As a busy mum, you’ve already got plenty on your to-do list and enough to think about, without the added stress of what to wear each day. While you want your wardrobe to be practical and stress-free, you also want it to be fun and stylish.
With the warmer (or in some places incredibly hot) weather approaching, now’s the chance to update your summer clothes.From starting with the basics to organisation, here are four tips for creating a stress-free wardrobe that works for you and your busy lifestyle
Start with the basics
Every wardrobe should have some staples. These items give you a foundation to create a fantastic outfit, but also provide you with plenty of options when you’re short on time or the dress code is vague or unknown. Basics can include jeans, three-quarter pants, shorts, as well as neutral coloured tops, pants, coats, dresses and more.
While foundational choices may sound a little dull, good quality basics will last for years (which your wallet will love), and are more adaptable than sparkly or party attire. A couple of things to consider when buying basics is the climate where you live, and where you spend most of your time (e.g. at home, outdoors, in the office, etc.), especially during the summer months. Buying year-long basics will save you even more time throughout the year.
Group similar items together
Grouping items like your jeans, work pants, dresses and so on allows you to see exactly what’s in your wardrobe and makes planning your outfits easier, saving time and reducing stress. You can group similar items together using wardrobe storage and organisers, such as clothes racks, wardrobe organisers, storage baskets, or something as simple as extra coat hangers. This also has the added bonus of organising your closet in the process, hitting two birds with one stone.
Don’t forget your shoes either! You can group your shoes together by function (e.g. sports shoes/joggers, sandals, heels, casual, etc.) and keep them neatly stored on a shoe rack, shoe hanger or in shoeboxes. If you’re really looking for a little extra efficiency, you could also try grouping your accessories, such as scarves, hats and belts, and hang them up on hooks.
One thing you may want to consider before you start grouping items together is whether your wardrobe needs a good clean out before you begin.
Include the laundry basket
Now that you’ve grouped items together, stored and organised them all, don’t forget to include another storage item that you may not have even considered…the laundry basket.
This will clean up your room (or laundry) a little, while making your wardrobe more efficient. You can sort what needs to be washed from the outfits or attire you’re waiting to wear. There are many different types of laundry baskets available that can be flexible and morph to the space in your wardrobe, and can easily come out when it’s laundry day. There are even some laundry baskets that come with separators, so each load is ready to go in the wash straight away.
Plan your outfits
Since your clothes and wardrobe space are sorted, you can begin planning your outfits for the week. You don’t necessarily have to know what you’re wearing every single day, but you can organise what you’ll wear for days you know you’re leaving the house, such as your work outfits for the week, or for an event you may be attending.
To make planning easier, check the weather to accommodate for any temperature changes, have your outfits ready in a separate section of your wardrobe, or even use an outfit planner app on your phone. You can make the time to plan your outfits for the week when your kids are sleeping or playing on a Sunday afternoon.
Following these four tips will easily transform your wardrobe into a fun, practical, stylish and stress-free zone, and will ultimately make your life as a busy mum easier during the summer months. If these tips work for you, give them a try with your kids’ wardrobe, making your family’s lives easier.
