Closet Organization

It’s time for the “Closet Switch”

April 12, 2011 By Karen 2 Comments

That’s it! It’s mid-April. The time has come for me to do the twice yearly CLOSET SWITCH! I’m a couple weeks late actually. It has become the family joke because this process takes me so long. I am very methodical, and it takes a good portion of a day because I’m spring cleaning too. A girl has the right to spend time with her clothes! That’s what I tell the men in my family who laugh at my system. Besides, the time I put in now will pay off later. If you have a large closet where you can keep all your clothes together. I’m envious. If your spacious closet keeps all your clothes in perfect order, I still advise a seasonal weeding out. Move your “extreme” seasonal heavy clothing out of the mix so you can make quick and easy choices.

If you are a regular reader, you know about my small closet. And if you missed these posts, the category of closet organization will get you up to speed. You will read about everything from hangers to makeup organization ideas.

I’ve stored my off- season clothes in the unused half of my son’s closet for years. When he left for college, I promised I wouldn’t turn his room into something else, but now his room sure comes in handy for this. I simply have not had time to do this switch in one day. What a mess I have! It will take a few consecutive days to finish and I can leave it all out. Right now our weather is still not spring like. However, I need a change.

TIPS:

1. Make sure all your clothes are clean before you start. You don’t want to miss something AND it’s not smart to put things in storage that aren’t clean.

2. I have piles for Dry Cleaning, Consign, Donate. Call your consignment store to confirm what they are looking for. Early consignment pays off for some items. It makes no sense to consign your real summery clothes now–wait a couple months for that.

3. I store all my shoes and boots in their original boxes. The cardboard and stuffing for boots helps them keep their shape. Polish shoes before putting away (that’s my husband’s job) A little TLC will help them last for years. If something needs to go to the shoe repair, designate a box for that as well.

4. I group the clothing together by category and wrap it in the garment bags from department stores.

5. Now is the time to make your list of what you see missing in your spring wardrobe. You may not know that now. This is why I recommend to every client that it’s a great idea to keep an ongoing list in your closet (not your purse). When you go to get dressed, the gaps will be very evident. Write it down for your next shopping trip.

6. Try to envision some new combinations as you organize your clothes by CATEGORY first and then COLOR.

7. Weed out jewelry you don’t care for any longer and re-organize. If you don’t have a great system, check out my Jewelry Organization ideas.

8. I hang all my clothes (yes, even sweaters) I WILL take time to go through a drawer at a time to re-fold and weed out yard work, work out clothes and lingerie.

9. Sort out anything that needs to be mended or altered.

If you take the time to do this well TWO times a year, it will make such a difference. Anyone else out there with small closets taking on this same task?

Filed Under: Closet Organization

What to Wear:The Indoor Sports Mom

November 10, 2010 By Karen 4 Comments

In this last post for Sports Moms, I wanted to end with a few styling tips for indoor games. The first thought that goes through many women’s minds is: “I don’t want to be too dressed up!” I couldn’t agree more. Finding the right balance can be tricky.

1. Jeans or nice fitting sweat pants with casual shoes. No heels, no baggy sweat pants and leave the running shoes for working out!

2. Nice fitting casual jackets or sweaters. I know you love to support your teams with the logo hoodies. I get it. If the sweatshirt is non-negotiable, wear with jeans and the right shoes.

3. Hats are perfect when you don’t have time to do your hair (early game)

4. Jewelry is a great addition. Keep it simple and save the “wow” pieces to wear with your heels. Lia Sophia consultant, Kym Merrick’s motto is: Wear a piece of jewelry and no one will notice your bad hair day or lack of makeup.

A couple of hats that are a nice switch from the baseball cap.

Organize your closet to reflect your lifestyle.

I’ve previously mentioned my ”baseball clothes” section. Pants, tops, sweaters and jackets were all in this separate area of my closet. No matter how organized and planned out I had things, we were always scrambling at the last minute. Getting all the right uniform pieces and equipment, not to mention snacks and other miscellaneous things in the car at the proper time was a challenge. Many times we had to travel a distance and I didn’t know exactly where I was going. The phone would ring, one of the kids couldn’t find a sock, belt or baseball glove. Then there was the time I went to the washer only to find pink bubble gum all over a white uniform! Do you get the picture? There was no time for me to be in a quandary about what to wear!

