Wardrobe Detox

Make over your closet and your style

Currently, I’m in the process of transitioning from student life to professional life, and I’ve been wanting my wardrobe to reflect that.  So when I came back from Atlanta in January, I set to work on streamlining my wardrobe and organizing my closet.

Let me tell you, it felt so good.

Photo: Ann Taylor, Colorblock Sheath Dress, $158.

Whether you’re moving, changing jobs, or just feeling frustrated with your wardrobe, I can’t recommend this process enough.  It’ll help you prioritize gaps in your wardrobe (for me, it was a lack of professional-looking shoes) and eliminate the whole “I don’t have anything to wear” freak-outs that may or may not be part of your morning routine.

Here are the steps I took to get it done quickly and thoroughly:

1. Start by setting aside the things you love and feel good in.  This will set the tone for your “Keep” pile.
2. Quickly triage the rest into three piles: Not sure, Trash, and Donate.
3. Repeat the process with the “Not Sure” pile.  Try to let go of as much as you can. These are likely the items you’ll still be second-guessing months or weeks from now.
4. Look for patterns among the items you’re keeping to find clues about your personal style.  Note the colors and cuts you love to wear most.  Try choosing some key words that describe your personal style. These will help you focus when considering future purchases. 
5. Consolidate important things—work clothes, for example—in one visible and easily accessible area. That way, you won’t have to do much decision-making when getting ready in the mornings.  It’ll be a lot easier at this point to determine which items are appropriate for work than to second guess your skirt length as you’re running out the door.
6. Prioritize a list of items you still need or wish for.  This list will (hopefully) be shorter and more focused now that you’ve gone shopping in your own closet and taken inventory of what you already have.  The process of getting rid of things you don’t wear may also help you be more thoughtful about future purchases.
7. Be sure to donate or trash the things you’re getting rid of before they seep back into your closet.  Depending on where you live, some organizations will even pick up donations for you.  It couldn’t be easier!

I dipped into various resources and guides before tackling this project.  Many of these tips are inspired by Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider and Style Statement by Danielle LaPorte and Carrie McCarthy.  I’d definitely recommend both for further reading.

This post is part of a series called The Simple Life. Check back soon for more simple living tips.