When I edit a wardrobe with one of my clients, it’s usually in a single session. Sometimes two. A session can take one to six hours depending on the size of the wardrobe and how well it’s been edited before I get stuck into it. We go through EVERY item. Apart from wardrobe basics and accessories, my clients fit on most of the items. We assess each one’s current fit, quality, colour, vibe, and comfort level. How it can be worn, and whether it works with their style aspirations. This is what I call a fast wardrobe edit, and I tackle my own wardrobe edits similarly.

So far my fast edits have been efficient and effective. They are also time consuming and tiring, although less so the more regularly a wardrobe is edited. Clients have set aside a good chunk of time to get the job done and we power through. Momentum is key. If we are unsure of an item, it is popped into a holding zone.

There is also a much slower approach to wardrobe editing that’s valid. This can be the way to go when wardrobe editing is a challenge. You tackle one category at a time — like jeans- – and edit that section properly when you have a moment. Then you move onto skirts, shorts, and pants, until you’ve completed the edit of ALL bottoms. It takes days or weeks, as you steal time here and there. When that’s done, move onto tops, dresses, shoes, wardrobe basics, jackets, coats, and accessories until you’ve tackled every item. It can take months to complete the edit because there’s a lot to go through.

Furthermore, if you’re unsure about what should stay or go, take a season to pay closer attention to the items you’re wearing and reaching for to help make those decisions. Maybe track and count wears, if the data is helpful. Keep a close eye on which items are being passed over, and figure out why. Maybe give yourself another season to wear unworn items that might come back into favour. This slower approach can take a year, since items are seasonal and all wardrobe items need attention.

Sometimes, slow wardrobe edits work best after you’ve done a fast, focussed, and very thorough one first. That way you’ve passed on what you’re sure about letting go, leaving you to make slower and possibly better decisions about what is left. It’s also easier to visually take in your wardrobe after an initial fast edit.

The point is that both approaches, and even a combination of the approaches, can work well. Choose an approach that works best for you.