Spring Cleaning Closet Crusade

I can’t believe Winter is almost over. I didn’t really get a chance to wear my cute boots with the high heels that much. We have had a rather mild winter and I’m not complaining about that because I am not a fan of cold weather. But, I am a clothes fanatic. I love cute shoes and clothes that are worn during the Fall and Winter. Unfortunately, my closet is not that big and at times seems to be bursting at the seams in an effort to contain all of my stuff.

So at the end of each season (by season I mean when warm weather turns cold and when cold weather turns warm again – so twice per year), I rotate my clothes. I cannot fit them all in my tiny closet otherwise.

I take everything out of the closet – yes everything - including my baseball caps, shoes, and robes. I do an inventory for each item:

• Did I wear this in the past year? (Yes – it’s a keeper. No – chances are I probably won’t wear it next year and it can be donated to the Salvation Army or sold at a Consignment shop. Some exceptions to the rule: Formal wear, some coats, and very unique items you probably won’t find anywhere else.)

• Does this still fit me? (Yes – it’s a keeper. No- I have to be realistic with myself here: Will I REALLY lose those 10 pounds to get back into it? If not, donate it or consign it)

• If it’s a keeper, can I wear it year-round? (Yes – it goes back into the closet. No- it gets packed away until the weather changes again)

• If it’s a keeper, do I still like this item or could I give it to someone else who could really use it?

I put the year-round keepers back into the closet and then get out my storage container from underneath my bed that has clothes for warm weather in it. I hang my warm-weather clothes up in the closet with the year-round keepers. My clothes hang in this order from left to right: Robes, workout clothes/sweatpants, jeans, slacks, skirts, blouses/shirts, dresses. Within each category, items are sorted by color.

The clothes that are too warm for warm weather are then placed into the storage container that fits underneath my bed. I will repeat this process sometime in September when Fall arrives.

You can use this method, too if you find that your eyes are too big for your closet and you purchase more clothes than you can contain. Just know that you’re not alone…