organize the chaos

Ever since declaring that I had figured out another layer of my personal style, I have been looking at my closet with a more critical eye. But unfortunately, all I could see was the MESS! 

So began the great purge of 2013. I currently have 90+ items in my sell/donate pile... which I thought was a LOT, but then I counted what was left in my closet, & thought that that was a TON too! I closed my eyes & started flipping through hangers & when I got to the last hanger, I had counted to 232… I didn't even have the strength to get to the folded items (so this does include shoes, but not sweaters, shorts, or workout clothes/t-shirts)… 

You know how they always say that the people who are "professionals" are the worst clients - doctors make the worst patients, carpenters always have unfinished projects in their own homes, & in my case, as some who enjoys dolling out "organizational advice", I am very bad at employing it in my own life!

I have a bevy of posts dedicated to the topic of closet organization… that you can see here (with my favorite being this one on "10 closet organization tips"). I have even shown you a tour of my closet before, all polished up & pretty: here (Dec, 2011) & here (Sept, 2013).

In late 2011 I tallied up my closet inhabitants - at that time they came to 272 articles (that count even included sweaters, shorts, & scarves too!) So let's just say that I do have more now, but I have also been consciously trying to build a better wardrobe, purchasing more "staples" & replacing old ratty favorites, with new, quality investment pieces. Regardless, that "minimalistic" wardrobe that I am so drawn to, has never been more of a far away dream! Far, far, far away dream.

In order to appreciate what I have now, I need to get a better system of organization going on in my closet. As you can see in these pictures, I have the luxury of space above my closet, but it is this huge void that gets stuffed with everything & in no particular order (boxes of off season shoes, sheets, presents, luggage, hats, & even some remnants from college theme parties… the stories those things could tell!)

The problem with vertical space is finding a way to maximize the opportunity, so that when removing one item it doesn't all come tumbling down. Enter the new Rubbermaid All Access storage units that I picked up at the Home Depot. They open from the front (mind. blown.) No more leaning tower of shoe boxes that comes tumbling down whenever I want to find a pair!

Three of the All Access boxes (size "small) - gave me better utilization of the vertical space than I have ever had before. 2 are filled with shoe boxes & another holds my clean sheets. And then, because everything had a place & I was able to stack up higher than before, I got to add more stuff! Greater utilization, easier to find things. That, my friends is what we call a win-win!

(After removing the 90 "purge" items (left quarter of the hang-ups) & maximizing the vertical space with open front boxes, I can finally SEE everything... the pictures do it NO justice!)

What closet organization tools do you use?

Open up the possibilities of easy access with Rubbermaid® All Access™ Organizers. The All Access™ line features a clear drop-down door so you can easily see and retrieve the items you want, even when they are stacked! Visit your local Home Depot to see why organization just got easier!
 
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Rubbermaid® . The opinions and text are all mine.

Curated Closet: my closet tour

Over the past couple of months we have been talking about curating the closet of your dreams.

So far the "Curated Closet" series has covered identifying the problem, filling wardrobe holes, adding wardrobe completers & closet organization.

The last time I gave a tour of my closet was December 2011 & I think we are due for another round!

And here she is!
As a reminder, I live in a 900 square foot townhouse with my fiancé & two pugs. Storage space is pretty much lacking in every corner of our place, with the exception of my bedroom that happens to have decent closets despite it all (it's my saving grace!)

Two closets span one wall in my room & I have to say, I have utilized every inch of this hard to come by storage.

In the left hand side closet I hang (from Left to Right): coats, jackets, dresses, long skirts & then large handbags.

Down below the left side lives:

- a storage box of costumes (my college had a theme party every weekend & I just haven't been able to part with any of them yet!)
- Overnight bags (all the small ones are stored inside the largest one)
- Clutches, scarves & hats live in a little storage unit that I found in the bathroom section of Target (you never know where you are going to find great stuff!)

In the right hand side closet I hang (from Left to Right): cardigans, button downs, blouses, short skirts & then trousers & denim.

Up top lives special occasion shoes, large sunhats & out of season clothes in vacuum storage bags.

