Closet Cleanup
August 1st, 2006It’s easy to get caught up in the illusion that with a full closet, we have a wardrobe that is brimming with possibilities. However, most closets are stuffed with items that you don’t need, shouldn’t be wearing, or don’t even get around to wearing. The objective is to create a wardrobe that is fluid and consists of pieces that are easy to combine. This does not just refer to clothing, but to shoes and accessories as well.
The first step to creating a wardrobe that works for you is to prune what you already have. You’ll need to re-evaluate your existing wardrobe one piece at a time. Be ruthless when you prune, because ultimately every stitch in your wardrobe should be flattering to your body and suit your lifestyle.
Ask yourself the following questions as you tackle each item:
- Is this flattering for my body type?
- Is it the correct size? (Remember to dress for the body that you’re in today)
- Is alteration worth considering?
- Is the garment outdated?
- Is the piece still in good condition?
- Is the colour right?
- Is the pattern right?
- Why do I never wear this item?
- Is the garment comfortable? (If it looks good but feels awful – get rid of it.)
- How many pairs of black pants, white collared shirts, black T’s and white T’s can I have? (You may find that you have many of each but none are perfect – weed them out.)
- Have I outgrown this look?
- Is the piece ”me”? (Everything is right about the garment but you feel that it’s just not right for you, which is why you don’t wear it – pass it on.)
- Is this item style-enhancing?
Ideally, your wardrobe should consist of only the cherries. If you don’t love everything in your closet, re-evaluate it before you contemplate any more purchases. Pruning should happen at least twice a year. After years of doing this, I still regard cleaning out my closet to be an act of liberation!
August 1st, 2006 at 9:33 am
This blog is an inspiration to me, I will try my best to follow it! I will just have to learn to part with my old junk :).
August 8th, 2006 at 7:12 am
[…] Having done your closet cleanup, it is now time for some re-organization. You should have been left with 4 piles of clothes: […]
August 16th, 2006 at 7:28 am
[…] Hopefully you’ve managed to do a thorough closet cleanup and gotten as far as the first part of closet organization. All that remains is to give your closet a system. Regardless of the space you have available, the guidelines below should help you get organized: […]
February 20th, 2007 at 8:41 am
[…] With Spring only a month away, it’s time to prune those closets again before you add the sparkle of the new season. Re-evaluate each piece and be ruthless. Don’t forget about your sock, underwear, work-out and accessory drawers. You should love everything in your closet. […]
July 17th, 2007 at 5:33 am
My biggest problem is getting rid of clothes with no good place to get rid of them! I live in a country where second-hand clothing is NOT a big thing - it’s rare to find a decent second-hand clothing store and rarer still to be able to sell clothes. The clothes that are with me that I admit don’t suit me, don’t fit, and that I don’t love are still with me precisely because I can’t bear to think of the fact that I spent so much money on them and I’m just going to put them on the side of the road for some random stranger to pick up. That’s how it works here. I have a bunch of Karen Walker dresses that I used to consider the height of fashion, but they basically make me look frumpy and they’re too hot for the climate I’m in now. Hundreds of dollars just sitting in my closet taking up space.
September 27th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
After this exercise, I’m naked and the closet empty. I must shop but I’m afraid of making the same mistakes again. How do I know what to buy?
October 13th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Okay, so I could do this, but what do I do when my closet is empty? I have absolutely NO money to buy anything else.