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WARDROBE

How to Digitize Your Wardrobe

Photographing a wardrobe item by item sounds tedious and takes less time than people expect — about an hour for a typical wardrobe.

Wardrobe Inventory1 min readPublished Maya Elliot

In short

  • Shoot flat, in daylight. Lay garments on a plain surface near a window.
  • Batch by category. Do all tops, then all trousers.
  • Capture the care label too. A photo of the label saves looking it up every time you wash something unfamiliar.

Photographing a wardrobe item by item sounds tedious and takes less time than people expect — about an hour for a typical wardrobe.

Shoot flat, in daylight

Lay garments on a plain surface near a window. Consistent lighting makes the result usable; a photo on a dark bed does not.

Batch by category

Do all tops, then all trousers. Switching between types is what makes it drag.

Capture the care label too

A photo of the label saves looking it up every time you wash something unfamiliar.

The process

The process

  • Clear a surface near a window
  • Work one category at a time
  • Lay each garment flat and shoot from directly above
  • Photograph the care label in the same session
  • Name files by category so they sort themselves
  • Note purchase date and price while you go
  • Set wear counts to zero and count forward

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to digitize a wardrobe?

About an hour for a typical wardrobe if you batch by category and shoot flat. Doing it item by item over weeks takes far longer in total.

Is it worth photographing everything?

Start with outerwear and shoes — small, high-value categories where the record is most useful. Expand only if you use it.

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