Out with the Old and in with the New: Refreshing Your Wardrobe in 2015

Like your personal style (and perhaps even body shape), the fashion world is ever-changing. Naturally, these changes mean that some clothes in your closet will go out of style, out of date, or be the wrong size/fit. And given that most people have a finite amount of space available in which to keep their clothing, at some point we all have to make the tough decisions on what stays and what goes.

Fortunately there is a way that you can avoid going back and forth on whether you should keep, toss, or donate an item. In fact, your clothes (or rather, your hangers) can make the decision for you.

A tip reiterated on Life Hacker suggests that once a year, you turn all of your clothes hangers in your closet backwards. Each time you wear a piece of clothing, turn the hanger the other way on the rack. At the end of the year, donate all of the clothes with hangers that are still backwards, as this will indicate the pieces you never wore.

Then, thoroughly examine the pieces that you did wear. If you find that some are heavily worn in some areas, piled, or stretched out, you should toss or donate them.

While the tip is great for weeding out old outfits—and no fashionista needs help with the replenishing process—most of us aren't hanging each individual pair of our underwear up on a silk hanger. A good general rule of thumb for cycling out underwear is to buy new underwear for everyday use about once a year. However, the same method isn't always as necessary when discussing your nicer pieces of lingerie or those that you wear less frequently.

Because we tend to spend more on lingerie, and because we regard them as our "special" pieces, it can be harder to know when it's time to part ways with them. Thankfully you can tweak the same process used for filtering your outfits in order to filter out your lingerie.

Instead of using hangers, simply designate a different drawer for all of you under garments after they're washed. At the end of the year, get rid of everything that hasn't made it into the "washed" drawer. Then, take a good look over the "washed" drawer of lingerie. Molly O'Shea, a health expert from UBY Kotex, said in a Get The Facts segment that when pieces are faded, pilled, or stretched out, that's usually a pretty sure sign that they're ready for the trash.

The final factor for deciding whether a piece of lingerie belongs in the trash or keeper pile is one that some tend to forget. That is, when it comes to lingerie, whatever you're wearing should feel as great as it makes you look. If it itches, pokes, pulls or is just all around uncomfortable to wear, it's either old (and ready to be tossed) or you're not buying the right pieces from the get go. To avoid ultimately throwing away unworn pieces in the future, take advantage of the How to Buy Lingerie Guide from Adam and Eve before making your next selection at the unmentionables counter. Using their advice, you can learn which fabric, size and style lingerie will best suit your needs, helping you avoid buying costly pieces destined for the trash in 2016.

Even if you don't think you need the help of an expert, remember that your new silk corset isn't going to impress your partner if it's pinching you so tight it's bringing tears to your eyes. And even though that new lace bra may help you fill out your new cocktail dress, you won't be able to pull off that posh look if the underwire is stabbing your ribcage and you're constantly having to adjust the girls throughout the night.

If you made a New Year's resolution to simplify your life, de-clutter, or simply buy smarter in 2015, you can make big strides in reaching those goals by using some of these tips. And for those of you still looking for an extra push in motivation to get started, just think of it this way: the more room you make in your closet and drawers, the more room you'll have to fill up with new clothes!