How to Do a Postnatal Closet Cleanse

You grew a human for more than 9 months and gave birth, and you’re now dealing with a plethora of lifestyle changes. It’s time to detox your closet to set up for a new “normal” wardrobe.

After giving birth, women typically land stuck somewhere between maternity clothes, a postpartum body and wardrobe, and holding on to the idea of moving back to their pre-pregnancy style. After all, how many of you stare at your old clothes and say, “as soon as I get back to my old body, I’ll wear those skinny jeans again.” But even if you do fit into your old clothes, a lot has changed since baby arrived, and you may be eager to build a new wardrobe that reflects those changes and that aligns with who you are as a new mom — with your new body, new mind, new financial situation, new disposable income, and so much more.

So now that baby is here, embrace all that is new and give your style a fresh start. Here are 5 steps to cleanse your closet and find your new, true mama self.

1. SORT THINGS OUT

You should do this once or twice a year, but after pregnancy, your closet requires a deeper cleanse than the typical seasonal one. So clear your calendar and prepare to commit to at least a full day of detoxing.

First, evaluate each item (maternity, postpartum and non-motherhood related clothes), asking the following questions: “When is the last time I wore this?”, “Does this item still fit?”, “How do I feel when I wear this?” “Does this item feel like it still authentically represents me?” Separate the clothes you want to keep from those you don’t want anymore, and put those you want to part with in a donation pile.

If you’re still breastfeeding or are still trying to reach your comfortable weight, you may want to hold on to certain clothes and try them on later. So pull these styles aside, store them in separate, non-focal areas of your closet, and revisit them in your next cleanse. If they don’t fit a year later, I’d recommend you to donate or consign them.

2. ORGANIZE

Now that you’ve cleansed, it’s time to get organized and keep your wardrobe functioning well as your body keeps changing.

Place the clothes that you are wearing right now in the most centered part of your closet. Once you separated your postpartum capsule wardrobe from the rest of your clothes, divide it up by category: sweaters, knits, dresses, skirts, pants, blazers, outerwear, jackets, wovens, denim, intimates, accessories, and shoes. Once that’s done and you’ve hung and folded each item, you can sub-categorize everything by color. I like to do go from warm to cool.

3. (RE)STYLE YOUR CLOSET

Take a look at the clothes you are currently wearing and style them in a way that works with your current lifestyle. For example, if you are breastfeeding, take a button-down shirt and combine it with different pants and shoes to see what feels the most natural and comfortable to you. Figure out how you can style it according to what you will be doing on a given day — making sure, for example, that it can transition smoothly from work attire to pumping and breastfeeding outfit.

If you need some inspiration to get to the style you love and want for your new self, go on Pinterest and Instagram, read magazines, surf online shopping sites, fashion and lifestyle blogs and so on.

4. FILL IN THE GAPS

Once you know what you have on hand, list out the 10 essentials you absolutely want in your wardrobe, figure out what you’re missing, and make a list of what you need to complement your postpartum wardrobe.

5. INVEST

Now to the fun part: get your wallet out and go shopping. I know you don’t necessarily want to break the bank on items that you think you’ll wear for only six months, but if you want to feel good as your body changes, you may need to make a couple of purchases for your wardrobe to give you function and style all at once.

Want to make the most out of the items you’ll buy? I recommend getting dresses with minimal seams or with a stretch fit. Bottoms with elastic waistbands give your body more room to change, and blazers and jackets can fit multiple sizes. And finally, good denim is hard to replicate. So consider investing in one or two pairs in your current size.

If you’re looking for affordable, yet stylish options, go to Zara, H&M, Mango and ASOS. If you are breastfeeding, brands like Loyal Hana, Maia Moda, Love Comma and Teat & Cosset are stylish and functional, and they are worth the investment, especially if you plan to nurse for a year or beyond.

Need help cleansing your closet? I’m here to help! Visit my website to learn more about my prenatal/postnatal personal styling services and use the code MAMASGOTSTYLE to receive a 15% discount on your initial booking. I can’t wait to support you on this journey!