How to get over ''I have nothing to wear'' syndrome

You're getting ready to go out, you open your wardrobe and utter the words ''I have nothing to wear''. How often does this happen to you? For me, and despite the fact I have twice as many clothing items than I actually have room for I used to say this at least once a week. Ludicrous when you take into account I could probably wear a different outfit every day for a year and still never wear the same thing twice. Well, I had an epiphany people. And that cycle ends now.
In an effort to save money, reduce clutter and stop ''collecting'' things I never wear I've put myself on a shopping ban. In an effort to create more space for clothes I plan to keep and wear I went through my wardrobe with a cut-throat mindset and donated to Oxfam all the items I either haven't worn in ages or realistically won't wear again. In the end I ended up with 2 bin bags full of stuff, most of which still had the label on and had never been worn. Yep. Oxfam's lucky day.

After my mini money/environment saving epiphany the real question that dawned on me is how do I break the cycle? Shopping endlessly is such an easy habit to fall into and there have been times when I've bought virtually the same thing twice - forgetting I own a jumper that looks almost identical to the new one. Shopping for the sake of shopping is my problem. And that's exactly what it is, a problem.

It's not particularly economical or practical to buy a new outfit every time you think you've got nothing to wear so I've taken action. I read a statistic once that said the average woman only wears 20% of her wardrobe and I can definitely relate to that. Working in an office environment means generally I wear variations of the same smart shirts, blazers & suit trousers over and over which is fine - but even on weekends and date nights I feel myself regurgitating the same outfits. So I've reorganised my entire wardrobe and brought items to the front that have been stuffed in the back for ages; creating the illusion in my mind that I have more options. Such a small change but has made such a difference so far.

A cringeworthingly sentimental person, I hold on to all sorts of crap I don't need (I still have the receipt of the hotel we stayed in in Paris last year) and the same can definitely be said for clothes. So as part of my wardrobe overhaul I've also donated anything I won't wear again that I was keeping purely for sentimental value (except my 18th birthday dress, long live pink leopard print)... and you'd be surprised how much space that's freed up.

I've also thought more about ''quality over quantity'' and perhaps having 35 white blouses from Primark (god I hate Primark) is not quite as economical as having one great white shark blouse that costs more but is better quality and will stand the test of time overall. And surely you're more likely to wear something you love over something you picked up on a whim? My advice is donate anything that doesn't fit or could be a perfect item for someone else to pick up in a charity shop. H&M's new ad campaign about their clothing recycling service is nothing short of amazing and something I will definitely bear in mind in the future. Keeping a dress you've only worn once that doesn't fit any more is such a waste when it could be recycled and turned into something else. Plus you'll have more space for when it's time to invest in something new that you will wear and is worth having.

Reducing my wardrobe to staple pieces that can be worn over and over regardless of how much my style changes seems far better than having piles of stuff I've forgotten I even own. I can't believe I'm saying this but - less is more? (anyone that's ever lived with me would definitely say YES). Skinny jeans in a couple of colours, a couple of blazers, tops and skirts and 350 pairs of pyjamas is enough for me. Rearranging my clothes and having a really thorough clear out has reintroduced me to items I forgot I had, and even some items I have no idea why I bought in the first place. But nevertheless it has helped conqueror my shopping problem and kept ''nothing to wear syndrome'' at bay.

What do you think? Are you a clothes hoarder or just the bare necessities type of girl? Have you held on to anything purely for sentimental value that if anyone else knew would think you're mental?