Purge Alert

A friend recently asked me to help with a closet clean out. She's the cute brunette with long hair seen here. I happily obliged as organizing and cleaning out closets is one of my favorite tasks, sad I know! We had been planning this for a while and I'm glad we finally made it happen because it's WAY too easy to put off. Mom - I'm coming for you next! I think this little exercise should be done about twice a year and the best part is the more often you do it the quicker it is.

So let's get down to the details. The essentials of a good closet purge are a few honest friends, labelled piles (donate, alter, consign) and a notepad to jot down items to be replaced. And maybe a cocktail or two to keep things entertaining.

I don't necessarily abide by hard and fast rules like "toss it if you haven't worn it in X years/months" but I do believe that everything that stays in your closet should get approval from those in attendance, ideally it should be tried on. Every single piece of clothing. While this may sound absurd its the most important step in my opinion. It not only ensures you only keep items that are in good condition and will be worn but that you keep items that fit you well. I'm sure we can all agree that there are plenty of items in our closet that need a small nip or a tuck from our local alteration shop and there is no reason for these items to be in the closet if they don't fit. 

The final step in a good closet purge is evaluating the organization of the remaining items. The biggest piece of advice is make sure all items used on a regular basis are easily accessible. Keep bulky items and items worn less often at the tip top of your closet or in under bed boxes if you lack closet space. I also highly recommend organization by type of clothing (i.e. pants, shirts, skirts etc) and color coordination within each type. It makes picking out an outfit quick and easy knowing where everything is.

We still have a little work to do on this little lady's closet but we have a plan to reconvene and finish up next week. Let me know if you want some assistance or company in your next closet purge. I'm happy to help!

- Heath

Top image via Domino Magazine