Wardrobe Detox

James Wallman, author of 'Stuffocation: Living More With Less', shares his tips for stripping down

1 Give up the guilt

We're taught to be consumers - to look, buy, gather, hoard. Also, we get a very addictive chemical thrill every time we buy something.

Handled well , you'll get a similar feel-good feeling once you've lightened your wardrobe.

2 De-stuffocate with friends

If you do it with a friend it'll make it easier. Throughout, compare and compete: if your friend has got rid of 30 things, see if you can get rid of 31.

3 Minimalism in a minute: the bin-bag experiment

Put everything in black bin bags so your wardrobes are bare. Then, each day, as you need something, take it back out again. You'll find out what you actually need.

4 De-stuffocate by taking things out and making piles:

• Things you've never worn - you can tell because the labels are still on and they're still shop creased;
• Things you haven't worn for a year;
• Things that are uncomfortable;
• Things you have worn but you've grown out of; and
• Things you hope to wear again some day.

5 Only use half of your current clothing space

If you have two wardrobes, only use one.

6 Count your things

Don't judge yourself by someone else's numbers. If you want 150 pairs of shoes, that's your thing. Being aware of the fact that you have 150 pairs of shoes might make you happy, and you might enjoy them. Or it could make you want to have 50 or 30 or 300 pairs. But knowing how many you have is a good place to start.

7 Be careful

Don't throw out something and regret it later. But if the sight of an item makes you laugh at your former self for impulse-buying such a ridiculous piece of clothing, let it go.

• 'Stuffocation: Living More With Less" by James Wallman is available at Amazon.com