|
The
Clothing Chronicles ================================================
In This Issue: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I can't believe it's the middle of March already and that a new clothing season has already hit the stores. We'll be talking more about what's hot for spring next week, so if you haven't culled your wardrobe yet to determine what you need, take a little time this weekend to do so. If you're having trouble sorting through your collection because you have SO much stuff, today's article will help you make quick work of it so that you can put your closet in functioning order. Enjoy!
Diana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How Is Your Closet Like A Playroom? While picking up my preschoolers' toys for perhaps the thousandth time this past weekend, I finally grew annoyed enough to do what I often threaten the girls with if they don't clean up the mess themselves: I got a trashbag and started tossing. It wasn't a mindless, "everything-I-touch-goes" kind of purging, but it did remove a lot of items they don't play with anymore and left their playroom in an imminently more organized state. As I worked, it occurred to me that the sorting process I was using was similar to the one I use when helping clients assess their closets, and that clothes and accessories for women are a lot like toys and books for kids: they're easy to accumulate, but often hard to let go of. If you've been putting off going through your closet because you don't want to make decisions about your stuff, use this six-step action plan to help you make quick work of it. The new season is a great reason to set your plan into action, and this fun "Play Room Clean Up Guide" analogy will help you to put the emotions aside so you can get to the heart of the matter: getting rid of the stuff you don't use. Here's how: 1. Ditch The "Fast Food" Clutter If you take your small children through drive thrus on occasion, you probably get the kids meal with a toy. The toy gets played with for a day at the most, and then spends the rest of its time in your house laying in wait for your bare feet on the floor. In your closet, these are the trendy, "must-have" items that quickly loose their luster. You wear them a few times before they migrate to the back of the closet where they usually hang until they're completely out of style. Hopefully you bought them as cheaply as you could so that parting won't be such sweet sorrow. Toss them and move on. 2. Do Something With The Broken Stuff Chances are, you have broken toys that are sitting somewhere in your house right now, waiting to be fixed. If it was a favorite toy, it was fixed immediately. If it wasn't, it will probably sit in the "to be fixed pile" until well after the kid has outgrown it. In your closet, these are the items that are missing buttons, have frayed hems, or need to be mended in some fashion. If it was a favorite piece, you probably fixed it already. If it wasn't, it's probably been sitting in the "to be repaired" pile for a while. Fix it and put it back into circulation, toss it, or fix it and give it away. 3. Remove The Outgrown Items Kids outgrow their toys just as they do their clothes and shoes. If your four year old isn't playing with her toddler toys anymore, it's because her interests have changed and matured. Get rid of them or give them away. In your closet, these are the items that you've either physically outgrown, or that don't fit into your lifestyle anymore. Old sportswear, maternity clothes, club scene clothes - whatever. If they don't apply to your lifestyle or size anymore, get rid of them. You've moved on, so they should move out. 4. Hang On To The Classics Lincoln logs. A Red Flyer bike. A wooden train. These sturdy, solid toys will last a lifetime, even if your kids outgrow them. Pack them away carefully and bring them out again when your kids have kids because classics withstand the test of time and will be enjoyed by each new generation. In your closet, these are the classic investment pieces like trench coats, Chanel-style jackets, wool trousers, and the like that will withstand the test of time. If you're not wearing them now for whatever reason (besides size or dislike), hang on to them, because you'll be able to wear them again once your interest in the look is rekindled. 5. Remove The New But Unloved If your kids have new toys that they're not playing with, it could because they just don't like them. They may have seen them somewhere and BEGGED you for them, but in spite of the drama, they're not being played with. Consign them or give them away. In your closet, this could be a certain item that you saw and HAD to have. You wanted it and bought it, but somehow, it's just not "you." Don't delay. Return it if you can, consign it if you can't. There's no use in keeping it if you're not going to use it. 6. Keep The Rest Once you've gone through all the toys and disposed of them as indicated, your kids should be left with the handful of items that they love and play with all the time. It doesn't mean that they won't ever need to be reviewed again; it just means that for now, corralling all those critters becomes a quick and easy task. In your closet, purging all the unworn items frees you from clutter and guilt over poorly chosen pieces. You'll have fewer clothes to maintain and keep track of, and plenty of space to "see" new mix-and-match opportunities from your existing pieces. You don't have to have a lot to LOOK like you have a lot; you just need to know how to get the most out of what you already own. Cleaning your closet should be a straightforward task. Assess each item, determine whether it has a role in your wardrobe, and toss, sell, or give away it away if it doesn't. It's not difficult so don't make it harder than it is. Just roll up your sleeves and get started. You'll be delighted with the results. Need more help in assessing your wardrobe needs? Download a copy of WARDROBE MAGIC to see how easy looking good can be. ************** Until next time,
Diana Pemberton-Sikes
http://www.FashionForRealWomen.com ------------------------ Published by:
Top Drawer
Publications, LLC Copyright © 2004 by Diana Pemberton-Sikes All rights reserved. |
|
© 2004
Top Drawer Publications, LLC
All rights reserved.
256 S. College
Avenue • Newark, DE 19711
Phone/Fax
302-266-0156 • Email: sales@topdrawerpublications.com