A Wardrobe I Finally Love

After running out of places to put everything and the many many days/nights of staring into my overfilled closet and almost never finding anything to wear. (Or at least an outfit worth blogging) I decided it was time to do the unthinkable:

It's time to get rid of my closet.

Not my WHOLE closet but I got rid of a significant amount. I just wanted to be able to look in my closet and love everything I see so I researched a million blogs (okay, maybe like 6) and I was able to tackle the crazy mess that was my closet. So let's get started!

BE RUTHLESS! Decide what you want to keep or donate and don't make any excuses.

• If it's damaged in any way (ripped, stained, warped, etc.) TOSS IT
• If it doesn't fit (big OR small) TOSS IT
• If it's out of style and you've been holding on to it "just in case" TOSS IT
• Hell, if you just don't like it as much as you used to. TOSS IT

And yes, that's my dog at the bottom of my 'donate' pile.

Now let's be truthful here, you're going to have a 'maybe' pile. That pile of clothes that you really want to keep but you're just not sure. You'll need an honest friend for this portion because they'll see things you can't (or won't).

• Is it uncomfortable? Is it itchy? Do you have to adjust it all day? Are the sleeves weird? Does it stop at a stupid length? If the answer is yes, TOSS IT (If it annoys you to wear it, you will avoid wearing it so just get rid of it)
• Ask yourself these questions: "If I saw it in the store today, would I buy it again?" and "If I woke up the next morning and the item was gone, would I miss it?" If the answer is no, TOSS IT
•  Throw on some light makeup, do something with that hair, and try some things on. (When you feel pretty you'll make better decisions about what looks good and what doesn't) If it's just not highlighting those lovely legs or awesome butt, TOSS IT
• If you still can't give it up, stow the remaining clothes in a bin and tuck it away in your closet or under your bed. If you haven't reached for it in 6 months, TOSS IT

My lovely 'maybe' pile that my best friend helped me decide on what stayed and what got the boot.

Now that things are looking clearer, you'll be able to see more of what you have. This should be the final run through of what stays and what goes.

• Do you have too many of the same or similar items? Pick your favorite one (or two) and toss the rest
• Still holding on to your prom dress for sentimental reasons? Stop it. Toss that too.
• Don't forget to clear out your accessories, as well! (bags, jewelry, scarves, etc.)

ORGANIZE! You'll want to be able to see your wardrobe at a first glance from now on, that way you'll be able to find something easily without the "Oh, I forgot I had that!" or "Where is my...?" moment. Here are some ideas that I felt helped me gain control of my closet:

• Separate your clothes by: 1. Season (All winter clothes together, all spring clothes together, etc.)  2. Color (All reds together, all blues together, etc.) 3. Garment (All skirts together, all blazers together, etc.) Any one of these strategies should help with finding what you need right when you need it.
• Buy a door rack and store your belts, scarves, and purses there. It's strangely exposed and hidden at the same time.
• Clear storage boxes can help with storing your shoes but you'll know which box to reach for when the time comes.

So my closet went from this (which wasn't even half of my wardrobe, eek!):

To this:

FIND A GOOD HOME! When everything was said and done I had SIX trash bags full of stuff that was no longer welcome in my closet! Whew! I figured the best thing to do to minimize the amount I had to lug to my local goodwill (and make sure my beloved items went to a happy home) was to invite a bunch of friends over to help me lighten the load!

Oh, how I love my friends! They helped me down to just two bags and I will be so grateful when I take the rest to Goodwill and these clothes are finally out of my house!

RETAIL THERAPY! Wait a second, didn't I just purge my closet? WHAT THE HELL AM I TALKING ABOUT?! No seriously, after being able to deeply clean out my closet I noticed what I DIDN'T have that are actually pretty essential. For example: I don't have any dress pants or a pair of tall winter boots so, of course, I gotta get me a pair! However, I will make sure that whatever I end up buying from now on will be something I felt was absolutely perfect for rme.

After all, the point of all this was to have a wardrobe that I love.