Maximize Your Closet Clean-Out: 3 Essential Questions For effective Editing
The most important step in building the wardrobe of your dreams is sifting through what you already own. Until you know what you have, it’s really hard to identify what you need. When I was working as a stylist, I started almost every single client with a Closet Makeover for this reason.
To help you declutter your closet and curate your style, I’m sharing the three questions I asked during every Closet Makeover and why I asked them.
Is it in good condition?
If an item is stained, ripped, faded, or simply not in good condition, it’s time to let go. These items are the low hanging fruit, so pull them out before you start editing! It’s much better to have one nice, crisp white tee shirt than three white tee shirts that have stains under the armpits. Am I right?
Have you worn it in the last 6 to 12 months?
Usually, we know what we wear and what we don’t. So, if anything has been sitting in your closet without being worn for six months or more, chances are you aren’t going to wear it again anytime soon. Unless it’s a ball gown that you haven’t had the opportunity to wear, it’s probably safe to put it in the donate pile.
If you’re unsure, try it on! Do you like the way it looks when you put it on? Can you envision the outfits you’d wear it with? If the answer is no to either one of these questions, let it go.
When you put it on, how does it make you feel?
This is probably the most important question you can ask yourself. If you put on a top, and it makes you feel icky, you’re never going to reach for it. End of story. If a piece you makes you feel anything less than confident, it’s just taking up unnecessary space.
Of course, we all have items that we consider to be “sentimental”. Since these things may be hard to part with, I recommend removing them from your closet and storing them in a pretty box somewhere else in your home (you can find these on Amazon, at Home Goods, and tons of other places). Removing the sentimental items that aren’t a part of your everyday wardrobe will give you better visibility into the clothes you do wear.
As you go through your clothes, give yourself some grace. It takes time. Editing your own closet can be hard, but my hope is that these questions will help you get started.
xoxo
Alexa