Wardrobe Organization
Tips For Organizing a Clothes Closet Gradually
To properly organize a closet, professional organizers recommend emptying its contents, trying everything on, and getting rid of anything that doesn’t work. When done properly, this is a surefire way to a clean closet, but it can also make the project seem daunting.
If it’s hard to find the time and energy to empty the entire closet, try setting aside just a small amount of time each day for a week or two. The best time to do this is when clothes for the next season are available in stores, or at the beginning of the season when things go on sale.
Keep boxes or garbage bags on hand to hold clothing that needs to be thrown away or donated. Keep a pad of paper, a pen or pencil, and a camera nearby.
Steps To Clothes Organizing and Purging
First, sort through the closet. Take out anything that doesn't belong. Donate or throw away anything that is out of style and never will be back in style again. Remove anything that is badly stained or damaged. Decide whether the item can be repaired, and have it done immediately - don't just put it back in the closet.
Take some time to go through shoes and accessories and get them organized. They'll need to be accessible to be tried on with clothing.
Put Together Clothing Ensembles
Begin to put clothes outfits together. Think about combining things in new ways to get more use of out clothing and create some new looks, instead of wearing the same items together over and over again.
Combine pieces in unusual ways and resolve to wear them as soon as possible. Once worn, if the clothing just doesn't feel right after all it may need to go, or maybe other changes need to be made so that the rest of the "package" works with the clothing. A new hairstyle, more time to get ready, jewelry and accessories may turn a dud into a favorite. If not, donate it to a charity or to a friend.
Evaluate the Wardrobe
Continue to spend just a small amount of time each day pulling things out and trying them on. Evaluate the reasons that some items are not worn very often or at all. If it just doesn't look good or fit right, sell it, donate it or give it away.
Sometimes, thinking about past clothing purchases can help to rejuvenate lifestyle and activities. Think about why some unworn items of clothing were purchased in the first place. If they were purchased with the intention of participating in new hobbies or interests, work on making time for those activities. For example, if there are a lot of clothes that are too “nice” for daily life, add some activities to wear them to – dates, girls’ nights out, business events. At the same time, life changes may require new clothing - going from a business to a casual work environment, for example. Donate or sell unneeded clothing to make room for items that work for the current situation.
Clothes that no longer fit fall into a similar category. Instead of moving them to the back of the closet for another year, evaluate what it will take to get into them again. Make a solid commitment to losing weight, but set reasonable goals. Clothes that were worn twenty years ago may never fit again, and will no longer be in style anyway. More recent and less drastic weight gain is possible to remedy. Keep only pieces that are of high quality and classic style instead of a whole "thin" wardrobe, and display them prominently to serve as inspiration for diet and fitness regimen.
Prepare to Buy Clothes
Some pieces of clothing aren't worn because there is nothing to wear with them with. If the piece really works and is truly a useful item, buy clothes that will work with it. Make a list that includes the needed items as well as the current items that will be worn with them. Try to wear the current item when shopping for coordinates, or take pictures to have a clear idea of what it looks like.
If stores are overwhelming, buy clothing online. One tool that helps to easily mix and match clothing is Polyvore. Pictures of clothing can be uploaded to a set, and combined with other items to see how they look together. Polyvore saves the image information, making it easy to remember and access purchasing details to buy clothing online.
Refine clothing ensembles with accessories and shoes. In fact, sometimes all that is needed to get a functional clothing wardrobe put together is some accessories, not a lot of new clothing pieces. Once a foundation of shoes and accessories is built, other clothing can be purchased that will go with them.
Work on Closet Organization
Once everything is ready to be worn, decide how to organize it. Group items by color, type and sleeve length instead of in separate outfits to make it easier to mix and match pieces. Think about ways that clothing is stored, and decide whether hanging or folding is best.
There are many custom bedroom closet organizers available. Many closet companies offer professional design and installation. A cheaper alternative is closet components that are available for do-it-yourself assembly. If pieces like that aren't in the budget, use inexpensive closet bins and closet accessories. In large closets, consider using small dressers or shelves for organization.
To give the closet a neat look, use hangers in the same color and material. Wood hangers add a sophisticated look to a closet, but plastic hangers all in the same color are attractive too.
Once the closet is organized, keep it that way with weekly organizing and cleaning. It's important to spend some time each day or week tidying up, purging unwanted items and removing things that don't belong in the closet.
Organize a Closet
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