One of the services I offer here at E and A Style is a Closet Cleanout. A Closet Cleanout is a necessity in the Capsule Wardrobe. Having an overabundance of clothes that we’ve purchased creates clutter and confusion. I know I’ve gotten ready so many times and thought, ugh, I have nothing to wear, even though I have a walk in closet full of clothes. By cleaning everything out and being more purposeful in what we buy, we can help keep our closet organized and our getting dressed time to a minimum.
Making the cut:
- The first step is getting your mind right. What I mean is, prepare for this to hurt! You always have that fear that you’re going to get rid of something you need, but more often than not, you’re going to keep something you don’t. Think of it this way; you’re making way for new things, better things.
- Create a set of rules. My rules are usually a) if I haven’t worn it in the most recent, appropriate season, get rid of it, b) if it doesn’t fit, c) if it is damaged in a way that can’t be fixed, etc. I can make up others, but those are basic examples.
- Create your piles. I usually have a throw away pile, a pack away pile, a donate pile, a sell pile, and a keep pile.
- Go through an easy run. So the first run, get rid of everything you know you can’t stand. These are the easy ones. That sweater with the hole in the elbow or the faded skirt. Most of this stuff will probably be thrown away or donated to Goodwill.
- Go through again, this time, implementing your rules. This time might be harder because you don’t necessarily want to get rid of THAT sweater, but you haven’t worn it in 6 months. You love those jeans but you just don’t fit in them anymore. Repeat this step until you are down to things that you absolutely cannot give up AND fit within your guidelines.
Why A Professional Can Help (here comes my shameless self promotion):
- What to do with the stuff you don’t need – As I said above, some of the items can be thrown away or donated. Some items are going to be in good enough condition to sell, either online or in a consignment store. I CAN HELP WITH THAT!
- Helping you determine what to keep. Fit is a BIG part of looking good and sometimes, we need to make sure things fit. Just because something is too big doesn’t mean you have to throw it away, you could always look into getting it taken in. You just have to determine if that piece is really worth it. I CAN HELP WITH THAT!
- Putting together outfits with what you have left. It’s always a great idea to pair things together and see what works. You don’t want to be trying to put together an outfit 30 minutes before you have to leave. Pair things together in different ways, take pictures, and keep those pictures handy, maybe in a book. I CAN HELP WITH THAT!
- Fill in the gaps. Hey, this shirt would look great with a striped skirt OR this sweater would be awesome with some black cigarette pants. Knowing what you have and knowing what you need helps make your shopping list more intentional. It also helps keep everything matching so you can create a variety of outfits with less. I CAN HELP WITH THAT!
One last thing: once you’ve gotten rid of everything, organized your closet, and filled in to create your wardrobe, follow this rule:
YOU CANNOT BUY ANYTHING ELSE UNLESS YOU GET RID OF SOMETHING IN YOUR CLOSET.
The purpose of this is that you don’t recreate the clutter. Remember, we want to keep our shopping purposeful so that we’re not wasting money on stuff we won’t wear and we’re not creating clutter again.
This is all something you can absolutely do yourself, but if you’re finding that you’ve become frustrated, I’m here to help. Or if you know you just don’t have time, I can help. Check out my Services page for more information.
