Purge that Closet

Sometimes you’ve got to let everything go – purge yourself.  If you are unhappy with anything…whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it.  Because you’ll find that when you’re free, your true creativity, your true self comes out. – Tina Turner 

So...you're back, thanks!  Or if you're here for the first time, this is my follow-up post to clearing out a very disorganized clothing closet.  I like the quote above.  Those moments in life when you're simply frustrated with how things are going, or you can't find what you're looking for, or you simply can't find direction are perfect reminders that it's time to get rid of something.  Freedom from clutter is always a great way to give yourself a boost.   Doing it in a creative way helps too. 

Start with a plan, apply a few simple rules, gather your tools, make a commitment and follow through.  You'll feel awesome when you're done!

The Plan (aka Goal) ~

Specific:  Clothing closet will be organized by color and clothing type.
Measurable:  25% reduction; fit in our color palette
Attainable:  Yes, it's time to do so, the day has been scheduled
Relevant:  Yes, it will make life easier because...all the clothes will be in one place and only clothing we wear and love will be there.
Time:  By end of day on 1/7/13, dropping off donations on 1/8/13

The Rules:

1. Define - What is your style?  You feel comfortable, confident, and ready to take on the world with clothing that you feel comfortable and confident in, simple as that.
2. Designate upfront what you're going to do with the stuff that doesn't make the cut.  Donate, sell, etc.  This is a must, you DO NOT want the stuff sitting around creating a new pile to deal with.  
3. What's a keeper?  You can answer yes to "Do I love me in this outfit?"  I wore it last week, it's clean and ready for the next outing.  It enhances my wardrobe, it can be worn it more than one way.  I feel inspired and ready to conquer the world in this outfit.  I feel like having fun when I wear this.  It fits!
4. What's a purger?  It's too small.  It's too big.  There's dust on it (come on, if it has dust on it, it hasn't seen daylight for way too long.).  It was a hand-me-up or hand-me-down from too many years ago (i.e., out of style).  If you feel compelled to fill this sentence:  I'm hanging on to this because it still fits, I paid a lot for it, it's going to come back into style, it____.  The item is out of your color palette and you look horrible in it.  You got it on sale.  You simply don't like it.  

Tools to have with you:

1. Camera and notebook.  This is if you're writing a blog about it...no, just kidding.  You'll want to record the items if you're going to donate the items, sell the items, or if you're going to need a record of them for some reason.  Maybe if you're really sentimental, then you might want to take a picture for your scrapbook??
2. Your color palette chart (Maybe this is outdated, but I happened to have a couple that I've gotten at "color" parties...one is copyright 1991...)  Good general rule of thumb though, you don't typically change from a Winter to a Summer.  
3. Garbage bag.
4. Boxes or bags for the clothing that you're donating.
5. Tissues if you're sentimental and need to cry over parting.
6. Vacuum and dust cloth...yes, this is a perfect time to clean as you go.
7. Music
8. Water bottle or your favorite refreshment/
9. Snacks (light ones, to keep you moving forward, so you don't get sidetracked when you take a break).

The process and follow through.  This is where you can have some fun.  Just throw the stuff in a pile as you go.  Be ruthless.  Be brave.  Be strong.  Find your true wardrobe!  Good luck!  

Here's my follow-through record.  I'll have a receipt for the donations later today!  Hopefully someone, somewhere will benefit from the items.  

Before - too much stuff, and
messy!

Totally disorganized!

Ah...purging begins.  I like to sort the hangers by color
too.  This will help the maintaining of the closet.
Specific items on specific color and style hangers.

Ah...the finished product.  

Organized by color and all
in my color palette.  

Same with the shelving.  (I share
with my husband, so half of the stuff
I just straightened, he'll have to go
through the process too!!)

All the empty hangers!  Yes, arranged by color and
function!

This is the fun part!  The pile
25% removed!!

All bagged up and ready for donating!

See proof...I do have two charts that tell me
what colors are okay to keep!  (There's a cobalt blue...
I saved a blazer this color, just in case I want to
dress up like an airline stewardess someday....)

Proof of the dust factor!