The start of spring is always a great time to de-clutter, and what better place to start than with your own wardrobe? Chata Romano Ambassador and Senior Image Consultant Wendy Hind offers some advice on sprucing up your wardrobe for the new season.

Spring has sprung and that means it’s time to pack away the chunky knits and boots and say hello to bright shades, fresh floral fabrics and statement stripes. Wendy shares her top 10 wardrobe planning tips, which will help you update and transform your existing wardrobe.

1. Love, love, love your wardrobe and all that is in it! This is the place you face every morning. It should be a place of inspiration and each item should be loved. Less is more. You don’t need a wardrobe crammed with clothes that you never wear. Do regular clear-outs – if you haven’t worn something in 12 to 18 months, toss it! You can literally have 15 garments and create 45 completely different outfits, provided they are the correct garments for you.
2. Come out on top. People generally notice the top half of your body first, so you should invest in many more tops than bottoms. As a guideline, 30% of your wardrobe should consist of bottoms (skirts, pants, jeans, ¾’s, etc) that fit you properly. Then 70% should be tops (jackets, shirts, jerseys, etc) with a good combination of prints and plain colours.
3. Fashion frenzy. Every woman’s wardrobe needs to have an element of fashion in it! Know what’s currently in fashion and ensure you have a small percentage of those elements in your wardrobe. Around 70% to 80% of the entire wardrobe should be functional and practical, with a 20% to 30% fashion element.
4. One working wardrobe. Winter, summer, work and weekend . . . you need to have one working wardrobe. Keep winter coats and formal dresses to one side and the rest blend into one working space. Group tops together, bottoms together and jackets together.
5. Colourful shades. Know what clothing colours best suit your skin tone and ensure your wardrobe has a mix of those colours at the correct shade and intensity. Don’t duplicate on colours. For instance, if you have a red jacket, then rather shop for a purple or navy cardigan instead of another red cardigan/jacket. Have a good selection of basic colours in the wardrobe (black, navy, white, stone, taupe and grey).
6. Hang on to this. One of the most important assets in your entire wardrobe is your coat hangers. Wooden or plastic only! Never ever use wire coat hangers – they damage garments. Remove freshly dry-cleaned items from those nasty wire hangers as soon as possible. Also take garments out of dry-cleaning bags immediately as the plastic traps harmful chemicals, which will eat away fabrics. All knitted garments should be folded, not hung, and only have one hanger per item of clothing. If you can’t see it, you don’t wear it!
7. How to: Fold on a shelf. When you are creating stacks of folded items, put the bulkiest pieces at the bottom or you’ll end up with teetering piles. Bury cedar balls or chips in between your jerseys and cardigans to stave off moths and ‘noo-noo’s’.
8. How to: Store in a drawer: Due to lack of visibility, use drawers for things that are better left unseen: Socks, underwear, swimwear, plain T-shirts, tank tops, and workout clothing.
9. Under there is underwear. Invest in good quality underwear. Your bra is the most important asset in your entire wardrobe. Make sure it fits properly. No riding up the back or strap falling off the shoulder area. Go for a professional bra fitting to ensure you have the correct fit and support. Why spend money on expensive clothes when it is actually your underwear that adds to the overall look and shape of some of those items in the first place?! You seriously can lose 5kg in five seconds by wearing the correct bra!
10. Access to accessories. Make sure your accessories are easily accessible. Hang belts on a belt hanger (never roll) and place the handbags that you love and can’t wait to wear on a shelf or in a deep drawer so that you can see them daily. Those handbags you never wear – toss! Summer scarves can be folded or hung on a scarf hanger and winter scarves and pashminas should be neatly folded and easily accessible on a shelf, not a drawer. Winter boots should be stored in boxes during the summer months; all other sandals and heels should be neatly placed in a clean area at the bottom of your cupboard or on shoe shelves.

This article was brought to you by Chata Romano Image Consultant Wendy Hind