Ask The Expert: 5 Easy Steps to Spring Clean Your Closet!
By: Barbara Palmer Baynes, Bustle
Amy Collins once wrote, “Opening your closet should be like arriving at a really good party where everyone you see is someone you like.” But too often, our closet is stuffed with very old acquaintances who we haven’t seen in years rather than those trusted friends who bring out our very best. Below are five easy steps to help you edit that closet guest list!
1- TAKE OUT EVERYTHING! Not half….not some….ALL. And while all of that is piled on your bed, take the time to vacuum and dust. Remember, you are having a party and don’t you always clean before the guests arrive?
2-DO A LITTLE SOUL SEARCHING- Tackle that pile, one piece at a time. When is the last time you wore that? How did you feel when you did? Can you wear it multiple ways? Are you missing the perfect item that would pull it all together? If so, make a shopping list!
3- SORT, SORT, SORT! If the last time you wore an item dates back to the era of Purple Rain and wine coolers, it goes in the DONATE pile!! Period. Maybe you received an item as a gift and it just is not your style or perhaps you did a little wine-induced “add to cart” and made a mistake, it happens. Put those in the CONSIGNMENT pile and make yourself a little shopping money! A third pile should be an ALTERATIONS pile. Clothing that fits well is essential and can turn frump into fabulous!
4- SPRING FOR THE MATCHING HANGERS!! Trust me!!! At the risk of sounding like Mommy Dearest, you really need to toss the ugly mismatched wire hangers and splurge on some pretty ones. Your guests will thank you by sticking around for a long time.
5- RE-HANG BY CATEGORY AND COLOR. You can’t wear it if you can’t find it! Hang all of your blouses, dresses, skirts, pants together from light to dark. Do it once, and you will be shocked how easy it is to maintain! And how easy it is to get dressed in the morning!
And now, sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy the party!
Barbara Palmer Baynes is a personal shopper with decades of experience and is also a professional closet organizer. See her website here and follow her on Instagram at @bustlegso!
