Closets are my passion. Be they big or small, shared or solitary, they are some of the first spaces we enter each day. A little chrysalis from which we emerge transformed and ready to face the day. At least that is the goal. All too often closets can be overlooked, overfull, and can be places of stress rather than inspiration. In my work I have seen time and again closets that just don’t function. We often don’t think about our closets enough - as a place to set the stage for our day - as opposed to a place to simply put clothes.
The internet is full of staggering statistics about just how much of the clothes we are storing we aren’t using. The costs both in terms of finances and in terms of wasted time caused by this inefficiency are staggering.
Fall for your clothes - the seasonal closet edit
As the weather gets cooler and we reach for our sweaters and cozy clothes it is the perfect time to perform a quick closet and wardrobe edit.
Closet Edit Steps
Purge Misfit Clothes: Go through each article of clothing, remove anything that is torn, stained, doesn’t fit or is the worse for wear (misshapen sweaters, faded silks, shoes with worn out soles). You deserve clothes that fit and are clean, fresh, and reflect the best version of you to the world. If there are items that fall into this category that you want to rescue, put them aside and take them to the tailor, shoe repair shop or fix them yourself. They can’t go back into the closet until they are “pret-a-porter” or ready to wear.
Pack away out of season clothes: I feel strongly that too many choices in the closet can be overwhelming. Removing, at least visually out of season clothes can help us to see what is left for building an outfit. This can be a challenging task in areas like my home NC where the temperatures can swing wildly day to day. In the Fall I tend to pack away my sundresses, light tank tops, swimwear, and shorts. I keep out my layering tees and other items that can fill the bill on warm weather days.
Consider a Capsule Wardrobe: As we all become more sensitive to the vast amount of waste created by “disposable fashion” the idea of having a core set of items that can be combined into infinite outfits has never been more appealing. I find having a working “uniform” for the different roles I fill: organizer, mother, woman about town, helps me to spend less time staring into the closet and gives me clarity about the items I need in my wardrobe. There are no shortage of guides for creating a capsule wardrobe but in general I try to have a core set of classic items and 6-8 items that provide a seasonal or fashion forward pop. Accessories can also be invaluable tools in changing the look of core pieces.
Get Your Closet Fix - Links to Books and Blogs and All Things Closet:
My favorite Brands and Capsule Wardrobe Staples, Shira Gill, author of Organized Living.
Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I learned While Living in Paris, Jennifer L. Scott, Simon and Schuster: 2012.
The Curated Closet: A Simple System for Discovering Your Personal Style and Building Your Dream Wardrobe. Anuschka Rees, Ten Speed Press: 2016.
Author, Anuschka Rees has this five step way to approach a more eco-friendly and socially conscious closet edit on any budget. To learn more follow Anuschka: @anuschkarees
Thanks for being on this journey with me. An organized home isn’t an end state but a journey. It’s a process of approaching our lives with intention and consciously surrounding ourselves with items that bring us joy and enable us to function in the spaces we inhabit. I would love to help you on this journey.
Contact me:
919-667-3408 or e-mail: alison@simplifyraleigh.com
I invite you to share this newsletter with anyone you might think will find it helpful and I would love to see how you implement some of these suggestions tag us in your organization posts! @simplifyraleigh