Down below the right side are my shoes (the ones that get regularly worn... I'm a shoe girl!). Alternating the way every other shoe faces (heels to toe) makes way for so much more room (at least an extra pair each row!)

Uniform skinny hangers make it feel so luxe in my closet!

My tips for making the most of your closet space?

1. slim profile hangers (seriously makes so much difference!)

2. vacuum bags for out of season clothes

3. maximize vertical space with floor shelves/storage

4. hang belts (any other option is just a mess)

5. make the most of cascading hangers

6. hang pants/trousers, 2 to a hanger if you can

7. clip multiple skirts per hanger

8. hanger hooks!

9. group like tops on the same hanger

10. turn shoes heel to toe

So you can see, skinny & uniform hangers save space & make me feel like I am shopping at a boutique in my own closet.

Alternating the way my shoes point lets me add more to my collection. 

Maximizing the number of items I can fit on a hanger means I can use less hangers.

I try to purchase clothes that work for multiple seasons, but any seriously out of season items (the really heavy stuff or skimpy stuff that is sadly only a 1 season wear) gets stored in vacuum bags (under the bed or above the hanger bar are good underutilized storage spots!)

What state is your closet it? Boutique curated? Or heaping mess?

Any winning tips you can share?

P.S. Don't forget to enter to win a Stella & Dot necklace {here}

Curated Closet: Organization

One of the goals behind starting this blog was to chronicle my journey towards building a versatile closet that will transition with me as I finish graduate school & into a future professional career.

I certainly do not have it all figured out yet. But it looks like I am not the only one struggling with the notion of a curated closet, filled with things you LOVE not just like.

This realization that we have much to learn from each other, kicked off my curated closet series.

In the first class, Curated Closet 101 we learned about how to avoid impulse shopping.

And then we expounded upon one of the points from CC 101: filling closet holes.

Now in the 3rd Curated Closet lesson, I am talking about how to make getting dressed everyday more fun: Closet Organization.

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 Am I the only one that keeps on shopping, bringing more items in, without many items finding their way out & now has a closet bursting out the seams?

While few of us are fortunate enough to have a Mr. Big build us a closet out of Carrie Bradshaw's life or our opulent Pinterest dreams, with some carefully thought out organization, I think we can all enjoy getting dressed a little more & inspire some wardrobe nirvana!

It is best to do this after you have purged... so be sure to file this checklist away if you haven't already done so!

{1.} Put like with like. Start with the larger items, coats/jackets & then move on down the line to sweaters, jeans, etc. Cull them into groups & keep them that way for easy access.

{2.} Sub-categorize by color and/or style. Depending on the extent of your wardrobe, it is helpful to sort your shirts into those that are for work, going out, or for the weekend. And within that, organize them by color so that they are easy to find. Kind of like a card catalog for your closet!

{3.} Fold sweaters. Seriously, those specialty hangers that promise to not deform the shoulders take up more room than they are worth. And don't even work most of the time. Save space & headache by just neatly folding them.

{4.} Store off season items with care. I like to have all of my clothes where I can see them - out of sight, out of mind - & I don't want that! So I try to keep everything in rotation year-around, but the bulkiest items get tucked away in these miracle space-saving bags (as seen on TV, but they totally work!). Whatever your solution, make sure that your clothes are well taken care of, even in the off-season (repel moths, maintain the shape of your boots, use tissue paper with more delicate items)

{5.} Use uniform hangers. What is the first thing you notice about a boutique? Clean, neat, uniform hangers. The choice I use in my closet, these slim profile, no slip ones. It will change your life... well, at least your closet!

{6.} Take advantage of horizontal space. Hanger hooks, boom you're welcome. Use them to stack skirts, pile on pants & generally get more bang for your buck!

{7.} Make the most of vertical "dead space". If you are like me, you have one hanging bar & then 3 feet of unused space under where the close hang. Pack this space with storage shelves & cubbies for storing shoe boxes, off season accessories & purses.

{8.} Re-think accessory storage. Are your pretty things piled in the corner? (my hand should be raised) Why not try hanging your purses? Use tie hangers to organize scarves? Keep all your belts in one handy location.

