For fashionistas spring cleaning is really all about the closet. Spring is a great time to purge your closet of items you no longer or wear or that are past their shelf date, and fill it with fabulous new items. You have to make room for your new warm weather finds, so in order to do that here are some great closet cleaning tips to get you started:
- Do it to music. Everything is easier when it’s set to a great play list and that includes cleaning your closet. Choose some new tunes and load up your iPod. It may be best to choose music that’s going to energize you since spring cleaning a closet can be tedious and a bit energy draining.
- Give yourself enough time to really thoroughly tackle the project. You’re going to need several hours so don’t try to fit a closet edit into spare time you have between events or appointments. If you have lots of time you can go through and try items on, really think about what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of and you’ll still have plenty of time to start the reorganization process once you’ve eliminated unwanted or unneeded items.
- When you’re cleaning out your closet don’t just immediately throw away something that seems outdated—you may be able to have it tailored or repurpose it into something great. Let your creative juices flow during the process and you may be able to come up with some really great and inventive styling ideas.
- This rule comes from Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop post on conducting a closet edit—if anything hanging in your closet has been there for six months or more and it still has tags attached, it should probably go. When you buy a new item you should love it, which means you’re likely going to wear it as soon as possible and probably wear it often as well. If you’re not doing that, there’s something about that piece that just isn’t working for you. Also, unless it’s some sort of very special occasion outfit, if you haven’t worn it in a year or more it needs to go.
- Before you start putting items back into your closet or organizing at all, lay everything outside of the closet where you can easily see and asses everything. This will really help you digest the best way to arrange your clothing when you actually delve back into the closet.
- Create at least two boxes during the purge process—one for items that you can sell and one for items that need to be donated. Be honest with yourself about what you can actually sell—save this box for your high-end items that will still hold some value.
- Make the organization process more fun by investing in some new gadgets and closet gear. Whenever I have to tackle an organization project I feel a little cheerier about it if I have some bins, hangers, or containers that make me feel like I’m having a little fun.
Are you planning a closet deep clean this spring?