This time of year I start to think about putting my winter clothes away and protecting them from hungry moths. Moths have become quite sophisticated now and I find that knitted silk and cashmere as well as wool are acceptable in their diet!

Before deciding how I will store my favourite pieces I must decide what I want to keep for next winter and what I want to give away.

This season has been made easier for me as we have just downsized and left our house where I had plenty of cupboard space to a more modern and convenient appartment (which I really love) but it has restricted storage. My husband and I decided that with both outfits and books…if we bought a new one, one had to go. This is working well…… but it’s not easy!

However I wrote about this many years ago in my first book where I introduced the idea of going through your wardrobe and putting your clothes into three piles.

The first………. the clothes you really love, possibly have just bought but most importantly still fit you and you still get compliments when you wear them.

The second……clothes you haven’t worn for 3 years, perhaps don’t fit and never will or you’ve just forgotten about. We all have too many clothes we don’t wear and never truly will.

The third……….clothes that have possibly worn out, really don’t flatter you, don’t fit and belong to an era long gone. No..they won’t come back into fashion in exactly the same way and you have got older and the styling will not work for you now. They might not have aged but, be realistic, you have. Wearing them again will age you, this I am sure of.

And by the way I believe vintage should be for young women unless its jewellery or accessories. Even so modern edgy classics are a better bet after a certain age.

So now……… put the first pile back in you wardrobe properly protected - the company Wardrobe Care - is worth checking out. (They are nothing to do with us except I use their products).

The second pile is the most difficult. Try every piece on in front of a good mirror where you can see your back view too. You will know almost immediately whether to keep certain pieces or not, if you are totally honest about the way they make you feel. The pieces you decide must go……get ready to give away.

The third pile bag up straight away and make some charity shop happy.

Now you are ready to choose your new Summer wardrobe with the 3 Pile Process in mind. Less is more - quality over quantity. Fit over fantasy.

Wishing you sunny days.

Susie