There’s nothing more energizing to me than spring and its promise of warmer weather and a less encumbered life. I change linens from flannel to fine cotton, clean and put away my boots, change out some accessories. The biggest job though is switching clothes for the season.
As we add clothes to our closets and drawers, they often end up jammed with a healthy percentage of clothes we choose not to wear, or worse, no longer even know we have! Spring is an ideal time dive into our closets and make sure they are working for and not against us!
I’ve developed a 4-Step P.L.A.N.™ to organize any space. To manage your clothes, first prioritize how you want your wardrobe and storage to function and how you want it to feel. (Thanks to Danielle Laporte for her concept of getting in touch with how you want to feel in life and making your ‘to do’ list based on that.) Do you want to fight to find something to wear and play tug of war with your turtlenecks, or would you prefer to see your clothes and pluck a piece with ease? Not everyone is the same. I have a dear friend who told me she prefers to ‘rummage.’ How awesome is that? I say, know yourself and to thyself be true.
Next, liberate your wardrobe. Create space for the clothes that matter by purging the items you no longer wear.
Use the following as a guide to help you decide whether to keep an item of let go of it:
1. Does the colour suit you? No, just because someone gave it to you does not mean it’s your colour.
a. Yes—go to question 2
b. No—out it goes
2. Does the style suit you? Is that retro on purpose or just because it’s been in your closet so long?
a. Yes—go to question 3
b. No—consider the value of the item and whether it’s worth altering. If yes, take it to your tailor within two weeks or out it goes
3. Does the garment fit you? Filling the closet you access daily only with clothes that fit is ideal. The clothes one size up or down ‘talk’ to you. I swear they do.
a. Yes—go to question 4
b. No—consider if it’s worth altering, or if your weight fluctuates widely, store it in another location
4. Is the item in good condition? Pills, stains, and tears all take energy away. That’s not what you’re looking for.
a. Yes—go to question 5
b. No—can it be repaired? If yes, take it to your tailor within 2 weeks or out it goes
5. Do you feel fabulous in the outfit? I mean, deeply good. A great outfit will change the way you go through your entire day, and the way people respond to you.
a. Yes—it’s a keeper
b. No—it’s OUT! You deserve to feel wonderful in every piece of clothing you wear
The hard part’s over. You can now arrange your clothes so they are easy to find. Place like items together and colour block for a visually calm closet.
The last step is to nurture the environment you have created for yourself. Simply put things back in their place every day. Your closet is one of the first things you see in the morning and one of the last before bed. If you’re good to your closet, I promise it will be good to you.
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