If your bedroom seems to be bursting at the seams like so many other Kiwi homes, chances are your wardrobe is overflowing, too, and yep! We know how overwhelming that can feel. It may be that life is getting away from you, and organisation has become a long-forgotten but fond memory, compounded by limited space. Add in mismatched storage, and suddenly your bedroom feels like a sanctuary and more like a second-hand shop gone rogue.
There’s good news, though: with a little wardrobe decluttering and organisation, we can remedy all your wardrobe woes. When you choose one that fits your space, suits your aesthetic and your lifestyle, things get a whole lot sweeter. Let’s get cracking.
Decluttering Your Wardrobe for a Fresh Start
First things first. Decluttering. It’s time to reach for the depths of your current wardrobe and reassess if your Year 12 end-of-school outfit is really worth holding onto. That, and that plethora of things you *kind of* like, but when it comes down to it, you’d never actually reach for to wear. That’s why it’s time to gameify this situation.
How to Declutter Your Wardrobe – Quick Step-by-step method to clear and reset your wardrobe space.
The first step in how to declutter your wardrobe 101 is to play a lil’ game called ‘keep, donate or sell’. So, go ahead and clear out everything in your wardrobe and pile it up on your bed for sorting. Make some space on the floor too, or bring in three chairs to act as clothes horses.
Hot tip: If you’re a chronic procrastinator when it comes to decisions, try setting a timer for 20 minutes. A little deadline pressure can work wonders.
Now it’s time to get brutally honest about what you will and won’t wear. Hit that timer and create ‘keep’, ‘donate’ and ‘sell’ piles. If spending time selling stuff just isn’t your thing, then make it ‘keep’, ‘donate’, and ‘toss’. Either way, it’s time to shake things up. Because just around the corner, your dream new wardrobe, wardrobe organisers and other bedroom storage pieces await, and when they arrive, you don’t want to stuff them silly with old junk you never wear.
If this method is too brutal for you and you’re still pondering how to declutter your wardrobe, try the hanger trick, where you hang all your clothes on hangers in the reverse direction. Turn the hangers in the forward direction only after you actually wear the item on them. Set a timeframe (maybe a couple of months or a season). When you check in again, donate, sell or toss the clothes you haven’t touched.
To avoid your wardrobe getting engulfed again and having to redo this whole process, consider making seasonal rotation your thing. Come summer or winter, store your out-of-season clothes in your bedroom storage.
Choosing the Right Wardrobe for Your Space
Once you have your newly-culled stash of clothes (only those shiny favourites remain), it’s time to go wardrobe shopping. No, not for more clothes. For an actual wardrobe. Here’s what you need to think about for that no-regrets wardrobe deal snatch.
Sliding Door vs Hinged Door Wardrobes
So now, what will it be? A wardrobe with a sliding door (for no swing-out door calamities) that obscures half the wardrobe at a time? Or maybe one with hinged doors that swing open (if you have the space) and let you take in the full view of your clothing landscape in one go? Yes, there are pros and cons to each, but think about your available space.
Those sliding door beauties are great for tiny spaces (where hinged doors may mess with your bedroom flow), and hinged door wardrobes are best for bedrooms with extra space, where they can swing out without getting in your way.
How to Measure a Wardrobe
Here’s where the tape measure will be your bestie. When deciding how big your wardrobe should be, first measure out the available space. Allow for some extra width if your wardrobe has hinged doors. If the wardrobe space is right beside a wall, allow a bit of additional room. You wouldn’t want the door hitting the wall each time you reach for your jeans (damaging your wardrobe door and your wall).
Height is another thing to measure. Ceiling heights come in tall or short sizes, and so do wardrobes. So, pick a wardrobe that has enough height without gouging into your ceiling (and your bond deposit).
Space-Saving Wardrobes for Small Bedrooms
No matter how small your bedroom is, there’s a small-space wardrobe solution to keep things tidy and organised. As mentioned before, you want to choose designs with sliding doors to keep things contained, go for compact widths and amp up the height for maximum storage. For this, wardrobes with top cabinets, like the Linspire Grace Sliding Door with Top Cabinet (1.6m), may be worth adding to the top of your list. You’ve just gotta do what you can to maximise that usable space.
