What You Need
A Block of Time – Make an appointment with yourself to organize the afternoon away. The size of your closet and clothes stash determine how long it will take.
Bags and Boxes – Donate, donate, donate! Clean items free from tears, rips, significant pilling, and stains are welcome at women’s shelters and second-hand stores. Rather than toss them into the trash, repurpose past-its-prime clothing when possible.
Buddy System – A friend who loves shopping, understands you and your style, and gives honest feedback when asked needs a VIP invite to this event. The laughs and counsel they’ll provide will help you reach your goal of creating a wardrobe that works for you.
What Stays
For each piece, ask yourself these questions:
- How does it make me feel?
- How does it look on me?
- Does it mix well with my other items?
- Do I love it and cannot live without it in my life?
- Do I want to maintain it? Examples: dry clean only, wrinkle factor without ironing, protecting wool items from moths, etc.
What Goes
For items on the fringe of not making the cut, consider these thoughts:
- Have I worn it since high school, that one dinner party—ever?
- Could someone else benefit from this item that I no longer need?
- Does it require more than a button resewn or the hemline adjusted? Will I actually have it repaired?
- Is it flattering or does it fall flat?
What Now?
Yay, you! Look what you have accomplished. You created space, chose the ensembles that work for you and your lifestyle, and have a plethora of items to donate to a good cause. Now, it’s time to organize your closet:
- Invest in quality, non-slip hangers.
- Hang clothes by color, then categorize by type: tanks, short sleeves, long sleeves, sweaters, jackets, skirts, pants, dresses, then coats. It may sound time-consuming, yet you’ll be thankful when not aimlessly searching for that one polka dot blouse.
- Hang everything facing in the same direction.
- Fold sweaters and place onto shelves.
- Utilize open boxes to organize scarves.
- Install hooks to organize belts and long necklaces.
- Invest in shoe racks to find the perfect pair every time.
