Whether you are moving into a smaller home or just trying to get control of your closet, downsizing can be liberating and fun! That is, of course, after the initial trauma of facing THE CLUTTER.Most people view closets with dread, intending to "someday" get it all organized and neat. Imagine never again saying:
- I know I have a black evening wrap…where is it?
- Why are those hiking boots where my heels are supposed to be?
- Where are my new skinny jeans?
And the really big complaint—I don’t have anything to wear!
What Really Is In Your Closet?
Closets can sometimes become a catch-all for anything that doesn’t have a place. A visit to your bedroom closet should be a nice experience, it’s where you begin and end your day. An organized, useful closet can even help set your mood for the day. A well coordinated outfit that you pulled together easily can be a reaffirming way to start your day. Conversely, you can begin your day rushing out the door frustrated because you can’t find what you were looking for as you were getting dressed.The 80/20 rule even applies to closets, in that we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time, yet the "non-wears" take up 80% of our space, crushing, wrinkling and hiding the 20%.You owe it to yourself to get your closet under control to maximize your wardrobe and your space. By filling your closet with clothes, shoes and accessories that you really do use and feel good wearing you are setting yourself up for a successful day.
Purging the 80% "non-wears"
The goal of downsizing is to end up with clothes and accessories that you like to wear, comfortably fitted into your space. Some of the reasons that we hold on to things have absolutely nothing to do with our actually wearing them.
- I got it on sale
- It was really expensive
- It was a gift
- I may need it someday
- I’m emotionally attached to it
None of these are good reasons for keeping something that you’re not going to wear. Instead, use these criteria for purging your wardrobe (be ruthless!):
- Do I love it?
- Do I ever wear it?
- Does it go with anything I have?
- Does it project the image I want to project?
- Is it comfortable to wear or is it a bad fit, itchy or scratchy?
- Do the shoes pinch my toes? Are the heels too high to walk in?
- Is it seasonal, should I pack it away?
If you haven’t worn something in a year, you probably won’t miss it. An incremental way to test if you will miss items is to move them to a box and if you think of it and retrieve it, keep it. If you don’t think of the items in the box for six months, get rid of it.Don’t keep things intending to fit into them "someday." By the time you do, they will be out of style or dingy with age. And if you never do fit into them, it’s depressing to have them just hanging there.Don’t keep clothes and other items because of emotional attachment. Take a picture to keep the memory if it’s really important, or do a kitschy craft like a tee shirt quilt.
Donating your things to a favorite charity or thrift store can ease the feeling of "throwing out good stuff" or seemingly being wasteful. Your misfits can go on to lead a happy life in someone else’s closet. As you sort, set aside a "donations box" and use it liberally.Anything that needs mending, dry cleaning or altering should be set aside. Get it wearable before returning it to the closet, or toss it into the donations box.If you’re really struggling with separation anxiety, get a friend to help you sort through and give honest feedback on what works and what doesn’t in your wardrobe. (Then you can return the favor for her.)
Maintaining Control
Closet space has been called "prime real estate." That’s why you want everything in your closet to be a valuable contributor to your wardrobe; it should both flatter and fit to earn its space. After downsizing, you will want to organize your closet for maximum convenience for everyday use.
- Keep your most often worn items to the front of racks, shelves and drawers.
- Group business or work clothes together for easy access and coordination.
- Evening or special event outfits can move to the back, in protective garment bags.
- Use belt or tie hangers for belts, scarves or ties.
- Use jewelry organizers to pull accessory sets together.
- Shoes should be viewable and accessible, on racks or in shoe bags.
- Keep your closet "seasonal." Rotate out summer and winter items. For example, pack scarves, gloves and heavy coats in space bags with fabric softener sheets to keep them clean and fresh. Off season they can move to the garage or under-bed storage.
Keeping your clothing budget and closet under control is an ongoing process. To avoid the crammed, can’t-fit-one-more-thing-on-the-rod syndrome, consider the discipline that for every new item you bring in, one goes out. This helps curtail impulse buying since you have to remove a piece to allow for the new one. If you don’t love the new piece more that the old, you won’t buy it.
Maximizing Your Space
Whether you have a walk-in closet or a reach-in closet, you want to most effectively use every inch of space. Intelligent closet design will help create more space by conforming to the needs of your unique wardrobe, making a place for everything and creating a sense of beauty and order in your closet.A custom-fit closet system designed for efficiency can add resale value to your home in addition to adding more storage in any space such as a garage or pantry. Your local Closets by Design offers free in-home consultation with a designer to help you maximize your results.Visit www.closetsbydesign.com for more information.
