Create a Closet You Love

Having a closet that is well organized and makes your heart skip a beat is incredibly important. Not only to ensure the clothes you have invested in are well cared for –  but it also makes getting dressed in the mornings so much less stressful. No more digging through laundry hampers to find your favorite sweater or asking if anyone has seen your missing shoe. It’s time to add some sophistication and organization to your closet.

1. Declutter

  This is so very important. Unless your willing to sort through the over loved, never loved and your go to pieces, then your not going to get too far. I suggest dedicating an afternoon to complete a purge. Have some coffee and snacks on stand by to keep you going (or wine… whatever makes this easier!)

Be honest with yourself, ask yourself a few questions:

Does it fit?

When did I wear this last?

(if it has been over 2 months and is not a special occasion piece or

from another season it’s time to let it go )

How do I feel in it? 

Three possible answers are:

1) Amazing!     2)  I can make this work if…..      3) Blah.

unless the “make it work” only involves purchasing a single piece to complete the look.

Then # 2 & 3 = let it go.

Benefits of a Closet Purge:

• Having a wardrobe you actually get excited about is pretty amazing.
• You will save time (& your emotional well being) in the mornings by not pondering how to pair an unflattering shirt with another cover up.
• Less laundry, enough said.
•  Donating a bag of clothing to those in need is a pretty fabulous feeling!
• Just because I’m evil… it leaves more room for the new pieces you’ll be purchasing in the year ahead.

If you’re still not sure you can tackle your closet all on your own, then I suggest enlisting the help of a pro. I do happen to know a stylist that can not only help you purge, but can create an array of stylish new looks for you at the same time 😉 Contact me if you would like to learn more.

2.  Separate Your Seasons

Now, I’m a firm believer that your wardrobe should be versatile and flow from season to season but some pieces are best left to get some beauty rest until needed again.

For example:

Summer > Light summer dresses – linen pieces – summer coats – shoes/sandals – shorts

Winter> Heavy knits – winter accessories – coats – boots/shoes – winter suiting

What I personally love about having my off season clothing stored away is that when I pull them out at the beginning of each season it’s like I’ve found treasure! There are always a few pieces I forgot I even had.

3. Create a Custom Closet

The closet’s we are gifted with when we move into our homes are not always what’s best for us. Because of this I strongly suggest building a closet that suits your needs specifically. There is such a wide range of options out there that no matter what your budget is you are guaranteed to find the perfect solution. A few custom closet options I found were from Home Depot, Ikea & a local company called Closet Creators.

Don’t forget to take inventory of your wardrobe before committing to a new set up. Consider the zones needed so that you can get the most from your investment.

4. Create Zones

If your closet isn’t easy to get in and out of, your going to be feeling overwhelmed pretty quickly (even before deciding what to wear). Zones will create an easy solution to that problem. Here are a couple suggestions I give my clients.

Arrange your closet in a way that is visually appealing.

• Hang your tops by sleeve length (sleeveless to long sleeve).
• If you have a two level clothing rack, hang your heavier items (blazers, knits, jackets and pants) on the bottom row. This will keep your closet from feeling too heavy.

Keep the guess work out of it in the mornings.

• Pair pieces together that complete one another. Ex: leggings with the longer tops/layering pieces you wear with them, as well as active wear with active wear.

When you are creating zones, be honest with yourself. If your not one that likes to fold and would prefer to hang as much as possible then create a system that allows that. Such as hooks for the wall, baskets and multi piece hangers.

5. Organize your Accessories.

If your accessories are not visible – or all in one place, the chance you will wear them are pretty slim. This is another area you need to make things easy for your self. For example, I could set up jewelry tree’s to hold my bracelets and earrings, but after a long day, I know the last thing I’ll be doing is putting them on the tree. Instead, I have a drawer with jewellery dividers (thank you dollar store) that I just toss them into. (So much happier with the toss and fall into bed method…)

Hide your jewellery away to keep your space from feeling cluttered.

 

Use clear boxes to store away your shoes &  drawer dividers to be free of chaos.

6. It’s All in the Details

Little things can  make such a big difference. If your closet is fuss free & pretty to look at not only will you be much happier to be there but your clothes will look as fabulous as they really are.

Use coordinating hangers. If your hangers are all different styles/colors your eye won’t know what to focus on. Keep it simple and treat yourself to hangers that care for your clothes and keeps you focused on your true investment.

 

Before – Yes, my eye is twitching…

After- Phew, I can breath better already.

(Yes, I may have a bit of OCD when it comes to hangers.)

Decorate your space. How beautiful is this?!! I would love to walk into this every morning. ( I actually just bought some fancy wallpaper to recreate this in my walk in). Stop by View Along The Way to learn how she transformed her bleak closet into a beautiful space.

Transforming your closet into a space you love can be a lot of work, but the end result is so rewarding! If you need a little inspiration make sure to check out my Sense of Style Pinterest page.

If you have any closet reveals to share I would love to see them! Thank you for stopping by.

xoxo Jennifer