My closet is a mess. You would think that since I love clothing, it would be neatly organized, with every piece serving a purpose and each item rotated in equally. Not. At. All.
After perusing one too many summer sales and adding to the madness, I realized I needed professional help. That is where Personal Style Consultant Katie Schuppler, owner of KS Style Consulting, came to my rescue.
I asked her for a few tips to guide my closet clean-out journey. She assured me that getting rid of the ill-fitting and dated pieces would not only make it easier to get dressed each day, but it would also make room for the new items that work better in my current life’s wardrobe. I vowed to practice what Katie preached and here is how it turned out!
1. If you don’t have a tailor, don’t buy pieces that require alteration!
Preach: This usually applies to those super marked-down clearance items we buy, while knowing they are too long, too big, etc. These items just take up space, creating a distraction from the great pieces you have.
Practice: I am SO GUILTY of this. I finally just cut a pair of jeans that were way too long and created a chic edge instead of taking them to my (nonexistent) tailor. Then I vowed to only buy pieces that truly fit.
2. Make organization a priority to maintain your sanity.
Preach: Buy no-slip hangers in your favorite color. This will make your wardrobe streamlined and prevent items that tend to slip off the hanger stay where they belong. Another big visual helper is organizing by sleeve length, by color or by both together!
Practice: I switched to no-slip hangers two years ago. My family asked what to get me for the holidays, and my answer to everyone was black no-slip hangers.
3. The one year rule isn’t a golden rule.
Preach: The truth is the average person tends to fluctuate in size depending on life circumstances. If a piece doesn’t fit right now and that is the reason you haven’t worn your extremely expensive designer LBD in more than a year, that is more than OK!
Practice: Since I am off the baby train, all items that were used during that phase of my life are being donated or consigned.
4. Monetize what you no longer love.
Preach: While you may feel the urge to hold on to certain pieces you know you will never wear again, find comfort in knowing you can consign designer items for some cash back.
Practice: I consigned my designer duds, and gave all of my ill-fitting denim to Madewell. The store gives you a $20 coupon for each pair you donate, so I purchased one new pair that fits perfectly.
Thank you, Katie, for helping turn my closet into a pleasant place to pick out my clothes in the morning! To get in touch with Katie and transform your wardrobe, visit fashionstylingchicago.com.
