maternity and nursing clothes—do you need to keep them? Note anything you want to replace and bag up what you want to donate. Then, promise yourself to wear everything in your closet at least once. 

5. Stuffed sock drawers are stressful, aren’t they?

Cut the clutter and get rid of the socks, tights, and underwear you no longer use. Note anything you need to replace.

Photograph by JamesDeMers / 964 images

Want to Keep Refreshing Items?

If you somehow have more time, go through coats, hats, gloves, makeup, and hair products. You can also refresh your look by cleaning your glasses and sunglasses, replacing your toothbrush and finding your floss. Work quickly, and you’ll look flawless without buying anything new in minutes.

Without overthinking it, take your list of items to replace and combine it with wardrobe staples you need and a few new trends you want to try. Instantly, you have a checklist for updating your wardrobe—and maybe your new Amazon wishlist!

Where to Donate?

Finally, figure out what to do with your donation items. If you don’t have time to drive to a clothing donation center, request a pick-up online from organizations like the Salvation Army, the Lupus Foundation and AmVets. If you have more time, post your items for free in your neighborhood’s Buy Nothing Project. Or if you have the space to wait it out for a buyer, post the items for sale online. Or recycle unusable clothing at H&M. 

If you feel like going beyond your closet and organizing your home even more, check out this post on setting up a weekly cleaning schedule and this post on spring cleaning and organizing. With spring just around the corner, it’s never too early to prep for a cleaning spree so that you’ll have time and energy to play with your kids when the warm weather arrives!