The big clear out: here's how to make it easier

You don’t have to wait until the spring to tidy things up and create order in the home. I unintentionally had a huge clean and clear-up last week, and felt so much better for at long last, having completely organised at least one room. While I simply went for it - dusting, hovering, organising – a bit of planning means you can easily tackle cleaning and clearing out, without it feeling overwhelming. Have a look at the ideas below and see if there’s one (or more) you fancy trying...

The secrets to an easy wardrobe detox

Ahh, the wardrobe cleanse… It’s the task I dislike the most. However, plenty of time, a good playlist, and a ruthless attitude make it a lot less challenging. Have a read of our top tips on how to do it, including our Thoughtful Friend, Wendy’s ideas what to do with unwanted bras. Once you’ve identified the pieces you want to pass on, why not give them to charity? Simply click here to find your nearest shops or here for your nearest clothes banks so you don’t have to carry things too or if avoidable, use petrol to drop them off.

Try learning to darn

Mark, one of our designers, has a jumper he’s had for years and absolutely loves. He’d repaired a hole in it a couple of times, but it always needed re-repairing. Needless to say he was very happy when he attended Traid’s Learn to Darn Workshop. If you’d like to mend something similar and learn a new skill in the process, take a look at the darning and denim repair sessions we did for a little inspiration. Don’t forget that it’s always a good idea to protect your knits and natural fabrics from moths. Rhiannon’s all-natural DIY moth repeller sachets are perfect for this.

Repeair or upcycle denim

As part of our continued partnership with Traid, we also asked them to help us repair our love-worn jeans and denim. They took us through patching and mending with the intention of making a feature out of the repair and helped us learn some beautifully decorative stitches. See our handiwork here – hopefully it spurs you on to get creative!

Have a go at upcycling

This super-easy tutorial from Victoria of Found and Sewn uses old shirts to make a handy, cotton tote – the kind that always comes in handy. Let us know if you try this, we’d love to see a few snaps.

And finally...

Don’t forget to look after the clothes you’re keeping. Consider washing and storing them more thoughtfully; we’ve rounded up a few eco-friendly ways to keep them good as new. Some other ideas are to resole shoes rather than replace them - especially if they’re ones you love. Or try buying less beauty products and make more homemade recipes like Jo’s. I hope you find these hints and tips helpful. If you’d like so share some of your own, let us know here or on Facebook or Twitter.