{9.} Instate a one-in one-out policy. If your closet is stuffed to the gills, maybe it is time for radical thinking. Think about replacing a few of your cheaper items with 1 investment/classic item. Or for every piece you bring in, sell/donate/toss an older/unloved/duplicate item from your wardrobe.

{10.} Make it pretty. Hang up your favorite art print, drag a colorful ottoman over for ease of putting on your shoes, decorate the walls with inspiration pictures you have collected from magazines. We spend so much money stocking our closets full of pretty things, so why not make the entire space your own retreat!?

Whether you are ready to tackle your closet now or plan to have a future organization date, pin this handy guide you get you started!

What are your closet organization tips?

Visit my Organization Board for more creative storage ideas.

Have you seen my Wardrobe Staple List that started it all? 

Check out the original post here & shopping recommendations here.

hard to say goodbye

Well, the time has come. My favorite summer sandals are no longer appropriate for wear outside the house... I have officially loved them to death! At least they got a send off in style - walking around for hours in Nice, France wore the soles right down to the nub (not even salvageable by the cobbler I'm afraid).

This is something that I constantly struggle with - getting rid of a much loved item from my closet. Even though the item is no longer useful, it was once loved and holds sentimental value. I worry that if I toss it, I will miss it, but keeping it around means that I will just be tempted to wear it. One of those times that I wish I had had the foresight to have bought multiples! But, this is all part of the evolution and refinement of my closet.... or at least what I keep telling myself to make the parting easier.

How do you go about exfoliating the items in your closet that are no longer in use, flattering, or treasured?

Do you keep around items for sentimental value only?

Or is parting such sweet sorrow... only to be healed by the hunt of an equally fabulous piece?

xx

Jessica

closet makeover

Hello lovies - sorry for no 30X30 outfit today, I have gotten behind on taking pictures of my outfits (bad weather, busy at work, stressing about where I am going to live...the usual). But there really is no excuse, and I promise to "re-enact" some this week, and post a few on Monday :)

 But I do have an activity for you to partake in this weekend... closet cleaning! It is almost Spring, and I am sure you are making a Spring wish list for items to add to your wardrobe, but first, I would advise you to clean out your closet, take inventory, and make an organized start for the next season.

 I live by the Carrie Bradshaw mentality, that my clothes are an investment and I should take care of them, so I am a rigorous closet cleaner/organizer/inventory taker... and I have 5 steps for getting you to closet nirvana as well:

1. edit your wardrobe

Pull everything out. Yes, ev-er-y thing. If you don't know what you have, you won't know what you need. And will instead purchase impulsively. Do you have a versatile jacket for the transition weather of Winter-Spring temps? Or will a pair of booties help fill out your collection of Spring dresses and flats? But a 5th pair of color jeggings would probably not be a "need" item

I store all of my clothes in my closet at once (with the exception of heavy winter coats), but some people find it useful to have a smaller "curated" collection of seasonal items stored on a easily accessible roller rack (lots of good images of this on Pinterest).

{via}

2. make your space easy to use 

Next, start hanging/folding/storing your clothes back in a easy, attractive way. If you have lots of space, maybe you should consider including a small stool in your closet to aid in decision making time/shoe putting on. You don't have to have a lot of space, and a little creativity may be required, but you can do it!

No, not everyone can have a Jenna Lyons' style dressing room of epic proportions, but make it easy for your particular lifestyle 

{via}

3. arrange it like a boutique 

If your space is beautiful, and your clothes arranged like a "boutique", then getting dressed every day will be like shopping in your own personal store. Seeing what you have arranged by color/type/season will make remixing your items fun and easy. I achieve this step by using uniform hangers, and sorting my clothes by type. I start by separating shirt/pants/skirts/dresses in their own areas and then sorted even more by style (i.e. all button-downs together, followed by my silk shells, and dressy tops). That way you can pull an item from the "shirt" section, and the "pant" section, add shoes and accessories, 

and you're good to go!

{via}

4. stick to a system 

This is very important! Maintenance of the system you establish is key. This means not throwing your clothes onto a chair at the end of the day (I am sooo guilty of this!), but rather taking the 5 minutes to take care of your clothes/jewelry/shoes and place them back into their designated area. 

