It’s October now. The weather is cooling, the pumpkins are out in plenty, and it’s time to pull on that favorite sweater. But wait, what did I do with that thing?
We’ve all done this, to our frustration, and it’s time to take back our closets, our chest of drawers, and shelves. This month I’m sharing my secrets to keeping a well-run wardrobe, even for little spaces.
1. “Season” Your Closet
At the beginning of every Fall (and Spring), I go through my closet and remove all clothing, shoes, purses, scarves, etc. that are not practical/fashionable, what have you, for the next six months. (Example: This month, I’m packing away all my white pants, linen shirts, and sandals) By removing the clothes you won’t be wearing, you’re limiting your choices and saving yourself time when it comes to choosing what to wear.
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| Annya (dog) reassures me that I won’t need these things for months to come |
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2.Tough Love
After clearing the Spring and Summer from the closet, pull out your cool-weather duds. I store mine in plastic totes in the attic and in a spare closet. But those ‘space-saver’ bags are great too– the ones on infomercials that use a vacuum to stuck all of the air out.
But no so fast! Before putting your cozy garments back into the closet, take a moment to examine whether or not it deserves the real estate. Did you wear this item last year? Can you wear it this year? If you answer no to either of these, then dig deeper…
Why didn’t you wear it last year? I was pregnant or I lived in Florida or I didn’t know I owned it obviously gives the item a get-out-of-jail-free card.
However, if you didn’t wear it because you just didn’t wear it, that probably means that you don’t really like the item very much in the first place. Or if it was too small last year, and it’s still too small this year, it’s time to come to terms with the new you. (And that’s OK.) These items are just clothes. At that, they are non-essential clothes that you don’t even wear once a year. It’s time to part ways. Goodwill is always happy to get gently used clothing, and (bonus!) it’s tax-deductible.
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| This giant stack is going from my closet straight to Goodwill |
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3. But It MEANS Something To Me
Clothes, shoes, purses aren’t just garments. These things can also be memories and keepsakes. Even I have several things I’ve kept for years and years without ever wearing. BUT the trick is to keep these things in storage with your other special tokens–your hope chest, the attic, a hat box under the bed– and NOT taking up prime real estate in the closet.
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| These ridiculous shoes will probably never be worn again but I love the memories they hold |
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4. Now It’s Time to Shop
Once you’ve parred down your cool-weather goods, take an inventory of what you have and don’t have. This means looking at magazines, doing some window shopping, and making sure you cover the basics (black dress, dark slacks, nice jeans, etc.). With all of the space you’ve freed up in your closet, you’ll have plenty of room for this season’s cute whatever-it-is. Plus, you know what you’re starting with so that you don’t keep buying the same old thing over and over again. (Not that any of us every do that…)
Happy organizing!
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| Closet: ‘seasoned’ and ready for the fall |
