Next week we’ll be working on getting your fall wardrobe essentials in place. So right now, let’s talk about your closet.
Question: Do you swap out your wardrobe seasonally? Or do you keep everything in your closet year-round?
I rotate the clothing in my closet each season. Let me tell you why, it forces me to clean it once a quarter and it makes getting dressed easier by reducing the clutter of items that aren’t weather appropriate. I can also more accurately gauge where any “holes” are in my wardrobe needs and what needs to be replaced or filled in.
A few years back, I started the quarterly closet cleanse, not just in my closet but all three of our kids’ too. It’s become such a valuable exercise that I even devoted a whole chapter to it in my book Get Pretty, Kick Butt!
With cooler days on the horizon, now’s the time to start thinking about how you’d like to organize your closet for fall. Today, I’m going to share some tips from chapter four of my book, The Closet Cleanse.
The Closet Cleanse Method
STEP 1: Find three medium to large boxes and label them CASH, STASH and TRASH. If you don’t have boxes on hand, trash bags will do.
In each box, you will categorize the following:
CASH – These are items that can be sold or donated. They are in good condition, but you haven’t worn them in a year or more and will probably never wear them again.
TRASH – Anything stained, worn out or damaged beyond repair.
STASH – This is the stuff you want to keep. Put items in here for now and we’ll organize them later.
STEP 2: Pull every item out of your closet one by one, including shoes, handbags and scarves or other accessories. Find a category for each item and place it in its respective box.
But how do I know what to STASH?
That’s entirely up to you, but here’s a good litmus test of questions:
- Have I worn it in the past year?
- Is it a classic piece that will stay in style?
- Is it still in good condition?
- Can I pair it up in more than one way?
- Do I feel good when I wear this?
- Does it fit?
If you answered “no” to one or more of the questions above, it’s probably not a keeper. However, you can create a fourth box of items for storage if there are things you just can’t bear to part with yet.
STEP 3: Once you’re done categorizing what you have, it’s time to organize what’s left in your STASH box.
Most people have a preferred method of organizing their clothing. Mine is hanging it in groups of like items (short-sleeved shirts, cardigans, blouses, denim, dress pants, skirts, dresses, etc.) Others prefer to sort by color. It really doesn’t matter as long as it makes sense to you and you know where to find everything.
It’s Your Turn: Carve out an afternoon for your own closet cleanse this week. Report back and let me know how it goes!
For more organization, time management, self-care, fashion and beauty tips, check out my book Get Pretty, Kick Butt! The Moms’ Guide to Looking Your Best and Getting More Done.
Available now on Kindle.
