Spring has sprung. Okay maybe I’m a bit early but I’m ready for it. It’s a time for rebirth. A fresh start. Renewal. There’s a feeling on a global level of change in the air. Maybe it is the new President? Or just Michelle on the cover of Vogue. Whatever it is, it’s time to make space for the new. Time to open yourself up and clean out the old ways of thinking, doing, being. And it starts at home.
This is what I do with all my personal shopping clients: We talk about their lives. What they do for a living and what they do for fun. We talk about their needs. Then we go to their closets. I pull out every article, every stitch of clothing, shoes, and accessories. Then we clean the closet from top to bottom. You can’t work well in a dirty space. I believe in matching hangers. Your closet is a shrine. The clothes inside it create a first and sometimes lasting impression that impacts the way that you live in this world.
Once the closet is cleaned and primed we look at each and every garment. The clothing is separated into 3 main categories: work, weekend/casual and evening/dressy. This is important. You don’t want to have to search through evening gowns to find that black skirt you are wearing to work in 15 minutes! Outerwear and boots are never included with normal clothes. They take up lots of space and demand their own closet. Once we’ve separated the closet into the 3 categories, we then separate the clothes into their season with the current season front and center.
Suits go in first with blazer hanging in front of trouser, not on same hanger, with lighter color and fabric suits progressing to darker heavier fabrics. Next blazers. Next trousers/skirts. Next shirts, solids to prints to stripes. Sweaters are always folded, never hung. This helps sweaters keep their shape. Try to keep sweaters out of direct light to avoid fold lines and bleaching. Next goes casual clothes which includes anything you wouldn’t wear to work (but not gym clothes)! Jackets/blazers first. Then casual shirts and tees, again light to dark. Next casual pants and jeans (yes I hang my denim).
Everything should be hung facing you as you enter the closet. It’s all about ease. You shouldn’t have to search through your closet for what to wear.
Now here are tips to make your wardrobe Spring and user friendly:
1) Use Rit Dye Liquid in black to re-dye your blacks. Many shirts lose their color after repeated laundering or dry cleaning. Redying is a great way to prolong the life of shirts!
2) Take things that need to be tailored immediately to the tailor or get rid of them. Why take up space for new with old? If you are waiting for something to come back in style, it’s not going to. If you are gonna lose that extra 5 lbs to wear that old pair of pants, let them go! Pleats are so over any way!
3) Take all your shoes to the shoe repair and have them polished and resoled if needed. Nothing makes an outfit look frumpy or low end more than a pair of beat up shoes! Also be sure to buy cedar shoe trees and insert them. They draw out moisture and help the shoes keep their shape.
Voila! The secrets to a well organized closet and a simple step towards an easy, breezy, beautiful Spring Clean! Good luck!
M*