The Real Chic Life

Over the last 6 years or so we’ve moved, bought, sold, rented, and bought again because of the nature of my husband’s job and the desire to fully figure out a city before we decide where to make things permanent.

I love our current house and hope to enjoy making memories in it for years and years to come, but the reality is we probably have one more house in us. For me, that would be a beach house in addition to this one but my husband isn’t convinced it’ll be our forever home. Which means at least one, maybe two (fingers crossed on that beach vacation home) more closets in my future.

All that to say I’ve got quite a lot of experience with making different size closets work and the biggest way to make your closet work for you not against you is to do a cleanout each season. If that sounds like too much for you then a yearly spring clean will do. 

Here’s what I do to keep my current (small walk-in) closet in check:

Remove all non-seasonal items– I typically place all out-of-season items on the bed. Sweaters, heavier blazers, seasonal fabrics, etc on the bed. I then take inventory of the bed and the rest of the closet and make a donation pile of items I didn’t wear or don’t love. Then I look for anything that needs repair and place those in a bag for my seamstress. And finally, I toss items not suitable for donation or beyond repair. Sometimes we do feel sentimental about clothing items. I’m quick to edit and let go but there are a few items that tug on my heartstrings. If that keeps you from donating or letting go that’s ok just box them up, label them well and place them somewhere else (attic, or another closet that you aren’t pulling from daily).

Use matching hangers– I love this tip. I use wooden hangers but they do take up more space. There are definitely thinner, more closet-friendly options out there. The reason I recommend this is obviously for aesthetics but it goes deeper than that. When things look pleasing to us we’re more likely to want to keep it that way. Your closet will stay cleaner and look more streamlined when it reminds you of your favorite boutique and not a bottomless pit.

Hang clothing by category and or color– this makes getting dressed and or using a capsule wardrobe effortless because you can easily grab it from each shelf. It also helps with inventory because you can easily see where your closet has gaps. This leads me to my next tip.

Make a list of anything you need– now this might sound counterproductive to cleaning out your closet but the whole point here is making sure your wardrobe works for you. Now that you’ve cleaned it out you can easily see things you’re missing. Where are your gaps? I know way too many people with full closets who claim to have nothing to wear. This is why. Less is often more but you have to have the right stuff. I typically add a few items (emphasis on a few) to replace a couple of things that I let go. Favorite jeans have discolored knee areas? Fave white tee not too white anymore? Those are things you can add to your list.

So that’s how I edit my closet regardless of size! it works well for me but it’s certainly not the only way. I would love to hear your tips for editing yours too.

Until next post,

Xo Tonya Parker

P.S if you’re looking for a place to donate you may want to check out Uncommon Threads Boutique. Their program helps low-income women in the Boston area and they’re hoping to expand soon!