It’s true what they say: We need to dress for the job—and the life—we want. Especially in the time of COVID-19, when the majority of the world’s workforce is working from home, we might find ourselves tempted to slack off and be in our loungewear 24/7. Still, we need to put in effort into what we wear and how we organise our closet, and we need to curate a wardrobe that’s good not just for lounging at home all day but also for looking good video. The following are some benefits of a well-curated quarantine closet:
- Studies show that what you wear to work matters because our clothes can greatly influence our productivity and performance.
- Dressing well even for Zoom meetings gets us ready for a long day of work and can help stop us from laying down in bed all day.
- A clean and organised environment can positively impact our mental health and well-being.
- Donating our old clothes benefits those who need them the most, and buying less is good for our environment and your wallet.
Here are some tips for organising and curating a work-from-home wardrobe that can boost your mental health, productivity, and success.
Do a thorough destash of your wardrobe.
A “destash” is the process of removing unneeded and unwanted items from one’s collection. Take out everything you own and filter out the clothes that no longer fit you, and you no longer need or want. If you haven’t worn them in the last six months, or you no longer see yourself wearing them in the future, consider filtering them out of your collection. Here are some options for what you can do with these clothes:
- Donate. Charitable organisations like Goodwill and the Salvation Army are always open to receiving wearable clothes. You can also donate them to animal shelters, which the volunteers can then use to create beds and blankets for the animals in their care.
- Sell. If your clothes are still in good condition, consider selling them online for a discounted price.
Be honest about what clothes you don’t see yourself wearing anymore, especially if a work-from-home setup is in the cards for you for the foreseeable future.
Organise the rest of your clothes into categories.
Organising means having a system in place for all your clothes, full visibility and awareness of everything you own, and knowing where they should be placed. Simply put: It’s putting everything in its proper place. Here are some organisational tips:
- Organise according to category: Put tops, bottoms, coats, scarves, skirts, dresses, loungewear, undies, socks, and shoes together and visually map out where you want to see them in your closet.
- Organise every category in a way that allows you to see everything you have so you can easily mix and match.
- A hanging rack system is a good way to appreciate the clothes you purchased and see them in a new light. Invest in good clothes hangers that can support your clothes, especially heavy ones like coats.
- If you choose to fold your clothes in drawers, choose to file fold them instead of stacking them up on top of each other so you can have a full view of all your items.
- Organise your items by use. Place the clothes you will use the most for the next two years in a place where you can reach for them easily, and if you know you won’t be leaving the house as much, place your bags in the least accessible side of your closet.
Invest in quality staples that can last you a long time.
If you don’t curate your wardrobe, your clothes may accumulate over time, and you may reach a point where you’re overwhelmed by the number of clothes you have. Living in the time of quarantine means you need to invest in quality staples and basics that you can mix and match to meet your office’s dress code and that you can use for video call meetings. You may opt for cheaper alternatives, but if they aren’t as durable as their higher quality counterparts, you may end up buying more pieces in the long run.
Mix and match your trusty basics.
Go for a colour palette that allows you to mix and match your clothes. While neutral options like white, black, grey, and beige may seem boring to some, they make room for more possible combinations. Opt for loungewear dresses and collared shirts that instantly look formal once you add in a blazer to the mix. You can add a pop of colour through accessories like necklaces or neckties.
Dress for Success
Just because we’re working from home, it doesn’t mean we can completely slack off on the clothes we wear. Boost your productivity and mental health by downsizing and keeping your clothes in their proper place.
