How to Declutter and Maximize Your Closet Space
People often ask me about my closet space so today I’m going to share a few tips that work for me. My first step in maximizing any closet space is to declutter and detox. Some people refer to this as purging their closet. Oftentimes, when I meet with a client to do a closet detox we find that they have way too many clothes. Many people only wear and actually love about 20-30% of their clothes. Why is this? Well, I’m glad you asked. The simple answer is that people struggle with what to buy and what not to buy. My golden rule is that if I don‘t love it then I cannot buy it...PERIOD! If I try it on and my dressing room response is hmm I like it then it stays in the store. This rule has saved me lots of time and money. Let me not forget to mention that I have an after purchase grace period. Let me explain this a little bit so if I purchase an item and it stays inside the shopping bag for 3 or more days then it goes back to the store. In my opinion, this means that I don’t love it or need it. If it was a need then it would be out the bag the day it was purchased.
So where do you begin? You start by sorting through everything in your closet. I personally like to start with shoes and handbags. Yes, like most women I really love shoes but over the years my love for them has changed. I love them but will only buy essentials meaning shoes that work with my everyday lifestyle. Unless, of course it’s for a special event and even then I will consider buying an all purpose style of shoe so that I can get my monies worth. So, how do you apply this method? Simply put if you have not worn a shoe in the past 6-12 months then get rid of it. If the shoe pairs with nothing in your current wardrobe get rid of it. Use this same process to sort through your clothing. Pull everything out of your closet that you reach for on a consistent basis. Additionally, grab things that make you feel great and comfortable when you wear them.
See, we all have those items that we had to have but after we wore them for the first time our love for them changed maybe because they didn't feel great after a few hours of wearing them. Or maybe, you bought something because it was the latest trend but later realized it was not for you but you invested in it but never wear it...yeah it's time to let it go. Only keep what you absolutely love and wear. Everything else has to go you must implement a zero tolerance hoarding policy when sorting through closet items. You may have to invite a friend over to help you with this process.
My advice to you moving forward is only buy what you love and feel great wearing. If you are wondering what to do with all the items that you no longer love. Well, you have so many options which include but are limited to the following: host a swap party, consign, Poshmark, Ebay, Thredup, and donating to Goodwill are all great places to start. I would be happy to partner with you in the detox process. Get in touch with me to schedule your Closet Detox appointment. ~Stylishly Yours, Crystal