Big, Beautiful Wardrobes for Larger Rooms
If you have more (spatial) breathing room in your bedroom, you can go all out with multi-door wardrobes that include drawers, shelves and loads of storage. What a boon to have the space to organise yourself like a boss.
How Much Wardrobe Space Do You Need?
How big should your wardrobe really be? Let’s get realistic about how much wardrobe space you really need. If you and your partner are true fashionistas who need 47 pairs of jeans and at least 61 jumpers, forego some bedroom space and get the ultimate organisation station, just like the Linspire Serene 5-Door Wardrobe with Drawers. If, despite having lots of room, minimalism is your vibe, a compact wardrobe like the Linspire Stele 2-Door Wardrobe with Shelf could be more your thing. It’ll help you on your quest to embrace the mantra of ‘less is more’.
Making the Most of Your Wardrobe Interior
Big or small, the next important step after nabbing your perfect wardrobe is to make the most of its interior. Giving everything its own place (like hats, shoes, coats, underwear and jewellery) right off the bat will help you keep it tidy. And options? Oh, there are so many options to do this. We’re talking shelves, hanging rails, drawers, baskets and all sorts of organisers. There’s even the double-level hanging option to make sure you make the most of every square centimetre of that hanging space.
How to Organise Wardrobe Shelves
The golden rule of shelf organisation? Grouping is where it’s at. You don’t want a treasure hunt in your own wardrobe just to find your favourite pyjamas. Save yourself from a chaotic scramble. Give your underwear and sleepwear their own neighbouring shelves, and group any other clothes that go together. Keep it together and you’ll keep it classy.
How to Fold Clothes to Save Space in a Wardrobe: Marie Kondo Style
Rather than piling your T-shirts up on top of each other, do the Marie Kondo method and roll them up. Then stack them vertically. This way, you’ll see the whole lie of the (T-shirt) land from above. The same goes for underwear. And if you want to use up every bit of hanging space efficiently, look for a wardrobe with double-level hanging, like the Linspire Stele Wardrobe with Double Level Hanging (in either the 2-door or 5-door version).
Wardrobe Styling Ideas for a Bedroom Upgrade
It’s now time to talk about styling your wardrobe. There are plenty of ways to zhoozh it up, like using matching hangers, coordinating colours, and even using it to display decorative items.
What to Put on Top of a Wardrobe
As for the cherry on top (of the wardrobe), add a touch of nature with low-maintenance plants that hang down, like pothos or ferns. Lighting is another great idea for the top of your wardrobe. I’ll give that soft, ambient light vibe. It also helps you see what you’re actually doing when you’re picking your outfit! Alternatively, just put some nice decorative items up there that match your (and your bedroom’s) vibe.
Easy Solutions for Common Wardrobe Issues
How to Get Rid of Moisture in a Wardrobe
If your wardrobe is starting to feel like a tropical rainforest, it’s time to take action. Wondering how to get rid of moisture in your wardrobe? Firstly, make sure your clothes are always as dry as your sense of humour before you stash them away.
If you’re already dealing with a little moisture mishap, just swing open those wardrobe doors and let your clothes breathe. Let’s be real, stuffing your closet is a rookie move. Give your clothes some space so any moisture has a chance to evaporate.
Bring in some moisture absorbers, too. Keep it dry, keep it fresh, and your wardrobe will thank you.
Quick Fixes for Wobbly or Sticking Wardrobe Doors
If your wardrobe is wobbling like it's had one too many at the party, fear not. There’s no need to despair, wondering how to strengthen a wobbly wardrobe. There are fixes galore. First off, let’s talk braces. They’ll keep your wardrobe stable as a rock.
If those doors are putting up a fight each time you use them, maybe it’s time to adjust the hinges. Make them a little tighter (if the door’s loose) or loosen them up (if the door closes stiffly), and don’t forget about the tracks. A little lubrication will go a long way.
Your Perfect Wardrobe Awaits
Now that you’re a wardrobe wizard, it’s time to flex those shopping muscles. Wondering where to snag the best wardrobes and other bedroom furniture NZ has to offer? Look no further than Urban Sales. It’s your one-stop shop for all things fabulous and functional. We’ve got the perfect bedroom furniture to match your vibe and budget. Plus, no need to stress about logistics, because we’ll deliver anywhere in NZ, so you can sit back and relax.
