Hey everyone! It's finally spring-the flowers are blooming, the allergies are spreading and the cleaning begins, to get our closets into shape for summer! Cleaning can be a pain and organizing in general is difficult for some people. Luckily for me I got the cleaning gene and being organized is just a part of who I am so I figured I would share this with you and give you some helpful tips for sorting out your closet and then keeping it organized for more than a day...and trust me this can be quite hard because whenever I don't know what to wear, staring at what seems like an empty wardrobe for hours my room and closet becomes a mess out of frustration and throwing clothes this way and that.
So, get out some music, make sure your closet is super messy (like unnoticeable messy) ;), and get cleaning! Remember, the more stuff you get rid of that you don't need or doesn't fit, the more clothes you'll 'have' to buy this summer to complete your shopaholic desires without over hoarding your closet...
Listening to some awesome tunes makes the dreadful cleaning process a lot easier and also a lot more enjoyable. Dumping away tons of clothes can be very sentimental and upsetting (especially when you find that old pair of flare jeans or ruffly top and just think to yourself: what was running through my mind when I purchased that?) It also gives you the dramatic realization of how many clothes you have...and sometimes that can be a bit disturbing. I suggest getting out your favorite Spotify playlist, cranking up the volume and gathering some energy to make tough decisions when it comes to your fashion life.
The next tip is essential when beginning the sorting process: piles! I like to start off by going through my closet bit by bit, taking out all the clothes from one section and throwing them into piles and then, once sorted they are in neat stacks belonging to the same article of clothing (shirts, jeans, skirts, dresses, etc). Also, just an extra tip I like to start off with my main wardrobe, then go through jackets, and finally finish the cleaning with shoes.
Ask yourself really deep questions, like really deep. The deeper you dig the more efficient you'll be. Also, asking yourself questions will keep you from hoarding items with an emotional string attached or things that you just love (although it doesn't fit anymore) so you can't give it away. Examples are:
Does it still fit me? Have I worn it in the last year? Do I like it? Would I wear right now? Do I have anything else that it pairs well with? These questions are mandatory when organizing and cleaning to make sure you actually get rid of stuff and don't just keep it thinking 'Oh I'll wear it sometime in the future' and then next spring it's still sitting there never worn. If you answer any of the questions above with a waver than just toss it-it's for the better anyways.
Be UN-emotional, yep you read that right...UN-emotional not emotional. This will save you from keeping articles that you never wear and would never wear in the future yet stuff it back into your closet because someone gave it to you or it has sentimental meaning. That's called hoarding and the more times you stuff the item back in, the greater hole you're digging. I'm guilty of it as well and keep things just for time sake but always end up getting rid of it the next time I do a closet clean out, so just dump it out the first time-honestly. Also, hopefully you're giving away these items to a charity or sale and that will make the process a lot easier if you tell yourself they are going to someone who will wear it and love it a lot more than yourself!
My final tip for you is to categorize! In other words, organize your clothes into similar styles, items or colors to keep your closet clean and sorted out. After deciding if you should keep or give away, stack your clothes into neat piles or hang on a hanger and then place into your closet accordingly. For instance, personally I have all my short sleeve shirts together in one pile, then a separate stack for tanks, another for long-sleeve shirts, etc. This keeps my closet tidy and easy to put away clothes that were washed according to the style of the piece.
I hope you all enjoyed this spring cleaning post and that it encouraged some of you to clean out your closet and hopefully gave you some important tips to do it right.
P.S I am posting this today (Saturday) because tonight I am traveling off to Turkey so may not have time to post tomorrow! Therefore, look forward to some travel posts coming soon and I hope you all have a wonderful Easter with friends and family. xx
