Does it look chaotic to you? I organize by style, then color
You've probably heard me say I hate random lists off the internet…as someone who has a list on the internet, I see the hypocrisy. But in my field, organizers tend to lean toward simplicity.
"The only 10 pieces you need"
"Stop buying multiples of the same thing"
and my least favorite- "Get rid of anything you haven't worn in 6 months"
You will never hear me say those words. I guess you wouldn't be here if you didn't at least kinda think the same way….😉
Here's where I'm coming from so you understand why every question you ask yourself has nuance. If you don't ask the right questions, you will purge all day long and end up repurchasing a lot of what you just got rid of.
I will say it til I'm blue in the face-
Good purgers are rarely good shoppers.
My white tees
So when that list off the internet tells me I only need 3 white Tee shirts, this is what my closet tells me. And it's a good thing because I like different styles and I like choice. If it's not bothering me spatially, mentally or financially, I'm going to keep them.
The hanging ones are my "dressy white Tee's", which sounds funny, but they are. The one with the flower appliqué, the linen blend, the flowy ponte knit.
I wear them all.
The folded side has 8 solid and a few graphic. They are different cuts- boxy, fitted, boyfriend. Different materials- slub knit and soft cotton. Different collars- regular and V-neck and one that almost looks like a boat neck, but I suspect it's because it's a bit stretched out. 😆
I usually don't buy that style, but I'm not mad about it!
I wear them all.
Why I set it up this way
This may look chaotic to you, it's certainly not a Pinterest closet. I organize by style, and then color.
Why? Because every time you touch a hanger looking for a piece, you make a decision. That's why you have decision fatigue every morning when you're trying to get dressed. You're digging through all your white tops to find the Vneck, cropped, linen blend that goes perfectly with the pants you have on.
I hang things by style, then fabric. Folded tops in drawers are the same. The right hand side is white, burgundy, blue, black-ALL 4 are v-neck slub knit. The next white, red, pink, burgundy, navy are boxy cotton. The last white, pink, blue is shorter- a great layering piece. I know where to go in this drawer based on the vibe I'm going for.
AND THIS IS WHY I will always ask you how your brain works before I give suggestions on how to set up your space. This may drive you nuts, or you just may find it helps you get dressed quicker and easier!
"Do I need 10 black tops?"
Real life client case- I was in a closet 2 weeks ago and my client said, "I guess I should get rid of some of these, do I need 10 black tops? I haven't worn some in a couple of years".
Stop.
-Have you not worn them because they don't feel like you anymore? You've grown out of a boho/flutter sleeve vibe?
-Have you not worn them because you realize that you prefer a v-neck to a scoop neck? Discovered you really hate that ¾ sleeve with the elastic band?
-Have you not worn them because they ended up in that weird back corner of your closet that you really don't see?
So…
-It's ok to evolve your style- in fact, I encourage it!
-It's absolutely vital to pay attention to what you don't like so you will become a better shopper. You will save so much money when you take this step seriously.
-You HAVE to figure out why you don't like what you're not wearing. It will save you time, money and a load of mental energy every morning.
Let's put a 20 minute block on your calendar every few months to rotate your clothing. There's a few reasons we only wear 20% of our clothing. We like our favorites, we lose sight of what we have, we don't have great integration, yada…yada…
For now, let's just find what has been shoved back in the corner, it's a quick win and you may be amazed what you find!😉
And if you'd rather have me ask you how your brain works in person, that's a closet edit, in your closet, anywhere in the Denver Metro.