Here is a summary of things I’ve done that relate to the sports mom and everyone else. I see many of the same patterns when I visit closets which has helped me fine tune this even further. Some of this is a repeat from a previous post. I find repetition to be helpful.

1.Choose the most accessible, visble part of your closet for the clothes you wear the most frequently. This is your “go-to” area which helps you build an outfit quickly. Bottom, top, jacket, sweater. Accessories also need to be visible.

2. Move your everyday clothes to a different area in your closet, or I would put them in a drawer. This includes clothes for yard work, house cleaning, working out and lounging around the house. There is no need to thumb through 8 white tops when several of those are considered everyday wear.

3. When you do closet editing, many pieces can move categories. What once was a nice top that has now seen better days can still be worn under a pullover or sweater in a more casual setting. I help women see their closet in several different categories which are determined by lifestyle.

My baseball clothes section has now been replaced with ”hang around the house after work” clothing. When basketball starts in a couple of weeks, my closet is streamlined and ready to go. I can easily choose some of my more casual pieces from my go to area and be ready in minutes. And quite frankly it’s a little easier to dress for indoor sports.

I hope you have enjoyed the Sports Mom series. Thank you for all your comments. I also appreciate all of you who have talked to me personally about your similar experiences as a sports mom (outside of dressing).

My son even read my blog this time. His comment? “thought I was a little better than average, Mom!” I had to correct him that I said “average to ABOVE average’. And minutes ago I read the part about the bubblegum to my youngest son to see what his recollection was. His reply? “Is this for the book you’ve talked about writing!”

Filed Under: Closet Organization, Fashion Tips

Should it Stay or Should it Go

September 29, 2010 By Karen 9 Comments

I’ve read a number of articles about closet purging. I do not agree with everything I read. I evaluate carefully when purging the closets of my clients as well as my own.

We are heading into a new season. It’s the perfect time to go through clothes. In fact, I recommend you do this twice yearly when the seasons change. Put it on the calendar if you need to. It’s important. If you let it go a couple of seasons, the closet becomes stuffed and then it’s an overwhelming task.

I use the change of seasons to thoroughly go through my closet and make the switch. Closets get dusty. I do deep cleaning and rearranging. I can spend up to a day doing this. My husband thinks it’s hilarious. Recently he demonstrated how he does the closet switch. He grabs his bunch of short sleeved shirts and moves them to the back in exchange for the long sleeve shirts he moves up front. He notes that it takes about two minutes. Men!

When evaluating closets I use this criteria that we have established in our first appointment 1. Is it a good color? 2. Does it fit well–match your body type? 3. Is it you? Does it match your personal style.

I encourage you to receive some help with this process if it is difficult to know what stays or what goes. I hear about women who overdo the purging process and get rid of so much they have very few clothes left to wear. I try to salvage as much as possible. Another pair of eyes and a 2nd opinion saves dollars!

Here are some of my Best Tips:

1. You will often read: “If you haven’t worn in a year, get rid of it!” I disagree with this tip. Especially in our NW climate, there are years when for whatever reason I do not wear an item as much or at all. Sometimes the weather factor needs to be weighed.

2. How long should you keep an item? This is a tough one. I get 2-4 years out of most of my clothes. There are classic, dressier styles not worn as often that I have held on to much longer. I recommend 3 piles: Consignment, Donate and Throw Away.

CONSIGNMENT: I consign pieces that still have some wear and life in them. Most of the time I’ve received good value judging by the CPW (cost per wear). My consignment pile consists of things I’m tired of wearing but are in good condition. If I can’t come up with a new way to give it some life, or wear it in a different way–it goes! This is also the place to rid those pieces you purchased on sale and the tags are still on (heaven forbid!)

DONATE: Outdated and ill fitting clothing ( for you personally, but may work on someone else.)

THROW AWAY: Check your clothing carefully for stains,”pilling”, stretching and tears or holes. If it cannot be salvaged with cleaning, the sweater shaver or mending it NEEDS TO GO!

3. How do you determine if an item is still in style? People watch. Observe well-dressed women. You will see a pattern. Pick up a few magazines occasionally. Read blogs!

