‘I got so many clothes I keep some in my aunt’s house,’ said Tinie Tempah in one of his lyrical musings. We’re not sure how our aunts would feel about us showing up on their doorstep with armfuls of off-season clothing, but we get what he was talking about. Knowing how to store clothing is something most of us have had to deal with at some time or another, so we were delighted to sit down for a chat with stylist and fashion writer (as well as Boxman customer), Tyler Kenny, about fashion, moving house and storing clothing in London flats (and we even managed to pick up a few hints and tips as well).

So, from your Twitter feed we can see that you’re from Canada. What brought you to London and how are you finding life in the capital?

Yes, Toronto born and raised! I first visited London a few years ago for London Collections Men and fell in love with the city over the four days I was here. Fast forward a few years and I had the opportunity to head back to school and study at LCF for a year. It was the perfect opportunity to combine all my work experience merging art and commerce, from the creative side of styling and events to the business and marketing side.

Tell us a little about what you do

By day I work for a certain iconic London designer. It’s great because he’s someone I’ve admired since studying textile design years ago and I get the chance to work in a small company where my voice is heard. I work with some really great people, so there’s always a laugh to be had before getting down to business. It’s probably the first company I’ve worked for where the Creative Director or Designer actually knows who I am and can call me by name.

By night I work on my own site, TylerKenny.com, and also contribute to a few print and online publications in London and abroad. Between a full-time job and my own projects, I love that no two days are ever the same.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in small-space living?

I haven’t encountered too many problems, really. When I lived in a studio, it was funny having people over for dinner as one of us would have to sit on my bed and the other at my desk. Now I live in a space where I can actually host people, which is important to me.

The only other challenge was not having space for all my books. I collect coffee table books, and I had to leave so many behind in Canada.

So, as a stylist, on a scale of ‘capsule wardrobe’ to ‘every-eventuality-covered’, where do you fall?

Every eventuality (and then some!) covered. I even have events that will never happen covered. I could probably start my own army with all the military jackets I’ve got. I would love to have a capsule wardrobe, but the reality is that I enjoy expressing myself through clothes and therefore have a tonne of clothes, even though I purge and donate a few times a year.

I moved from a studio in west London to a two-floor flat in east London recently, and I did so with 22 Boxman boxes, a few of my own boxes and a few suitcases. You’d think I’d have even more space for my ever-expanding wardrobe, but with a housemate who’s just as fashion inclined, I’ve had to keep all my clothes relegated to my room and swap out seasonal clothes to our storage unit. I’m also big on using sites like Vestiare (for designer pieces) and Depop (for high street and everything else) to sell clothes and make room for new ones.

You mention The Wardrobe Purge: that’s something I think a lot of us have to do from time to time. How do you do it? Do you do the Marie Kondo thing of asking if it ‘sparks joy’? If it’s something you no longer wear? That no longer fits? That has dated?

A mix of all of the above, I’d say. I ask myself when the last time I wore it was, or if it fits my style. Recently I had a tonne of plaid shirts and plain pullovers which simply had to go (and there’s a post on The Wardrobe Purge here). There are a few pieces which I’m confident will come back into fashion or be forever pieces, that always pass the test.

At the other end of things, how do things come into your wardrobe? Any advice for how to buy clothing when you’re limited on space?

Things usually come into my wardrobe on a whim. I’m both an impulse shopper and careful planner. Sometimes I’ll pass a store window or see something on Instagram and go on a mission to find it. I also create (and update) a list of “must-haves” for the year, so if a piece ticks all the boxes then I’ll invest. This year it was all about fuzzy textures, pinstripes and pink! You could say I’m crazy for clothes, but I chalk it up to the editor/ journalist in me that just needs order. I’m also a big fan of thinking about clothes purchases in terms of Cost Per Wear – simply dividing the cost of the item by the number of times you’ll actually wear it. I think buying wisely sometimes means spending more on certain pieces.

So, as someone in the know, do you have any tips for places to find clothes away from the High Street?

I really enjoy online shopping. Supporting local and emerging designers is important to me and is often where you find the most interesting pieces. The recent grads or newbies are usually great at using social media and I find so many things through Instagram, (mostly from spending too much time clicking profile to profile) but it’s always great because years down the road you can say, “I had a piece from ____ first!”.

I also love a good sample sale, and since moving to London I’ve definitely upped my wardrobe ante without spending too much. I don’t get caught up on whether a jacket is Spring / Summer 2015 or the most recent collection and I don’t think clothes should be disposable, or relegated to a single season (especially at designer prices). I keep up to date with sample sales from designers I’m into, and I set a budget ahead of time before going. This summer, I picked up a really sharp Alexander McQueen jacket in a black and white print that’s sure to be a forever piece, which I got at a fraction of the cost.

What are your top tips for storing clothes when you don’t have a lot of space?

• I’ve managed to contain (and I use that word loosely) my wardrobe on two Ikea rolling racks, and a shelving unit with various bamboo boxes.
• I store my out of season clothes in vacuum sealed bags inside suitcases. Then swap in summer/ winter.
• Even though it takes up more space I am huge on folding knits and trousers. Everything else should be hung. Folding your knits will preserve the life of your clothes and avoid any unnecessary stretching or misshapen sweaters.