Keepers – it fits, I love it and I wear it all the time.

Maybes – this could be the stuff that you’re waiting to fit into again (be honest, are you ever going to be size 8/10/12 again? If not, ditch it) or the stuff you love on the hanger but you’re not sure actually suits you.

Mending pile – anything that you want to keep but that needs a little TLC.

No. Just no – the stuff that is never going to fit again, that you’re not sure what kind of life you were imagining you lead when you bought them (I’m thinking white trousers – my life is not a white trousers kind of life), the stuff that is saggy and worn, anything that doesn’t make you feel good when you wear it.

Borrow

This probably wouldn’t work that well for your whole wardrobe, but if you’ve got a wedding or a Christmas party to go to, why not borrow rather than buy?

Swap

Swapping, or ‘swishing’, is a brilliant way to extend the life of clothes you no longer wear. And it’s catching on. Swishes can be anything from you and your mates getting together with the contents of your respective wardrobes that you are now bored of. Share clothes with your friends!

Thrift

If you’re going to be a part of the fast fashion cycle, then buying and re-donating back to charity shops is way better than buying new and then discarding, but ultimately what we all need to be aiming for is to buy LESS and buy BETTER. So be selective. Just because something is cheap and in your size doesn’t mean you have to buy it. Shop vintage or look for your favourite brands secondhand online.

Make

Making your own clothes is the very antithesis of fast fashion. It literally forces you to slow down – there is nothing fast about creating your own clothes

Buy

Buying new clothes is the way the majority of us shop, but for sustainable(ish) fashion, it should be the cherry on the cake casting your vote for a fairer, cleaner, more transparent fashion industry by seeking out ethical and sustainable brands. Look for natural fibres such as cotton (ideally organic), linen and wool or commit to buying a percentage of your clothes secondhand – it could be 50 per cent or 90 per cent – whatever feels doable for you.

Love your clothes

We need to learn to love our clothes (in fact, all of our things) again, and only give wardrobe or house space to the things that earn their place in our affections. And once we’ve found those things, we need to look after them – honouring the resources and the labour that has gone into making them, and keeping them in use for as long as possible.