How To Shop Your Closet

There is no more exciting way to vamp up your wardrobe than buying a new cute piece (or a few) to add to the collection. As we have stayed at home so much this year, it has really helped me to slow down on my buying and focus on what I have and actually want to wear. So now, I want to be able to ‘shop’ my closet! I want to get it feeling like a cute little boutique of great pieces that I’m dying to wear again. Trick is how to make that happen, and here’s how I do.

First thing to tackle: what is the state of your closet? Can you see into it?? After staying home this long, many of us have a few things in common. 1. We feel like we should probably be doing something with all this time at home but really don’t feel like doing much aside from watching Netflix. And 2. we are getting lazy about our clothes. I for one have been extremely lazy about putting on any ‘real clothes’ since March with the exception of a few times when I put on jeans to get groceries.

My Closet Before

Think about it this way, though, we are mid-way through 2020 already so what better time to clean out and re-organize our closets than now? If you need inspo, throw on Clueless via Netflix while you tackle this head on. Cher’s closet is everything you need to want to whip yours into shape.

Now before you get any further than hitting play, there is one step you cannot miss:

TAKE EVERYTHING OUT OF YOUR CLOSET.

Literally everything. Don’t think that you can skate through this one by using an excuse like ‘oh I know what is in here so I can just move things around’. Don’t kid yourself. Even if it hasn’t a year since you moved it, you have junk in that closet that you have completely forgotten about and likely don’t use or need. Pull EVERYTHING out.

Make It Shop-able

No matter how big or small your closet is, make sure it works for you. If you love wearing dresses and jackets, put them front and center in a spot that is easy to access. Fold those sweaters and get them onto shelves, color coordinate if that is your jam, rotate your summer clothes to the forefront for the warmer months if you haven’t already. It’s your closet so make sure that it works for your life. If you aren’t sure how to organize your clothes within your closet, think about your favorite store or boutique that you love to shop. What do you like about that store’s layout and displays? Take that and translate it into the space you have in front of you.

In my own closet, I have a few favorite tools that I use to keep my clothes organized. You can click any of the following if you need a little help from a friend: hanging shelves (I’m in an apartment which I can only customize so much so the hanging shelves are not the cutest but they get the job done), boot inserts, felt hangers (these take up way less space than the plastic or wooden hangers and they help to hold your clothes in place on the hanger!), S hooks (great for hanging pants!), drawer dividers, shoe racks.

Shag/Marry/Kill Time

Kind of anyway. Take a look at what you have in front of you. As you are putting things back into place in your closet, make sure you are only putting in those items that you love, that are classics, or that you know you’ll continue wearing often. Take this time to be honest about what you haven’t worn in years. Don’t save it simply because you wore it one time at the beach ten years ago and might wear it if you go to that beach again in the next few years. No. Let that piece have a life with someone who loves it and will get the use out of it. Donate what you know is no longer in line with your personal style to those in need or with someone whose style it does fit. Most cities have drop-off bins, a Salvation Army or similar option, or local charities or shelters that you can reach out to that would love to take things off your hands.

If you need help with your own closet clean out, let me know! You can DM me on Instagram @lifewithoutlouboutins to let me know you are in need of advice or if you want a second opinion when playing shag/marry/kill with your wardrobe. Have fun with this adventure!!