Overhaul your closet with these smart tips.
Hello January, let’s chat. Why do you make me feel like Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” is looping in my cerebral playlist? There are many times throughout the calendar year that it is natural to reboot — the spring season, the day after Mardi Gras, any given Monday and the start to the school year, for example. Change is good, and the month of January is as good a time as any to jump on the resolution bandwagon. Regardless of what habit you’re trying to abandon, or what habit you’d like to cultivate, it’s the decision to sincerely make the change and follow through that is the challenge.
A perennial favorite each January is to get your life organized. Whether it’s your finances, fitness routine or household, the removal of clutter (either physical or mental), once complete, gives you a feeling of great triumph. The idiom “Cleanliness is next to godliness” is very common (though I prefer, “The higher the shoe, the closer to God”), and a clear head or closet free from chaos can be a very heavenly thing. I am not and should not be the poster child for organizing anything; however, I can advise on how to detox your style and your wardrobe.
10 Signs You Know It’s Time to “Cleanse the Closet”
- You have held on to a piece of clothing you normally would not wear because you potentially might need it for a costume.
- You have clothing organized into “feeling skinny” or “feeling puffy” categories.
- Your clothing has dust bunnies, and your white shirts are now yellow.
- You own maternity clothes, and your youngest child is a teenager.
- You have an entire drawer of T-shirts from every volunteer job, every 10K race and possibly all of your college mixers.
- You have kept every ugly scarf or sweater received as a gift — just in case you will attend a family reunion or holiday party where you will need to wear it to appease the gift-giver.
- “No wire hangers, ever!” Joan Collins. No explanation necessary.
- You have damaged items piled in a corner, and you have yet to bring them to be repaired.
- Your closet hardware is holding on to the walls for dear life.
- You cannot see the floor, and you are not sure what color it is (or was).
Serenity Now
If your wardrobe falls into more than one of these categories, it is time for some savvy style solutions. Purging clothing and accessories can be overwhelming, and it might be necessary for you to call in a support group — like your best friend or a stylist. Below are a few suggestions for finding peace:
The Four “S’s” When selecting what to pitch, jettison anything that is stretched, small, smelly or stained.
Think Like a Man At times, be devoid of emotion or attachment. They’re just clothes; you aren’t solving a major world crisis or curing any diseases. If you have not worn an item and are saving it simply because it was worn to a special event or it reminds you of someone or something, cut the ties!
Hung Up Here is a mind-blowing trick to use when determining whether items would be happier elsewhere: After you have worn an item, hang it back up in your closet so that it’s facing the opposite direction. After six months, take note of what you have not worn.
Size Matters Your resolution also might be to shed a few pounds, but let’s be realistic. If your size-six skinny jeans have not been touched in five years, then let them go! If you are now a size 10, hold on to the size-eight items; pitch all those sizes that are staring at you in the closet and making you feel guilty.
Conquer 2014, and begin to wash your style sins away. If you happen to fall off the wagon and start to commiserate with hoarders, I’m not passing judgment. Stop, breathe and regroup. There is always an occasion to start fresh. That’s what Ash Wednesday is for, anyway.
Happy shopping! Happy New Year! Let’s make that change; I’m starting with the man in the mirror.