Tips that don’t work for me personally but may work well for you:

1. When you start a season, turn all the hangers backwards. As you wear an item, turn the hanger the opposite direction. This provides a great visual so you see what is not being worn. Many women use this as criteria for what stays/what goes. Ok, I may be a little crazy, but I like all my hangers to hang the same way. I do not have that many clothes. When I do the closet switch, I know immediately what I haven’t worn that season.

2. When you purchase a new item, one item has to leave your closet. Again, I evaluate twice yearly and try to make wise decisions based on specific criteria. Poor decisions can be made if you are just picking at item quickly because this is your rule. However, if it helps you purge regularly–then do what works!

How do you evaluate what stays or what goes? I’d love to hear from you. If you are a regular reader, but have never made a comment, please join in!

Filed Under: Closet Organization, Fashion Tips

Quick Tip: Jewelry Storage

August 29, 2010 By Karen 1 Comment

As I continue to encourage jewelry as one of the best ways to accessorize, the thought may come to mind… “Where in the world am I going to store it?” I have shown some photos in the past of solutions I’ve created for myself. The main thing to remember is storing the jewelry so you can SEE it and it is convenient. I go to many homes/closets where the jewelry is nowhere in sight. It’s stuffed into a jewelry box in a drawer and is forgotten about. Again, the answer is very simple:

When you see it, you will wear it!

Many women have space issues in their closets. However, even if you just have a small area of wall space, I think the ideas below may work for you. I usually try to find a small area in the closet where you can put a piece of pegboard. It’s a great way to display jewelry. The photo below is an example of what a client created after my suggestion.

The following photos show the same idea with cork board, straight pins and a belt holder for the heavier necklaces.

Have you found a great way to store your jewlery? Is it out in the open so you can see it and combine with your outfits?

Filed Under: Accessories, Closet Organization

Closet Organization Revisited

August 13, 2010 By Karen 8 Comments

One of the first topics I covered when I started my blog was closet organization. If you’re new to my blog, you may want to start reading there for a quick overview. I still stand by the tips I gave then, and thought I would give an update to reiterate a few of the things I discussed before.

Since that post, I’ve worked with more clients which always gives me new ideas. When I edit closets, I also try to give my input on how the closet is organized. Some things are a quick and easy fix. Women love a new idea that doesn’t take major changes.

My #1 recommendation is to get rid of plastic or wire hangers. The tube hangers take more space and frankly clothes do not stay hung nicely on these hangers. Things are always slipping off. I understand that it is hard to get rid of perfectly good hangers. Do yourself a favor and make the switch. It is not a huge investment. Previously I recommended the jumbo box of the slim, velvet covered hangers from Costco. 50 for $15! Clients told me they were no longer in the stores. I was just about ready to write… “You know how Costco is…one month they are there, the next month they are not.” Instead of writing my blog last night, I made a trip to Costco. I’m so glad I waited to write. There were the hangers repackaged 50 for $18! Yahoo!

This time they have included Deluxe Suit Hangers with shoulder pads which are great for sweaters as well. You will also notice a cross bar for ties or scarves. I could not find this set at Costco.com, but check your local store. There are also been sightings of these hangers at Ross and Walmart, but in smaller packages.

#2. When you see it, you’ll wear it! I said this previously but am writing it again because I’m amazed how many women have really nice things stuffed in drawers. If clothing is stuffed on shelves or in drawers, you forget about it. I encourage hanging as many things as possible. It’s a visual thing! And with these great hangers, you’ll have more space. If you are worried about hanging sweaters, don’t be. I hang all my sweaters and it isn’t a problem. I realize those of you that have spacious closets want to use those great shelves for your nice sweaters. Do a test with yourself and track if you wear things more when they are hung or folded on a shelf.

#3 Separate Casual/Everyday clothes from dress clothes. I like my very casual clothes to be separate from my dress clothes. I encourage clients to do the same. The less thumbing through clothes you must do when getting ready, the faster you will go. It’s simply a time saver. When I get ready, I want to quickly choose a bottom, top, sweater or jacket (if necessary) I don’t want to be looking through casual pieces that don’t even factor in as a possibility. Organize your closet by category and then color within each category and valuable minutes will be saved!

