Closet Confidential
With the new year, I often find myself more motivated to tackle my never-ending to-do list, one of which is to clean and organize my closet. I dream of owning a walk-in closet worthy of The Coveteur, but until that happens I'll make the best of what I have with these tips.
Edit. Edit. Edit. // I can't stress this enough. Sure there are a ton of items you love in your wardrobe, but you need to take a step back and see if they're worth keeping. Is it a staple you wear all the time? Part of a limited edition collab? Or just not your style anymore? Be realistic. If it's something you don't see yourself feasibly wearing in the next year, get rid of it. Make three piles: one to toss, one to fix up (sew on a button, get tailored, etc.) and one to donate or give away to friends and family.
Make it Pretty // This is something I picked up from working in a showroom. When your closet looks nice, you're more likely to enjoy getting dressed with what you currently have instead of constantly purchasing new items. Also, merchandise! Put like items together and create outfits, it takes out all of the guess-work and it's perfect for those days when you need to get out the door ASAP.
Color Coordinate // I used to organize my tops by sleeve length (tanks, short sleeves, 3/4 sleeves, etc.), but a couple of years ago I switched to organizing them by color. And it makes SO much sense now! When I'm deciding what to wear I think in terms of color, like my white T or blue blouse, not by sleeve length.
Front & Center // I love my Prabal Gurung x Target skirt, but I didn't wear it for the longest time because it was hidden in the back of my closet. It wasn't until I brought it to the front, where I stared at it daily, when I started brainstorming how to style it. Remember: out of sight, out of mind.
Well Hung // You may not give a second thought to this, but hangers matter. Think of them as the finishing touch that ties everything together. The best are the slim velvet ones, but the plastic ones work well too. A great editing tip I picked up from Apartment Therapy is to hang all your hangers the wrong way (hooked from the back, rather than the front). Once the item's been worn it can be hung back the regular way. Whatever is left hanging the wrong way at the end of six months (or a year) are the items you don't wear. Voila, instant edit!
I know, cleaning out your closet is difficult. There's a reason why I always avoid it, but hopefully this helped get you started. And just think you'll be ahead of everyone once spring comes around!
Image via The Coveteur