Closet Cleanup Crash Course

So I cleaned up my closet clutter last weekend and feel so much better - really, I do.  As I mentioned yesterday, I participated in a series of calls by Organizational Expert, Kimberly Medlock and she discussed that there are two aspects of getting organized - the mental and the physical.

The Mental:

• Your clothes should make you feel good when you wear them.  It doesn't take any longer to put on clothes that fit and flatter you than it does to put on clothes that don't - so put on clothes you like to wear and that make you feel good when you have them on.
• Your clothes and your overall appearance will greatly influence the interactions you have with others throughout the day.  If you are presenting yourself to others with nagging feelings that your clothes are too tight, too big, or out of date/style, etc. that can keep you from showing or giving your best.  You won't feel as confident, you will feel judged.  That creates "mental clutter".
• When you start your day working with a crammed, unorganized closet with piles on the floor and no sense of order, you have just sent your brain a message of chaos, frustration, a sense of being out of control and possible guilt.  That is no way to start your day.  Case in point...



The goal to reducing closet clutter is pretty simple.  It is to have enough clothes in your closet that you actually want to wear and, enough to meet your dressing needs of work, casual, etc.

The Physical:

{this is the tough part...uggghhh}

• Clear an area close to your closet and make enough room for piles, big large piles.

•  Get boxes, laundry baskets, bags or just make spaces for putting things into the following categories:
• Donate
• Trash
• Return to the place or whom it belongs
• Repair
• Take everything out, YES EVERYTHING.  Sort like items with like items making separate piles for pants, tops, dresses, skirts, jackets, etc.  Now stand back in astonishment that there was THAT MUCH stuff in your closet!

• Pick a pile and start your quick sort.  This will be your easy-to-make decisions: donate, repair trash it, return to where/whom it belongs.  You will then be left with items that need a second consideration.
• Everything left in your "consideration" piles should be auditioned and able to pass the "keep it" test.

The Keep It Test:

Here are the questions to consider for each and every piece:

1. Does it fit me well?
2. Is it physically uncomfortable in any way?
3. Is it too "worn"?
4. Is it still in style?
5. Is it a good color for me?
6. Would you want to run into a long-lost friend (or boyfriend/girlfriend) with this on?

Once you've gone through this painstaking (and by that I mean, PAINSTAKING) process. You can begin to reload your closet.

(Before you reload, take a few minutes to give your closet space a good cleaning - vacuum, wipe baseboards, shelves, etc.)

Tomorrow we will discuss ideas for getting more space out of your closet.

Be productive,

Credit:  Kimberly Medlock- speaker, trainer, author and coach is known as the productivity expert of choice because of her simple, direct and common-sense approach. She addresses time, information and stress management issues with solutions you can actually live with. If you need more time and more energy, less clutter and less stress in your day, she can help. www.kimberlymedlock.com