Taylor’d wi Style
Closet Bliss By JeanAnn Taylor
How often do you look into your crowded closet and think, I have nothing to wear? This stressful predicament affects many of us because we often buy and keep clothing that is inappropriate for our personality, our body type, or our lifestyle. There are many reasons why we have this tendency, but there is only one way to repair the dilemma—get rid of clothing clutter intentionally and rationally, then make smart, future clothing purchases. The hopelessly, overwhelming emotion many of us feel when faced with this task can be dissipated by consciously evaluating what we own, and then by deciding what to discard and what to keep.
a pattern of buying the same type of clothing over and over. We tend to make purchases based on who we want to be or for what we want to do—not always for what we actually need. The end goal is to only buy, and keep, items that reflect who you are, and what you will actually wear. Next, it’s time to evaluate the condition of your closet, dresser, and any other place you store clothing. Are your clothes organized by season or color, or are they mixed up in a hodgepodge manner? Are your clothes hung neatly or haphazardly thrown about? Are your sweaters crammed into drawers or folded tidily so they aren’t wrinkled when you take them out? How you store your clothing matters because it affects your mindset when you are choosing what to wear. I believe the best way to proceed is to take all your clothing out of your drawers and closet. Obviously, you need to do this on a day you can fully dedicate to this task. Be prepared by having plenty of hangers and a full-length mirror in the room. You may prefer to do this alone, or it may be helpful to invite a friend over to make it a day of fun.
The first step in reaching closet serenity is having a clear understanding of who you are. As I wrote in my January article, knowing yourself is essential to authentic expression. When you can define your individual style, you can make shrewd clothing choices and stop purchasing clothing that ends up never being worn. Knowing your style is also economical. It’s easy to get into Page 18
It is often recommended to use the same type of hanger for all your clothing. They can be wood, plastic, wire, or velvet. I admit I don’t do this. I just can’t rationalize getting rid of the perfectly good hangers I already own. I have however replaced a few with velvet hangers. They’re great for tops that slide off plastic hangers, they keep sweaters from stretching out, and because they’re thin, they take up less room in your closet. 50 + Living | March 2019
