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A tidy closet is like walking into a well stocked department store - and everything FITS, is IN YOUR BUDGET and just YOUR STYLE!
Lady, my closet was a HOT MESS! Past tense...
Even though my master bedroom is a decent size, the closet space is very small. Which means that I have to be very intentional on how I store and organize our clothes and shoes. A few weeks ago I got tired of the total mess and did a huge declutter and organization of my small closet and LADY, I am so happy I did.
If you are still procrastinating on doing a closet cleanse and tidy up here are a few reasons YOU REALLY NEED TO
Less stress in your daily life. Yep - with all the many choices you have to make on a daily basis - digging through your clothes should not be one of them. Think of all the decisions you have to make in the morning before you start your day. If you are like me, before you even get your day started you are thinking about the other many tasks and to-dos you have. When it comes to your outfit for the day - you have to consider if the items are clean, if they fit, if they are in season and do they even look that great on you. If you know, you know...right? Having an organized and decluttered closet space will help you reduce the decision making stress when getting ready.
Shop Your Closet. I am sure you have heard the term before - shop your own closet to see new looks and outfit ideas before heading off to buy more. Now...let me be upfront - I enjoy some good retail therapy, especially when I can get good deals - however, I still want to get use out of the items I already bought! The thing is, when I was doing my closet declutter, I found multiples...yes, I items that I bought twice because I either could not locate the original item OR because I forgot I had it...sigh. Now that my closet is decluttered and organized I know all that I have and I am able to put some really cute outfits together, without buying more items!
Know what Is Missing. Have you ever had a cute outfit in mind, headed to your closet and then realized you are missing a key piece to make the whole look come together? Yes, me too. So frustrating, right? Well, once I went through and did my closet declutter, I also took an inventory of the elements my wardrobe is missing. Over time I am getting the missing elements and basics that I need to build a solid wardrobe.
Know What to Let GO. I don't know if my clothes ever really bring me joy...I mean that is a tall order for fashion - though I do enjoy rocking cute looks! However, I can say that doing a closet declutter and purge did leave me feeling way 'lighter' in life...if that makes sense. Now, when I go to my closet I am not overwhelmed with items that I don't like anymore, that don't fit or that aren't my style anymore. I find myself smiling now when I enter my super small closet vs before when I felt discouraged and confused. Sometimes I would even shed tears because I felt like I had so much clothes but nothing to wear! Not anymore! Organizing and decluttering my closet allowed me to let go of items. Keep reading to see how I went about the letting go part! It will be helpful, for sure.
Here's a short reel I shared on Instagram of the before and after of my SHOES!
I think my shoe declutter and organization was the most satisfying part for me. After birthing 3 kiddos my shoe size changed and I had to let go of so many shoes...ugh, my heart! However, I just looked at the prospect of now being able to get MORE shoes that fit. Silver lining Sis...look for the silver lining!
5. Make Room. When I finished my closet declutter and organization I realized that I had more space! I mean even in my small closet, I had room to GROW! Woot Woot! I see some much needed retail therapy in the near future!
So now...here's my closet declutter routine - GAME CHANGER
Take everything OUT - empty your closet space and do a deep cleaning.
Separate your clothes and shoes into piles
Donate - see if your city has a women's shelter/men's home that you can donate your items to. My local shelter has a pick up service! They even provide tax right off forms if you need!
Toss Out or Recycle - worn out, dingy, damaged, stained - toss out or put in the recycle bin.
Give away to friends/family - you know that dress your sister always said she wanted - GIVE it to her if you no longer wear it and if you cannot fit it/don't plan on fitting it again
Put away for fit goal (only if you really see yourself wearing the item. Just because you bought it and haven't worn it, doesn't mean you have to keep it, if it is not truly in alignment with your current style or size. Holding on to items that are too small, can make you feel sad and unaccomplished. So really take a moment to determine if you are going to fit into it again). My goal items are not kept too far away though. I have a small section in my closet for my goal outfits. That way I keep motivated when I see them. Currently, I am losing 3rd baby weight!! WOOHOO!! lady...it has been a long time coming but I am so happy that I am seeing results! I will be sharing more of that on the blog, so make sure you are subscribed for that goodness!
Tailor - items that could fit you well, but they need minor alterations. These items are in good condition, still in alignment with your current style and size, but they don't fit perfectly. A local tailor can make some adjustments which will transform the garment! Usually tailor changes are not very expensive, especially on hemming, taking on or letting out seams.
Store - remove and store all off season items. I especially like being able to take out my next season clothes and it is like shopping all over again! Ps- some items for Summer can be layered for Fall so keep that in mind!
For Shoe storage
I found this great shoe rack on amazon, so I bought TWO! Easy to assemble and lots of storage! Check out the Instagram reel above and click HERE to shop. This shoe rack is perfect for small spaces and holds quite a few pairs of shoes. For the price, I grabbed 2 and might even get another!
My favorite Hangers
Lately I have been using velvet hangers because they prevent my clothes from slipping off and they also keep the neck/collars from getting stretched out due to sliding down the hanger. These are the ones hubby grabbed from Amazon for me (be still my heart! My man knows me so well! HAHAHA)
These hangers are perfect for heavy jackets. The pack comes with 30 hangers. They are slim, durable and allow for 360 degree hook swivel. The notches also make them great for extra support of those clothing straps so my clothes don't get stretched out and my spaghetti straps stay taut. Click the image to check them out!
If you are looking for a different color hook, I also have this style and the pack has 50 hangers. The black and rose gold is a nice touch!
For Belts and scarves
I am using a storage system from way back in college days...seems like FOREVER ago! However, they still work! I could not find the exact ones like mine, but here is something similar for you.
I am still on the hunt for something to help organize the upper space in my closet. If you have any recommendations, drop them below! I hope you found this helpful, if you did then be sure to LIKE, COMMENT and SHARE!
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Thanks for being here!
Great tips!! This just gave me the motivation to go through my shoes and find a better way to store them!