It's Tuesday morning and you're up and ready to start your day. You enjoy your work and you know today is going to be a particularly good day. You are making a presentation you have worked on for weeks and you know it's good. You are confident your boss is going to be impressed and you are ready to take on the world!
You shower, put on your make-up, dry your hair and open your closet door. You begin wading through your blouses looking for just the right thing to wear. Before you found the right one, did you have to pass by:
• Several blouses that did not fit?
• A blouse with a missing button?
• A blouse with a stain on the sleeve?
• Three blouses you bought in high school?
• And the blouse your mother-in-law gave you that you "wouldn't be caught dead in?"
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are a prime candidate to finally tackle that overstuffed closet! Did you know that most people only wear 20% of their clothes on a regular basis, 10% are set aside for special occasions, and the other 70% are hardly ever worn! Thinning out your wardrobe will save you time and stress. However, before you begin, make sure you have enough time to finish the project correctly (two to four hours for a small closet and up to six hours for a walk-in closet) and decide what types of items you want to store in the closet. Preferably, your closet should only house your clothes and shoes while other items such as photo albums, wrapping paper, tools and art supplies should be placed somewhere else in the house.
Before you begin, you'll need to gather a few supplies. If you need to purchase these items, it's always best to buy more than you need. You can always return anything you don't use and it will keep you from making a trip to the store in the middle of your project. Purchase the following:
• Plastic bins - various sizes
• Large, sturdy cardboard boxes
• Heavy-duty garbage bags
• If you find plus-size clothes slip off the wire hangers, invest in extra-large hangers and foam hanger covers
• Optional: A few sturdy skirt and pants hangers, an expandable shoe rack and plastic hangers if you prefer them over the wire hangers
Using the peace steps I developed, begin the organizing process:
P - Pull It:
Start with a clean slate by pulling out everything that's currently in your closet.
E - Evaluate It:
Look at each item and ask yourself:
"Is it outdated, without a mate, ugly, useless or moldy?" If yes, it's junk. Place these items into large, garbage sacks for disposal.
"Is it the wrong color, wrong style, wrong size, doesn't go with anything else in my wardrobe, something that makes me feel unattractive or I haven't worn it in a year or longer?" If yes, it's charity. Place these items into boxes or garbage sacks for transportation to a donation site.
"Does this item require action such as shoes that need new heels or a blouse that needs mending?" If yes, it's repair. Place these items into a box or bag and take them within seven days to an alternations or shoe repair place. When you are finished organizing the closet, put the box or bag in your car.
"Is this something I want to keep but not in my closet?" If yes, it's storage. Place these items in storage boxes or plastic bins and label them before moving them to a more appropriate location.
"Do I love this, does it look great on me, is it in good condition, does it fit me, do I get compliments when I wear it?" If yes, keep it!
A - Arrange It:
Now it's time to put your "keep" items back in the closet in their proper place. Place your clothes on your new plastic hangers (if applicable) and make sure the clothes and hangers are facing the same direction. Group together like items such as blouses, skirts, pants, jackets.
C - Containerize It:
Some smaller items will not go on hangers and you'll want to containerize them. Items such as purses, winter hats, scarves and gloves can be placed in inexpensive organizing bins on the shelves of your closet. Set up your expandable shoe rack and neatly place your shoes on it.
E - Enjoy It:
It is a great feeling to walk in your closet each morning knowing you can select any item on the rack, put it on and be ready to walk out the door! Enjoy your newly organized closet and the peace an organized life brings!