Fall Closet Edit | Organizing Tips + Boden Final Clearance Sale

I couldn’t help but notice, when I sat down to have coffee with fellow blogger and friend, Freya Hooper this past week, she had this cute little book sitting on the table next to her iced latte.

The book blogger she is, author of OneGreatBook, Freya is always reviewing a book of some kind, so I figured this was one of her latest reads. The book sat there for awhile, like an elephant in the room, until I finally asked, “is that your latest review?”  “No”,  she replied, “I brought it for you”.  Now intrigued, I said, ” let’s hear it”!

She explained it’s all about organizing.  Organizing your life. She went on to say that most of us keep every warranty, from every appliance – ever. Why? Because we think we may need that piece of paper some day. Reality? If your appliance breaks, you either call your Home Warranty company or repair man – either way, you can look everything up you need to read about said appliance – online. Yet, I have a file drawer, in a prime location in my kitchen, filled to the gills with warranties from everything from my microwave to alarm clocks that are not longer even living in our home.

Sound familiar?

She went on to say, that Kondo says start with the easy – your closet. Why? It’s the least emotional place to start. Once you clear the clutter in one location, you’ll be ready to move onto the next.

Since Kondo’s method to tackling the closet is similar to my own, I brought back a favorite ASB post from spring, on creating your dream closet.

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Get the Closet You’ve Always Wanted!

I love a new season, and I get so excited about the latest trends, that I start picking up a few new things that I “have to have”,  before the weather has even turned.  Am I alone here?

So, twice a year I “gut” my closet, and give it a little facelift.  I do this by removing EVERYTHING out of my closet, bring my seasonal clothing out of storage and resetting it all.  I inspect every item that goes back in,  pack up off-season clothing and donate or resell what is no longer working for me.

I understand that this whole process may seem overwhelming. Planning is key.  I pick a date on the calendar when I have a few hours free.  I know I need about 4 uninterrupted hours to accomplish what needs to get done in my closet.  On my date of choice, I set aside the time, turn off my phone and focus.  I let my close friends know what I am up to so they know why I am off the grid for a few hours. I grab a cup of coffee and start working.

The photos in this post are from when my girlfriend Celeste, asked me and our friend Amy, to organize her closet for her Birthday.

Really? No spa? Girls Night Out? You want us to organize your closet?

After insisting that is all she wanted for her Birthday, Amy (master organizer) and I showed up armed with coffee and snacks to clean out our dear friends closet. Here we go…

Before

 

Step One: Clear the space

• Remove all of the clothes from your closet and lay your clothing on the bed.  I place handbags, shoes and accessories in separate piles on the floor. EVERYTHING means everything. If you were working with Kondo, when you leave stuff in the closet, she automatically tosses it out – seriously, read the book!
• Vacuum out the closet and toss any garbage, shoeboxes, bags and clutter. Create a beautiful clean space.
• Unpack any previously stored in-season items and add them to the pile.
• Now you have some empty totes/storage containers, start packing up the off-season items by folding them into the totes. Touch and inspect each item that is going into storage.  If it has had a full life, put it in the donate pile. If you won’t be wearing something for a while because it isn’t seasonally appropriate, in the tote it goes!  Repeat the process with your off-season handbags accessories and shoes. Your true spring/summer items should all be nicely packed up, ready for spring 2016.

 

Step Two: Sort the piles

• Now the hard part, deciding which clothes you will donate or resell. This is the hardest step, and the most important. If you want to have a truly organized closet, then your goal should be to get rid of as many items of clothing as possible. Below are a few questions I ask myself with each garment:
• Keep all the clothes that you wear on a regular basis and clothes that you would miss if they weren’t in your closet. If you’ve worn a certain item in the last week, month, or even few months, you should hold on to it as long as it’s seasonally appropriate.
• You are left now with a pile of clothes that need to be sorted.
• Have I worn this in the last year? If it has no sentimental value, it’s time to donate/resell it. Ask yourself, why you are holding onto something you never wear. Purchase mistakes can be resold, guilt is the wrong reason for keeping something.
• Is this item so worn, pilled or faded that neither I nor anyone else will ever wear it again, toss it!
• Does it still fit? Stop waiting for the day that it will fit and donate it.

 

Step Three: Closet re-entry

• Now it is time to put your clothes back in the closet.  As you prepare your items for re-entry, evaluate each piece honestly.  For each item you are unsure of, ask yourself the questions listed above.  If you truly cannot make the call, set the item aside and ask a good friend to give you an honest opinion.  It is possible that you are holding onto the item for emotional reasons.
• Hang up your clothes and organize them. Try to hang up as many of your clothes as you can. This will make it easier for you to find your clothes and to conserve space. I like to use thin felt type black hangers. You can get these at Costco, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Target. These hangers allow for more storage and the items don’t slip off.

Felt Hangers via Bed Bath and Beyond HERE

• I like to organize my clothes by type. I separate my knits, blouses/shirts, pants, skirts, day and special occasion dresses. Once all the items are back in the closet I colorize them, so I can really get a sense of what I own.
• The items I wear the most are in the best location for easy access and visibility, making it easy to get dressed in the morning.

Step Four:  Accessories

Handbags:

Scarves and Belts:

Shoes:

 Extras: Just for fun

• Paint your closet a soft pretty color.
• Add mirrors or a tall mirror
• Hang jewelry and scarves where you can see them  (see photos)
• Over-the-door shoe racks are a great way of saving space compared to on-ground shoe racks.
• If you have some space in your closet, perhaps put a dresser in the closet and store your folded items in it.
• Hang your clothes with the opening of the hanging part of the hanger toward you.  When you wear an item, put it back in normally.  Later in the year, you can go through your closet and evaluate the hangers that are still backwards and decide then if you want to keep the items or donate/resell them.
• I like to keep one basket in my closet for extra hangers. I have a second basket for slippers and flip flops to giving me easy access to items I wear daily.
• Add a fun quote or work of art for daily inspiration:

 And now..

Before and After

 Thoughts or comments? Scroll down and share!

Are you holding on to items that are too nice to toss or donate, but no longer wear them?

Two of my favorite consignment shops here locally are Millie Mango in downtown Burlingame and Repeter in downtown Los Altos.

Both of these stores, take gently used in season clothing, accessories, bags and shoes on consignment. The beauty of consignment is your preloved, last years Holiday Party dress can be bought by someone else attending a fun party, at a fraction of the price to enjoy and pass along some as well.  You, also, will get some cash to put towards whatever you like, guilt free. It’s a win win all around!

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Last up, big final clearance sale, on now at Boden

These styles, at these low prices won’t last, here are a few that caught my eye;

Wedge Boot, now $43.00-$57.00 HERE

Lillie Lace-Up Point Flats (so on trend and I love the navy for fall!), now $33.00-$56.00 HERE

Festival Wellie, now $35.20 HERE

Boden is practically giving items away in their clearance section, take a peek!

BANANA REPUBLIC

SALE ALERT! I love Banana Republic’s graphic tees, understated and not to over the top, paired up with anything form denim to skirts. A bunch are now on promo, 40% off the already reduced sale prices. And can we talk about how cute this cardigan is for $60.00? Pop on over to the BR sale section, use promo code BRSALE for an additional 40% off sale!

My thoughts on denim for fall?

What I’m loving and how I’m styling it NOW, HERE

The perfectly pulled together outfit requires great foundations!

A few of my favorites, HERE

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous weekend!

XOXO

Suzanne