Hello lovelies!

Hope you are having a fabulous Monday and are ready for an amazing week.

I always start my day with a few positive daily affirmations. Today I am focusing on the theme of organization as I ready my home to sell. While this is a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be a stressor. It can actually be a liberating process to cull through stuff you have held onto for years and then organize your treasures in a manner that simplifies your life and mind.

If you haven’t read my 7 Simple Questions to Declutter Your Wardrobe, start with that blog first before you tackle the re-org process. Let’s begin.

Breath in organization, exhale stress.

Here are a few simple steps to consider, specifically for your wardrobe, that will ease your daily dressing efforts and ultimately bring peace to your life:

1.} Shirts: Tops should always be stored on the top wrung of your closet–since tops are worn on the “top” of your body! If you only have a single bar to store all of your t-shirts and blouses, place them to the far left side of the closet sloping up from shortest to longest.

2.}Bottoms: Pants, skirts and shorts should live on the bottom tier of your closet, half folded on a felt or wooden hanger. If you have the space, feel free to hang your athletic pants…but remember TANP {TIGHTS ARE NOT PANTS!} and should be reserved for yoga only. Bottoms can be stored to the right side of the closet if you have a single bar. If you have a tight space, consider the tri-fold for pants by Marie Kondo and place in a drawer accordion style. Use clips for the felt hangers to secure shorts and skirts.

3.} Sweaters/Cardigans and Scarves: Sweaters and scarves should remain neatly folded in color groupings and stored on shelves or in drawers. Cardigans may be hung since they are considered outerwear unless they are too bulky or weighty for the hanger.

4.} Outerwear, Blazers, Jackets, and Athletic Wear:  Outerwear, Jackets and Blazers should be hung together. Make sure your athletic wear is separate as those items aren’t considered a topper for daily wear.

5.} Long Garments: Dresses, tunics, and longer vests should be placed on a top wrung where they can hang at their fullest length without dragging the ground.

6.}Hangers: Wire hangers can damage your clothes, reduce their life cycle and are from the devil. Please stop the madness and get rid of those immediately from your life. Invest in a proper hanger NOW! To keep things tidy, leave the hanger exposed once you remove a shirt for wear. You can also coach you housekeeper to put them back in the right place for you.

Encourage your dry cleaners to place your garments back on the felt hangers you bring them to prevent the wire options form coming back into your life. Take in your own garment bags instead of using the traditional plastic. This is a more sustainable practice for the environment.

7.} Color Groupings and Sleeve Length: Clothing should be lined up from left to right beginning with the shortest sleeved top at the beginning of the line-up {i.e. camisoles and sleeveless shirts} to the longest sleeved. I make sure collard shirt styles are together in their own section as well. Next, prioritize each by sleeve length grouping by color using ROY G BIV as a reminder {Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet} Bookend the color grouping with whites and blacks ranging from lightest to darkest in shade.

8.} Garments face what side? Make sure the fronts of your shirts face left on the hanger if you are right handed and facing right if you are left handed. This allows you to easily see the details on the front of the shirt when you pull it out for consideration. Don’t put anything back on a hanger that is soiled or hung on the inside out. That practice makes my skin crawl.

9.} Shoes: Remove all shoes from their original boxes so they are easily visible AND accessible to complete your daily look. A shoe can make or break a good outfit. Invest in boot trees for tall boots to keep their integrity and shape.  Or you can store in appropriate clear boxes until it is time to wear them to avoid dust bunnies. Generally speaking–avoid clear containers if you can leave your shoes exposed on shoe shelving units.

10.} Accessories: Make sure your jewelry is within your reach AND organized so these become a vital part of styling your complete outfit ideas. Invest in jewelry storage trays or other creative, mirrored storage solutions like I have.  Hats and handbags should also be easy to access. I fill my purses with tissue or the bag they came in and place them on a shelf so they are like works of art in my closet. Hats are stored in adorable boxes as part of my closet decor.

Now you are well on your way to give every item in your closet a place to properly rest. Namaste.

Fashionably Yours,

Jen Young