Cleaning out the Closet!
Happy Tuesday to you all! I'm really excited about today's guest blogger. Beth Locker of Beth Locker Style is here to share her strategies on how to start the love/hate relationship that can be cleaning out your closet for Spring:
As April showers fade and May flowers begin to pop we all start to feel renewed. Winter's short cold days give way to open window breezes, lingering sunshine and whatís ahead for summer's endless possibilities. People are outside more --exercising, working in their yards, cleaning up and planting. As this shift happens, it is a great time to re-assess our wardrobes and cluttered closets.
For over 25 years I have helped people edit their wardrobes and seen them transform before my eyes as they get rid of clutter that makes getting dressed every day almost impossible. A recent Wall Street Journal article claimed that people wear only 20% of what's in their closets. Secretly we all know this is true. Here are a few tips for getting started.
A few things to remember as you begin the process: First, make sure you are well rested, fed and hydrated. This sounds ridiculous, but necessary, as this is a surprisingly emotional task. People are attached to their stuff and have stories about pieces of clothing that they wore to a special event back in the eighties that they just can't get rid of or a sweater that an old boyfriend gave them, etc., etc. you get the picture. Next, start in a far corner of your closet and go hanger to hanger asking yourself a few important questions: When did I last wear this, did I feel great in it, is the color and fit flattering? Once you get going make 3 piles: give, sell and throw away. If you touch a hanger holding something that you are not sure of, leave it and keep going.
As you start the process something remarkable will happen. it will get easier to edit and give your items an honest assessment. Go back to the pieces that you were having a difficult time releasing and clarity will come (we all have that little place in our heart where if we know someone else could use or enjoy something we have, it is a pleasure to be generous and give and freeing, I might add). It's also important to state your intentions or goal of this project. Perhaps you are starting a new job which requires a different look, or you've lost those few extra pounds and are anticipating the excitement of getting some new things to celebrate, or you are stuck when it comes to putting your clothes together or simply, going through the process twice a year as it is a great exercise for an orderly life.
Learning the difference between want and need is a lesson relearned over and over again in life. Loving fashion, design and following trends is oh so much fun and an important part of the human existence and we advertise who we are by the clothes we choose to wear. We get dressed 7 days a week, so you might as well start with a cleaned-out well organized closet. Think about it.
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Do you clean your closet out each season? Do you love or hate the process? Join the conversation in the comments below!