Last week, I stood in front of my closet for what felt like an eternity. I was looking at lots of clothes, but thinking “I have nothing to wear.”
I decided it was time to make three piles.
One is labeled “keep” (things that fit well and I wear often), “donate” (things I’m just not in love with any more), and one “fix” (things that need tailored, hemmed or otherwise, well, fixed).
I do this piling performance once every few years to get rid of the gunk and get me out of a wardrobe funk! (I’m such a poet!) : ) After I’m done, even though I have fewer clothes, I always feel like I have more!
In case you find yourself in the near future standing in front of your closet thinking you have lots of clothes, but nothing to wear, here are some helpful hints for making your three piles:
Keep Pile
Yes, this pile is the sure bet. You know you like these items. But the problem is that you look at these items every day and feel bored and uninspired. So, try to find similar items online and see how other people are wearing them. For example, you have a LBD you know you want to keep. Google “little black dress accessorize” and see how other people are spicing up their LBDs!
Donate
Think long and hard about this one. Sure, it’s great to donate clothes to the needy. But don’t just chuck something because it’s out of style or you’re bored with it. Again, use Google, fashion magazines or your favorite fashion blogs to find inspiration if you’re on the fence about a piece. Take this plaid skirt that Tamia (another fab Cincinnati.com/LOL blogger) found while thrifting. At first glance, it looks unflattering and out of style. But with a couple safety pins, some creativity, pinning and draping… Tamia had a stylish skirt that mirrored the most fashion forward looks on the runways.
Fix
There are many reasons why you overlook items in your closet. “Those pants are a little too short,” “that skirt doesn’t hit at the right place,” “I ripped the pocket on those the last time I wore them”…. whatever it might be, you are taking up important real estate in your closet with these damaged goods, and the item’s “shelf life” of being in style is ticking away. While the stand-alone alterations places are few and far between, most dry cleaners have a seamstress in-house. So, take your items to the nearest dry cleaner to get your items fixed.
All in all, I donated 15 items (making room for 15 things Santa will hopefully bring me on Christmas!), I got 8 items fixed (including my favorite dress and boyfriend blazer) and I learned new ways to wear the rest.
I feel like I have a brand new closet! It was so refreshing to open up my closet door this morning and have the creative juices flowing… I actually had a tough time choosing what to wear this morning with all the options! What a good problem to have!
Have a very happy holiday!