War on the wardrobe

In this post-party season, closet surgery is the task du jour. It sounds like a cliche, but New Year is the perfect time to say: "Out with the old and in with the new" - and only a lucky few can claim that their wardrobes are a joy to behold. Most of us have closets brimming with clothes that don't fit, stuff that needs fixing and a pile of dry cleaning. Of course, spring-cleaning your wardrobe isn't as easy as it sounds. The ideal solution is to get a very honest, style-conscious friend to help you choose what to keep and what to chuck out, although you need to be able to take harsh advice.

Those with £200 to spare can enlist the help of Celia Clark, wardrobe mistress and personal shopper at Liberty, who came to the depths of Tooting Bec to help me go through my jumbled mess.

"Most women only wear 20 per cent of their wardrobe and sometimes they just need a reminder of what they have, or what really suits them," says Celia. "It's so easy to get stuck in a clothes rut because things aren't in order - organisation is the key."

Celia may sound anal but, really, it's common sense. "You have to be ruthless," she adds. "If you haven't worn something for six months, then you have to assess if you're ever going to wear it again. I start by dividing all the clothes and shoes into three piles: throw out, donate and keep. The 'throw out' pile goes to charity shops or, if the clothes are designer or vintage, can be sold at second-hand exchanges, while the 'donate' pile can be divided between friends."

But that's not the end of it. Before the "keep" pile goes back in the wardrobe, the next step is a feng shui-type rearranging session. My wardrobe committed the sin of failing to separate my autumn/winter and spring/summer clothes but, as Celia points out, the main reason it doesn't work is the clutter. She moves my chest of drawers away from the wardrobe, leaving more space. I should have as much room as possible to dress in, with a full-length mirror nearby. She chastises me for using the wardrobe to store rubbish, so we tear away all the surrounding bags, shoes and boxes and it starts to looks much tidier. Apparently, my clothes now have a chance to "breathe", as well as hang properly, without being all scrunched up. "Hangers are a real pet hate of mine," explains Celia, as she throws out all my metal dry-cleaning ones.

"Wooden are best. You should also hang some lavender in here and tuck a miniature sewing kit at the side."

Anything woollen should not be hung, merely folded in drawers. Underwear should be hand-washed and folded neatly; throw out anything baggy or grey.

Next up is my collection of neglected shoes. Celia tells me to put aside an hour every month to clean and polish so they last longer (apparently, shoes need polish like we need moisturiser). She also advises a mass re-heeling session and putting my trainers in the washing machine.

"Never wear the same pair of shoes for two days on the trot," she says, "as they need a chance to breathe, especially leather and trainers. You should also arrange your shoes so you can see the whole selection with your favourites at the top. A lot of people keep them in boxes, which isn't a good idea as you don't know what you've got."

Finally, she picks up every bag, belt and hat hanging about the room and chucks them into a suitcase, which looks far neater on top of the wardrobe.

I kid you not - the overall effect is amazing. I feel clear headed and am even looking forward to getting dressed for work tomorrow morning. Let's just hope I can keep it this way.

Personal shopping at Liberty is free or, for appointments at home, call Celia Clark on 020 7573 9944.

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