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Get a Fresh Spring Wardrobe
Simply cleaning your closet can refresh your look — for less!
Besides filing taxes, there’s one springtime chore most women dread: cleaning out a bursting-at-the-seams closet. But chances are, your wardrobe needs a makeover. Women wear only 20% of their clothes, according to Jackie Walker, author of I Don’t Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet. The good news: Sorting through tangles of sweaters and getting rid of tired pieces does more than make you feel organized. “Having a closet full of clothes you know you will wear makes your wardrobe feel new — and it doesn’t cost a thing,” says Hollywood stylist Barbra Horowitz, author of Closet Control. Try these simple steps to get a fresh start.
Out with the old… Block out a Saturday to break out the trash bags and get your closet in order, suggests Melanie C. Fascitelli, author of Shop Your Closet: The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Closet with Style and owner and founder of Clos-ette, an organizational design firm based in New York City. Then dig in, analyzing each piece in your wardrobe.
“You have to think about your lifestyle,” says style expert Susan Redstone, author of Just Try It On. “I usually ask people to categorize their clothing according to their different roles. For example, you have your career clothes, your mommy clothes and your fun clothes, like a cocktail dress or fancy shoes. For each piece ask yourself: Does it fit me properly? Does it go into one of these categories? Have I worn it in the past year?” If you answered no to any of these questions, get rid of it.
Sort clothes into four distinct piles, Redstone suggests: Keep, Alter/Dry-Clean, Donate and Consignment. “Treat your wardrobe like the stock market,” says Horowitz. “Buy it, sell it at a consignment store, and then go buy something else.”
…And in with the new(ly) organized If you’re packing up sweaters and blouses to store until fall, fold them with lavender-scented tissue paper to keep moths away, suggests Fascitelli. And because lavender is a natural antiseptic, it will help your clothes stay clean. You can also buy blocks of cedar hooked on to hangers to keep your closet fresh year-round.
Now that you’ve organized your closet, keeping it tidy will make getting dressed a snap. Arrange clothes by type (skirts, dresses, pants) and then by color, and stack shoes in their boxes, says Redstone. (Tape a photo of the shoe onto the box for easy reference or use clear shoe boxes.) But leave the kicks you wear most days — such as commuting flats and workout sneakers — on the closet floor so you can grab them and go.
To maximize space and make sure clothes hang neatly, use only one type of hanger. “I like those inexpensive velvet hangers,” says Horowitz. Keep unused hangers in a tote bag, and store it under the bed or on the closet floor so you’re not thumbing through a bunch of empty hangers when you’re trying to find your favorite dress.
Instant Updates
- Architectural shoes, such as platforms, block heels, wedges, and high heels with wide straps.
- Blousy halter dresses
- Loose-fitting “boyfriend jeans” in an acid wash. Wear them cuffed, the way Hollywood stars do.
Tired Trends
- Dark denim
- Full-length cotton “maxi” dresses
- Patent leather shoes
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I loved these tips --- and the shoe boxes ! i have used them for years - they keep those special shoes in shape and dust free !