I have another great way to store your jewelry using a pegboard which I’ll be sharing soon to coincide with our upcoming Jewelry Giveaways!

Do you have a great storage or organization tip?

Filed Under: Closet Organization

Style Potpourri

April 19, 2010 By Karen 2 Comments

Today your blog post is a potpourri. I had a list of a few random topics. Individually they are not enough for one article; thus the perfect potpourri post. There are several links to follow. Just use your arrow key to navigate through the links and article. Congratulations to Cindy, Comment # 7 who won a FREE color analysis!

If you read my post about cardigans, here is another spin from Snapshot Magazine. I hope you enjoy my article and the entire magazine in what sadly is the last issue.

If you had a question about how to wear leggings and skinny jeans in the spring, this visual should help. The boots change to flats or heels, and the top changes from a sweater/coat to a boyfriend cardigan or longer tunic top.(not shown) Of course if you’re not concerned about covering a particular area of your body, then the sky is the limit on what you pair with them.

Shoes: Ok, you might think I’m obsessed with shoes since I write about them frequently. No doubt I love my shoes. I get many questions about shoes from readers and clients. I want to keep you updated on what I’ve found. Since my last posts on spring shoes, I’ve had a chance to try a few more you may like. I received questions about ankle straps after this shoe photo. I agree with everything I’ve read: Ankle straps can create an illusion which causes your leg to look shorter. I didn’t feel this would happen with a neutral color. Red or black high ankle straps on my short legs-definitely an issue. That’s my two cents; I have not tried this shoe yet.

View #1. LOVED these because they are the perfect neutral shoe that extends your leg line and will go with a variety of colors. This is one of the Sofft styles that does not come in Wide. They have to go back–I so wanted these to work and hope they might for you! View #2: Pikolinos. Not only does the soft leather “give” for my wide foot, the shoe is well cushioned and the rubber sole allows for shock absorption. Notice in the description that they contain materials which allow your foot to breathe– so important especially in the summer months! It’s worth the extra price you pay. These are a winner and I found them locally at www.amenityshoes.com. I will be featuring this store soon and giving away Gift Certificates. View #3 Onex. I own a similar style and am going on my 4th summer to wear it. You may find another style in this brand. Perfect casual and dress options at a great price point.

A couple of months ago I wrote about jewelry organization. Since then I’ve found myself collecting a few longer necklaces. They just were not fitting on my new system. I had to get creative with space. Rather than pound more nails in the wall, I decided to use the space on the back of my free standing mirror. By the way, if your closet space does not allow a mirror, I strongly recommend something like this. It was a Christmas gift a couple of years ago and I love it! I purchased the hooks at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Mine is a little different than what is shown. You may also find something similar at other stores in the organization section.

Coming Next: Gigi Hill Give Away

Filed Under: Closet Organization, Fabulous Footwear, Fashion trends

Organization Continued…

December 31, 2009 By Karen 3 Comments

After all the Christmas decorations are put away, I often get on a roll and keep on cleaning and organizing. Well, that would be sometimes. I’ve heard that my posts on organizing the closet and jewelry inspired a few of you. I have since continued…

1. My scarves were a mess. I opted for a basic hook that hangs on the wall behind my door vs. the one from IKEA. I have some scarves hanging in my bedroom, others in the basket by my outside door. I chose the location based on by “fashion” scarves and those I wear with heavier coats.

2. My makeup was a mess. I’m not sharing a “before” picture. The result was this acrylic, easy to clean Organizer. I love it!

3. Drawer Organizer for Socks/Tights. The picture on the cover of the box should explain what mine looked like. The result is so worth it. I plan to continue in other drawers.

Let me know what else you find!

