This hardly warrants a post on its own as pretty much every blog, magazine and women’s talk show will cover this in January but here’s a way I go about organizing the closet. IF you have not done this since you had your babies and still have some Gap maternity wear lurking in the closet corners, do not ever bother. Just call me. I promise organizing it, weeding out the stuff that doesnt work and pointing out what needs to be gotten will be so much easier with a professional. Otherwise it will be completely overwhelming and stressful project.
Here’s what to do to make your closet manageable again: free yourself up for an hour or so, bring some cleaning supplies and garbage bags/bins and get started.
Three piles: donate, tailor, keep. Anything you did not wear for the last year needs to go. Even if it is a beautiful blouse that cost you a fortune – if you do not wear it, then it only takes up space and adds to your feeling oh gosh, closet full of clothes, nothing to wear. If you do not wear it because of the fit, by all means take it to the tailor asap. If you have several, let’s say black pants, keep one or two that look the best on you, toss the others. Noone needs multiples of identical dresses, jeans, tops. Different colors or basics like t-shirts should stay of course, given they are free of stains etc.
Workout wear. That might be a personal peeve of mine but please do toss your college t-shirts and all these freebie tees that you got for participating in something. These never fit right and you look a mess. You don’t need drawers full of exercise gear. Few leggings, sports bras, and sweatshirts is adequate. I like to buy these in matching colors so I feel somewhat pulled together when dropping my kids off or doing other errands which are liable to take up all day without me even getting near the gym but I digress. Stop hoarding.
Shoes – same goes. Keep what you actually wear and see if a cobbler can help you with those that dont fit right. Anything from last decade should go.
Underwear – if it doesnt fit, it should go. Jewelry – keep the more useful pieces and anything of value or what is precious to you for whatever reason but crap like ton of bangles you bought with a friends thinking you’ll totally wear that but never did, donate. All the pieces of jewelry brought back from tropical vacations that never did translate back to your life here, toss. Keepsake jewelry from your kids, grandmother’s ring etc, by all means keep it but in some cute box on top shelf, NOT with your daily jewelry.
Pair like with like in a way that you’ll remember. Some people find it helpful to hang outfits together, other’s do it by color or season. I prefer sorting clothes by function: casual or athleasure, everyday dressy, going out and evening. Then I hang clothes by type and then color – for example: all jackets hang together, coordinated from light to dark, etc. Blouses and dressier tops on one side, casual tops on the other. Matching hangers are great, I use the thin black ones and padded hangers for more fragile sweaters/cardigans.
Container Store has excellent cubbies etc in all sizes. Measure out your drawers and buy pieces that fit – great for underwear, socks, bras, jewelry, clutches.
Sweaters I liked folded by type (turtlenecks, v-necks, crews) and then by color.
Now that you’ve edited and organized, take stock. Now you should be able to see what you need. Make a list and stick to it next time you go shopping. Do not buy anything unless it is on your list. And know what you will be wearing it with when you buy it. I do recommend Pinterest for just browsing and saving your outfit ideas, it’s easier to visualize what you need when you have an idea folder that you can revisit. Good luck!
