It happens to all of us, no matter how much you curate your closet, or how carefully you shop, you will eventually get to a point where you need to refresh your wardrobe. Whether you’re in that “new year, new me” phase, you’ve become bored of wearing the same outfits on repeat, or maybe you’re just looking to up your style game, you know that without a doubt a wardrobe refresh is in order.

Refreshing your wardrobe can feel like an overwhelming and expensive task to take on. It’s easy to get lost in the fun of shopping and adding all of the things to your cart, only to remove items after the shock of seeing the total price and then ultimately giving up after overthinking the entire purchase (I am 100% guilty of this haha).

Creating a new aesthetic doesn’t have to be stressful on you or your wallet. With a bit of strategy and savvy shopping know-how, it is possible to curate a new closet you love that’s also budget-friendly. Ready to refresh your wardrobe without breaking the bank? I’m sharing my best tips and tricks for refreshing your wardrobe on a budget!

Budget-friendly ways to refresh your wardrobe for the new year

1. Purge your current wardrobe

The first step to creating a new wardrobe you love is not to add things, but to remove things that no longer bring you joy. If you’re not sure if an item sparks joy, then ask yourself: Does this item fit me or is it too small/big? Do I feel good wearing this item? Does this item fit my style? If you answer no to any of these questions then put this item aside to either donate or sell.

Starting your wardrobe refresh journey with a good old-fashion closet purge will not only help to make room for your new wardrobe, but it will reduce clutter and give yourself a fresh slate to start over with. Plus, you might even fall in love with items you forgot you had or find items that spark new outfit ideas. Needless to say, you will instantly feel refreshed after a purging your closet!

2. Set a budget

If you’re looking to refresh your wardrobe on a budget, you need to figure what your actual budget is. Having a physical budget keeps you accountable and stops you from overspending on clothing, shoes, and accessories that you may or may not need. Before making any new purchases, first write down your income and expenses to help you figure out how much money you can realistically spend on new items. Set yourself a fixed monthly budget and keep track of your purchases to make sure you don’t overspend when revamping your wardrobe.

3. Replace only a few key pieces

It’s easy to want to get rid everything and just start over from scratch, but replacing every single item in your closet is both expensive and unrealistic. The best way to refresh your closet efficiently and on budget is to create a strategy that starts with replacing only a few key pieces first. By doing this you eliminate the potential of spending too much too quickly. When figuring out which key pieces to replace, start with essential items that can be styled a number of different ways, like jeans for example. An easy swap to start with would be to replace your old, outdated denim for newer high quality pairs that you can wear with multiple outfits. If you’re like me and have a million pairs of shoes that you never seem to wear, it’s time to go back to the basics and narrow it down to a few versatile staple pairs that you can rewear every season, like sneakers for example.

4. Create a capsule wardrobe

If you have the urge to start fresh with your closet but don’t want to break the bank, then consider creating a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe consists of investing in a handful of quality, classic pieces that you can mix and match to create tons of different outfits. This simplistic styling approach not only efficiently frees up space in your closet, but it eliminates the stress of not knowing what to wear.

5. Spend wisely

Don’t let impulse buys ruin your wardrobe refresh budget! Focus on spending your money only on things you love and know you will wear again and again. If you shop online (as I’m sure most of us do nowadays), add the items you want to your cart and then wait at least 24 hours. After 24 hours, go back into your shopping cart and go through your list of items, removing anything that you don’t 100% love or actually need. This helps to deter you from making any spur-of-the-moment purchases and keeps your spending limited to only what you need.

6. Keep track of your purchases

The best way to stay within your budget is to keep track of your purchases. You can do this by creating your own finance tracker in Google sheets, or in my favorite app, Notion (it’s free!). Use your finance tracker to log all of your purchases so you know exactly how much you’re spending each month and when it’s time to cut yourself off so you never go over your wardrobe refresh budget!

7. Shop sales whenever you can

Sales are a girl’s best friend — and they’re the best way to save on new clothing pieces for your revamped wardrobe! If you see an item you love, make a note of it and check back during potential sale times like holidays and seasonal transitions. Many retailers will run sales prior, during and after the holidays, as well as at the end of each season to offload what’s left over.

Here’s a few of my savvy shopping tips for finding discounts and sales:

Sign up for email newsletters
Check the brand’s social media accounts for flash sales
Check the tagged section of the brand’s social media pages for influencer-specific discount codes
Check discount sites like Rakuten, Retailmenot, and Honey

8. Give thrifting a try

Thrift shopping is a great way to not only refresh your closet, but to find like-new items on the cheap! Not everyone is keen on thrifting, I know I used to shy away from the idea, but hear me out. If your idea of thrift shopping doesn’t involve driving to a consignment shop and sifting through bursting racks of clothing, then consider online thrifting instead! I personally prefer online thrifting to not only sell my own gently used items, but to purchase affordable new ones that will replace my key items when I go through my own wardrobe refresh. If this sounds more your style, then check out sites like Poshmark, Depop, Thredup, and Mercari — they make it easy for you to find and shop trendy items at a fraction of their original price!

9. Enjoy the process & stick to it

And there you have it! Refreshing your wardrobe on a budget isn't just a dream; it's your new reality. With these savvy shopping tips and strategic wardrobe revamp methods, you're all set to create a fresh new wardrobe you love without breaking the bank!

Fashion is all about expressing yourself, so have fun with it and let your personality shine through. Now, go rock your refreshed closet with confidence and remember, you don't need to empty your savings to look like a million bucks!