Filed Under: Closet Organization

Organizing Jewelry

December 7, 2009 By Karen 3 Comments

I loved receiving all your feedback and suggestions about organizing accessories. I decided to start with Jewelry. First stop: The Container Store. They were extremely helpful and I decided to go with the acrylic necklace and bracelet holders. I also purchased a divider that fit in the drawer for earrings and rings. The tins may look familiar to some of you as they are included whenever you make a Brighton purchase. I’ve had a hard time throwing these away over the years, and they’re collecting dust in my storage closet. I’m the type of person that needs to try a system before giving it the “thumbs up”. I keep all receipts because there may be something better at another store! Next stop: IKEA for comparison shopping on jewelry accessories and solutions for scarves and organization inside drawers. One disadvantage of my new system– I’ve set myself up for comments from my husband about my excessive amounts of jewlery! It wasn’t quite so visible in the drawers. (Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.) What is your challenge in accessory organization? Coming Soon: Organizing Makeup, Scarves and Drawers.

IMG_6084 (1)

IMG_6090 (1) IMG_6089 (1)

Filed Under: Accessories, Closet Organization

Accessories in the Closet

November 5, 2009 By Karen 9 Comments

As you learned in The Perfect Closet, my own personal closet has many flaws both in space and design. Storing accessories so they are accessible is even more of a challenge. When I help women with their closets, I often find that they are not wearing the beautiful accessories they own because they are tucked away and not visible. They aren’t aware of all the wonderful combinations that are right there in front of them.

Shoes: A tiered shelf does the trick for most of the shoes. Boots don’t fit on the shelf, but the floor works for me. All off-season shoes go in the boxes on my closet top shelf. Boots go in original boxes under my bed or in far corner on closet floor.

Belts: Most belts worn with pants/jeans are hung on the hooks. Belts used as an “accessory” are rolled and put in square canvas box.(I have a lot of belts) You could also divide by putting wide/medium in the box and hanging all the skinny belts.

Handbags: The ones I currently rotate through sit in a basket close to my door ready for the quick switch. The others go in the designer “dust bags” and on the closet shelf. Also on the shelf: a few purses not used as frequently and a canvas box with lid for the special occasion beaded purses & wraps.

Jewelry:This photo was taken at a client’s house as I was in awe of her system. She also had drawers with small organizers for earrings and smaller pieces (not pictured) We have both looked for these bracelet and necklace holders and have not been able to put our finger on the same product. Presently I use two small velvet lined drawers in the top part of my dresser designed for jewlery. This is NOT the answer. I’m continuing to search for options for both myself and clients.

Scarves: ???I’ll let you know when I find the perfect solution that works for me.

Do you have the perfect closet or perfect way to store accessories? Please do share! If you are like me, and have a small closet and are storage challenged I’d love to know your tip(s).

Filed Under: Closet Organization

The “Perfect” Closet

November 2, 2009 By Karen 5 Comments

I have a small closet. Dreams of the ultimate walk-in closet with separate compartments for shoes, accessories, handbags went by the wayside when we built our house 11 years ago. We decided against a huge master bedroom/bath/closet and gave more space to the other rooms on the second floor. Believe me, there are times I’ve second guessed this crazy decision; I have learned to make the best of it.The result: A streamlined, categorized, but far from perfect closet.

Karen’s Tips:

See it/Wear it. The closet should be well lit. For several years I struggled to see in the dark cave a.k.a. my closet. We replaced the single small fixture with flourescent lighting. Not exactly award winning interior design, but I can see my clothes and shoes.
Ultra Slim hangers. Previously I was thrilled when the stores said, “Would you like to keep this hanging?” That meant FREE hangers that were uniform. Now, they simply take too much space. This summer our local Costco stores carried a box of 50 for $15! If Costco has sold out of this “must have” item, try Bed, Bath and Beyond. Don’t forget the 20% coupon they offer frequently.
Organize your clothes by CATEGORY, then COLOR within the category. I’ve always been a color sorter and it worked. However, when you build an outfit you want to grab by category: Bottom, Top (LS, SS, Sleeveless) Jacket, Sweater. Put casual/work out clothes in another section of the closet and again by category. Weeding through disorganized clothing=wasted time.
Off-season closet. I have no choice and make the move twice a year carefully packing everything in plastic to avoid dust in storage (teenager’s room). Lots of space? Move EXTREME seasonal clothing aside to the corners (warm sweaters in summer, light floral skirts in winter.) Some pieces can be layered and worn year round so think/evaluate before moving. Fewer choices= efficiency.

Statistics show that women wear only 15% of what is in their closet. I believe this is due to closet clutter. A few changes can make a big difference.

Coming Up: Organizing Accessories