If you have never walked into a packed closet and still not found anything to wear then you can stop reading now. You have it covered. You are good to go. You are Wonder Woman and wear the same star bedazzled bustier and red shorts every day. You go girl. If you are one of us mere mortals and have a completely packed closet yet you either wear the same 6 outfits over and over or you never feel put together then keep reading. Hopefully you will learn from my obsessive compulsive behavior without having to actually have it in your brain.
Now let me explain editing if you don't know, All of us need to from time to time, go through our closet and pull out all those items you never wear or make you feel less then good when wearing that item. We have too many things that could happen to us during the day to leave the house feeling less then beautiful. If you are like me and raised with the 'don't waste' theme running through your head then know when you donate an item it will go to good use. Maybe it will be special for someone else.
First of all, take everything out of your closet and clean and dust. Now you have a clean closet and that feels good right there. Buy a few pretty big boxes for storage, cedar balls/planks, and air fresheners and spread throughout your closet. Keep it fresh smelling and moth free from the get go. You might need more items but this is a start.
Now decide where you will be rehanging and shelving items. All long sleeve tops should go in one area, all short sleeve tops in another and so forth. You should have a section for top- broken into long and short sleeves, pants, skirts-again, long and short, suites, jackets, sweaters, and dresses. Then you should have a readily accessible area that you keep empty for now.
Start with one item. If it is in season hang it back in your closet in one of your designated areas. Pick up the next item and hang it in the correct area. As you go, make sure you are keeping items color coordinated. All your black, long sleeved tops should be together, all your red long sleeve tops should be together, etc, etc.
When you come to an item you don't wear and would never wear, now is the time to put it in the donation or giveaway pile. Now, I am realistic, I know there are items you don't wear that you really aren't going to get rid of but we will get back to that. When you come to an items, such as a wool pair of pants and it is June then pull out one of your pretty boxes and place neatly in the box. You should only have items that are wearable in that particular season in your closet. The rest goes in your plastic/fabric boxes for storage on the top shelf or somewhere else.
Once you have all your items in your closet, or in your seasonal storage bins, and organized pull out your stylist bags and put outfits together for the next couple of weeks. Pull out a pair of pants you have not worn for a while and find a top that you have not worn for a while that matches and put together. Make sure each item is clean and mended and ready to wear. If not, take care of it. Now, with your stylist bags, complete those outfits by adding undergarments that work, jewelry that works-hopefully items that you don't wear weekly, belts, scarfs and shoes or boots. All this fits in the stylist bags and you can then hang them on the hanger with your top/bottom/dress. Hang this set in your free area in your closet that we talked about earlier. Keep doing this until you have at least 7-8 outfits all set and ready to go in your closet. You won't believe how much time this will save you when a few minutes count in the morning but more importantly you are actually using all the clothes in your closet. When you have 7-8 outfits you have choices in the morning, even when it comes to Friday.
Now comes the key. When you launder these outfits and return them to your closet hang them back up always in the right section to the right in each color coded section. When doing it this way you will find out what clothes you actually truly wear or don't wear as it will always be on the left. When a few months have passed and you have not worn an item then make sure you put together outfits with items on the left. If, after putting together an outfit and hanging it in your 'to wear' section you are still not wearing it it is time to part with that item. Another reason to part with that item is if when you wear it you don't feel good in it. Life is too short to wear things that don't make you feel good, not matter what the cost. Now, let's say you love a top but all the skirts/pants/bottoms don't work then add what will work to your 'to get' list. Now, as you are shopping you know what you need to round out your closet.
I know this has been long winded but by following these tips you will have, and keep, an organized closet AND, even bigger, you will know what you are wearing in your closet and what you really won't wear so you can remove it for good and either make more room altogether or make room for other things you love. Huge time saver as well as an easy way to edit without feeling as though you would wear something if given the right circumstances. Sound like a familiar conversation you have had with yourself? Yeah, me too.
So, get started today, it is actually the perfect timing as your spring/summer clothes can stay out and your winter clothes can be put away. If you need help, either sylist bags or help in organizing, give me a call. I am happy to help.
