IT'S TIME TO CLEAN YOUR CLOSET!
Dear HOT Friends,
It's finally beginning to feel like winter is almost here (climate change is really messing with us!) and that means it's time to get organized. Is your closet a mess after the last 6 months of warm weather? Maybe you haven't really gotten back into organizing your clothes after the difficulties of the past year and a half. Is it hard to find anything you want to wear, causing you to waste precious time in the morning? The bottom line is this - you can’t feel and look your best when you have disorganized closets.
Think about how great it would be to open your closet door to everything in its place! Items hung by color with air between them, sweaters and shirts nicely folded on shelves, baskets, or other containers organizing socks and underwear, and shoes, bags, and accessories hung in an easy to access manner. It's not a dream! Read further to see how to make it happen.
9 Closet Cleaning Tips:
1. Commit to a date to get started.
As with most things, the hardest part is getting started. Put a date on your calendar and stick to it! Give yourself plenty of time to devote to the task especially since it’s hard to live with closet disruption for long. Try and commit an entire weekend to the task and think about how happy you’ll be when it’s over!
2. Tackle the off-season.
If you are like most of us, you don’t have a closet big enough to accommodate more than one season. Making a plan for storing your off-season items is the first step to a successful closet organization. If you’re the techie type there are some really cool apps that make it easy to organize your multiple closets. Check out stylebookapp.com
3. The magic of sorting.
This is a must for getting started - divide everything into a few different categories. In addition to the off-season pile, fill bags for Goodwill, resale, or consignment, items for the tailor, and things to just throw out. This step goes a long way toward freshening your closet and giving you the space you need for the new season.
4. Don’t forget accessories.
Now do the same thing for all your accessories. This means footware, bags, scarves, belts, and jewelry all need a place. Many of these items are seasonal as well, so store them away too in the off-season if you can. My number one rule for accessories? If they are not stored where you can see them, you’ll never wear them!
5. Good time for a style rethink.
This is a perfect moment to really think about your wardrobe and what it’s doing for you. Is your closet filled with things that no longer make you happy? Things that really don’t fit properly and perhaps belong to another life? Ask a trusted friend or hire a style consultant to help you determine with an objective eye what’s working and what needs to go.
6. Climate change and your closet.
The effects of global warming make the need for a trans-seasonal wardrobe greater than ever! Having these pieces in your closet (thin cashmere sweaters, mid-weight leggings, a good raincoat or parka, and booties, all best in neutral colors) means you’re ready for whatever climate change throws at you.
7. So now, what’s the best way to organize?
My favorite way to keep order in my closet is to arrange clothing by type and color. I hang like clothing together - dresses, pants, skirts, and blouses - and arrange them according to color. I fold sweaters, t-shirts, and jeans, and place them on shelves, also according to color. Footwear and accessories are placed on shelves. Jewelry is hung on the closet wall so everything can be seen and therefore worn.
8. Consider new closet organization products.
Some simple purchases can make a big difference in your closet. Number one is replacing all hangers (especially those awful ones from the cleaners!) with velvet ones. This will give you so much more room and a nice cohesive feeling to your space. Visit the container store to find great shoe storage options, bins, baskets, and under-the-bed storage. Hooks are a must for hanging jewelry and other lightweight items so they can be seen.
9. The importance of maintenance.
You have a clean, well-organized closet. Now what? It’s simple - maintain, maintain, maintain! Try and adopt everyday habits which will ensure that a month from now your closet will still make you happy. Hang up and/or fold your clothing immediately when you take them off. Make a specific place for things that need to be cleaned, repaired, or donated. Keep to the organizational rules that you put in place and I promise your life will be easier!
If you have questions or need some help, please contact me.
Terry xoxo