Can you believe it’s nearly 2018? I realized today when I was working on a photoshoot in a beautiful Californian bungalow style home, shooting luxurious towels in the warm sun, what a different year this has been for me.

This year I started taking a fresh approach to my work as a personal stylist and next year you will all hopefully see some of that approach showing in my new service offerings that will accommodate those out of Sydney. But before I get into that, I wanted to tell you all about how I’ve really put my foot down with my wardrobe and it’s made me happier.

As you will have noticed if you’re a regular reader here is that I have been on a decluttering rampage for the last few months. Let me tell you why:

MY LIVING CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGED:

Part way through this year, my boyfriend moved in with me. This is something I’ve never allowed before, no man has ever moved in with me, nor I with them. I love my space and my alone time, but this guy gives me both and works just as hard as I do – so we complement each other. What didn’t work though was that, as partners do, he owned things. Things I had to suddenly find places for. He needed a wardrobe, places for his files and books, nooks and crannies for this texture spray and man stuff – long story short, I had to compromise. And it felt scary at first, but like a general wardrobe makeover I do with my clients, not long into it, it felt therapeutic.

Since then, I’ve started leading a less is more lifestyle and I love it. Less is more for my makeup cupboard, my loose papers, my decor, my shoes (I know) and my activewear and pj drawer, which you’ll get to see soon!

I REPLACE, I DON’T ADD:

Living in Sydney makes you realise that if you buy too much crap, you’ll very quickly feel like your home is always cluttered. You’ll feel like you don’t know where to start when you’re cleaning, when you’re looking for something and when you’re just trying to accomplish a simple task. I’ve been using the tactic of replacing items instead of adding to them in my wardrobe for a few months now and I have to say, it really helped me and I feel so much happier with my wardrobe.

For me, I started with something small which was my belt selection. I got rid of the broken, donated the dated and ones that just didn’t work and I made a list of the ones I needed. I got rid of eleven belts and worked out that I just had variations of the same thing that was close to what I wanted but weren’t perfect.

I’ve been putting my foot down lately, and instead of having eleven belts, I only needed four. One brown and one black woven leather belt and one nude and one black smooth leather belt, all with gold hardware because gold is my colour. My wardrobe door now doesn’t jingle as much and I only have to glance at the door instead of hunt, to get what I need.

I’VE BEEN WAITING TO SHOP:

As someone that shops for clients nearly every day, I see how much fashion brands are changing. Quality is down, volume is up, fashion is disposable and sizing is as cohesive as a party mix of lollies. It’s a different environment and it’s frazzling us all. Because of this, I know I need to really be patient with shopping. I write lists, I love them, they work and when I do – I detail what it is exactly what I want to add to my wardrobe and like a detective, I stake out until I get what I want.

I HAVE A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING:

While on my decluttering rampage, I realised my wardrobe space was freeing up nicely and by that, I mean that I didn’t just have room for my things, I actually had room to make my things look pretty and my wardrobe look shoppable. I’m saving up for some new doors, amongst other things for my home, so once these are installed, you will all be the first to see the wardrobe in all its glory.

THE FINAL VERDICT:

While there’s still a tiny bit of 2017 left, I know that next year my wardrobe will be even better and my style will evolve like it does each year. These may all seem like minor changes to habits, but if you implement these like I did, you’ll reap the rewards. Slowly cutting down my wardrobe and being more patient with shopping has really turned my wardrobe into a much more user-friendly space – and my boyfriend finally has room for his horrendous ripped jeans.

Chat soon! x