It’s such a cliche, but we’ve all been there: A closet full of clothes and nothing to wear. It’s definitely a first-world problem, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t need solutions and strategies for the overwhelm that can come from a cluttered closet.
An overstuffed closet represents a missed opportunity to look and feel your best. There are cute outfits in there just waiting to come out!
Today’s video is all about eliminating the overwhelm by making the closet editing process faster and more manageable so that you can start wearing some of those cute clothes right away. Here’s my 6-step plan:
Quick Edit
Start by quickly eliminating all of the things in your closet that come to mind when you first think about purging. The clothes that are worn and torn, sad and tired, shapeless and ill-fitting. Anything pilled or stained or obviously in disrepair should go. This should be quick. Don’t overthink it. Just throw these items into a bin. Many thrift stores accept these items for work clothes on job sites or send them off to be recycled into industrial rags.
Yes-No
The next step is what I call the Yes-No edit. Without overthinking, quickly go through your closet and say yes/no quickly as you categorize clothes into favorites and not-so favorites. One of the things that makes this process easier is that you are not getting rid of the No clothes right away. You are just setting them aside.
Now that you have your clothes separated into Yes and No categories, move the Yes clothes, categorized by type and by color, to the front of your closet. If possible, move the No clothes elsewhere, or just push them to the back of the closet. Make sure there is a clear line between the Yes and No clothes. You don’t want them to get mixed up again and undo all your hard work.
Give yourself permission to mentally free yourself of the pressure of wearing clothes you don’t love. Life is too short not to feel beautiful. Make a decision to only wear your favorites.
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Donation Bin
Have a donation bin ready in your closet for wardrobe rejects. This allows you to purge your closet as you go, rather than doing it in one long and exhausting purge session.
Create Outfits
The next step is to work with your Yes clothes only, as a capsule of sorts, and create outfits. Now, using items from your Yes capsule, plan out the next 5 days’ worth of outfits. Try to use items that don’t get worn much or that you tend to forget about. Hang these 5 outfits on a valet rod or at the front of your closet.
The only way to wear more of your clothes is to plan outfits in advance.
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Now, as you wear a new outfit, snap a pic so that you can start creating a lookbook of favorites on your phone. Once you have a couple of weeks’ worth of looks, it will be easy and fun to look back and choose your faves.
No Shopping
Commit to the process of turning your Yes Capsule into cute, everyday outfits, wearing them, and snapping selfies for one solid month, and during that time, skip the stores.
After all, you are already overwhelmed and have too many clothes you’re not wearing.
Keep a running list on your phone or in your closet of anything you might need to add or items that may need replacing. At the end of the month, assess your outfits and decide what you need, if anything.
One In One Out
If you tend to be a collector, adopt the policy of One In, One Out to stay on top of your wardrobe. When you buy something new, eliminate something from your current wardrobe. This strategy prevents you from being in the same state of overwhelm a year from now.
Makeover Minute/Question of the Week
This episode’s makeover is from Sara, a beautiful member of the Nada Manley Style VIP Facebook group. Sara is a Style Dial Blue, and when she shared two pictures of herself in little black dresses and asked us to pick a favorite, the vote was nearly unanimous. Can you pick the winning dress?
Sara is a Style Dial Blue, a straighter body type with hips and shoulders in proportion to each other and little to no waist definition. This also seems to describe the body type of Carin, who asked the question of the week with a description of her body type: “I have big boobs and no waist and smaller bottom half. I always look top-heavy.” This is a common complaint/challenge of a Style Dial Blue.
A Style Dial Blue can have broad shoulders and a fuller upper body but small hips and bum and generally slim legs. When a Style Dial Blue gains weight, it is usually in the upper half of the body or the tummy area.
A Style Dial Blue looks best in a vertical neckline, ruching in tops and dresses, and volume in the bottom half of an outfit.
A Style Dial Blue is straight through the torso. Ruching and a vertical neckline are very flattering. This dress silhouette is ideal for a Style Dial Blue. Look for a vertical neckline and ruching, when possible. Flowy wide-leg pants are a great choice for a Style Dial Blue. Catherine Zeta-Jones is one of many celebrities with this body type.
Buzzworthy
My Buzzworthy pick of the week is Menofit, a probiotic designed specifically for women in menopause. It has been a total game-changer for me, helping with digestion, hot flashes, and the other indignities of mid-life. 🙂 Check it out for yourself right here.
And now I’d love to hear from you! Are you a Style Dial Blue body type, like Sara and Carin? And do you have an overstuffed closet but nothing to wear? Let me know in the comments!
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