(If you are starting your system from scratch the Container Store has reasonably priced solutions)

{via}

5. update it seasonally

Keep it going! Each season take inventory, decide what you need for your working closet (investments), and then determine what trendy pieces you want to add (cheaper items)

My must-haves for keeping my closet in tip-top shape:
- uniform neutral hangers (favorites)

- shelf organizers (these are beyond valuable for maximizing space!)

      Tip: use clear containers, important to actually see what is in your closet)

{via}

Ok, I hope that helps!

Be honest, is your closet already like a boutique, or do you have an abyss of a closet that could have who-knows what in the dark corners?

Happy Spring cleaning this weekend

xx

Jessica

come into my closet

A woman's closet is a very personal place - for me it is my treasure chest, and I truly do my best to keep my "treasures" in good condition, as I would any other prized possession. After graduating from college, I began focusing on a less is more idea for my closet - meaning that I wanted to concentrate on buying a fewer quantity of clothes but of ones that are of a greater quality and will last me for many years to come, throughout life's transitions.

In my current living situation, I have a pretty great closet arrangement. Along one entire wall of my bedroom, two large closets hide behind doors. On one side, lives most of my day-to-day clothes (sweaters, button-downs, jeans, slacks, daytime dresses, and most of my shoes).

I like my money right where I can see it... hanging in my closet" -Carrie Bradshaw

Current inspiration pictures (torn from magazines) are taped up along the inside of my closet doors. Right now I am inspire by lady like ensembles - embellished "Chanel" coats + skinny jeans, blazers + A-line skirts

 

uniform hangers help classy up my clothes, and make seeing what I actually have easier
(it is like shopping from a boutique everyday!)

Jeans hang on pant hangers in twos to save space

Clothes that I haven't worn in a while hang on the outside handles or are laid out in - having these clothes out in plain sight reminds me to wear them, and if I don't wear them after having them out for a while, it is time to part ways with them.

Shoes are organized in their boxes at the bottom on shelves, my go-to favorites are usually kept out in the front

In the other closet lives my jackets, coats, fancy dresses, boots, and seasonal clothing (i.e. swimsuits are put away in a box right now, while my gloves and hats are out, but this changes depending on the time of year)

Coats and boots have their own closet 

My favorite boots

 This past weekend I went through my closet and had an organize/purge session. I realized that since I have been fortunate enough to not get any taller or wider since high school I have been holding on to a number of clothes simply because they had at one point had actually cost me a lot, or had retained sentimental value, even though I do not wear them regularly or at all. I pulled out all the clothes that I haven't worn in a while and sorted them into 4 piles:
1. Keep - after putting on some of the items I realized that they could be updated or mixed into my closet as is. I hung these up at the front of my closet so that I can make a better effort to wear them (If I still am not wearing them after seeing them everyday for a while, they will get moved to a new pile)
2. Swap - as I mentioned, I have been holding on to some quality clothes for a while, but I simply do not wear everything in my closet. I am currently working on organizing a "swap" with some of my girlfriends so that we can have "new-to-us" clothes for free!
3. Donate - some clothes I have been hanging on to are simply just not working with the other residents of my closet, nor did I think my girlfriends would have any interest in them... to the Goodwill they go.
4. Trash - no one wants to see what I do to ballet flats, there were some "well loved" pairs that simply had no more life in them.

While I did end up removing 2 large bags of clothes (1 for the swap, the other for Goodwill) and even tossed some gross ballet flats, I am confident that I will be able to do more with the clothes I now have hanging in my closet, and even "re-discovered" some gems that I can't wait to mix up!

There are plenty of "clothes diets" and "30 for 30 Remix" stories that challenge us shopping/clothes addicts to rethink our habits, and analyze what we NEED instead of always looking to fill a void with what we WHAT. I think for now I am going to continue my focus on purchasing quality well-made clothes instead of picking up cheaper, more disposable items - which will help my closet remain trim and be more eco-conscious.

How many clothes do you need anyways?

Could you get by on 6 items of clothes? Or go a whole year without shopping?!

xx

Jessica