Now that we *knock on wood* have truly left winter behind us, it's time to take measures for the upcoming spring and summer. That naturally starts with cleaning out your closet. For me, it’s, I’ll be honest, really an unimaginable mess. I have to practically take big steps over mountains of clothes to reach my mirror, it’s really very embarrassing. Soon I’m going to clear my schedule for a few days to make a fresh start, with the help of Peggy’s handy step-by-step plan on how to do that most effectively. The biggest motivation is a tidy house (and consequently a tidy mind) but also because then I have a lot of space left for new clothes. And no, I never learn. But I will buy those new clothes with a bit more caution because I really don’t want to drown in clutter again in a year. So, for anyone with a similar plan, we’re discussing today in the Explorer how to create the perfect wardrobe at home. Shopping has never been so easy.

• Don’t always buy the same thing. Sounds a bit like an open door, but I almost always fall for a pair of shoes during a shopping session and then just spend my entire budget on a new pair of heels. Do you have 500 black pants in your closet? Don’t buy black pants. Do you usually buy silk blouses? Step away from the silk blouses. Also broaden your perspective and check out the men’s section. Oversized sweaters and shirts are incredibly hot. Are you blessed with a petite size? Then take a look at the kids' section. This is such a nice sweater? Or what do you think of this pretty hilarious shirt? I mean.

• Wear convenient clothes that can easily be taken off during your shopping session. Trying everything on 80 times is just very annoying. Also, don’t wear a dress because when trying on pants, you’ll be missing a top and vice versa.

• Be careful with things that are so cheap that ‘you’d look crazy if you left them behind.’ A jacket for 20 euros is indeed not expensive, but is that reason enough to buy it right away? Once I bought three different colors of the same heels at Primark in London (shh, don’t tell anyone) and I angrily tossed those things out of my house a month later because they immediately gave me blisters and were actually just very ugly. Cheap = expensive.

• Don’t hold too tightly to your size. As in, I fit perfectly in size 38 pants at H&M and often even 36, but at Zara, a size 36 pant doesn’t even go over my knees. Besides, sometimes a dress just looks better if you buy it one or two sizes larger. So don’t focus on the size, but on the fit.

• Don’t forget the internet (like duh). Is that one pair of pants only available in gray and not in black? No worries, the web is your salvation. In fact, the web is the solution because you might find it there with a great discount.

• An hour on my MacBook and already a favorite: Hukkster. With Hukkster, you can effortlessly keep track of when your favorite items go on sale. With two clicks of a button, you download the Hukkster button to your toolbar. Then, if you come across a must-have online? Click the Hukkster button and you’ll get an email when the item goes on sale. It’s really genius.

• When you’re in the fitting room and keep turning around, the rule basically is: If in doubt, don’t do it. But sometimes the doubt comes from whether that sweater also looks good with a skirt instead of the pants you’re currently wearing. Or you want to know if that dress also looks nice with tights. Long live the possibilities for exchanges, so just take the whole bunch home for a fashion show in front of your own mirror.

• I always prefer to shop alone, but a critical honest friend as a companion can sometimes be really nice. It should be someone who truly has your best interests at heart and not some fake friend who secretly enjoys it when you buy a dress that’s just a bit too tight. And yes, they exist.

So I would say, go forth and shop. Oh yes, and clean up, that too.