Into the Wardrobe

C.S. Lewis readers will remember the story of the little girl who climbed into a wardrobe and entered another world. The Chronicles of Narnia describes this magical land, where animals talk and good clashes with evil. My wardrobe doesn't lead to the fantasy land of Narnia, and there certainly aren't talking animals inside. But there was a battle, of sorts, going on behind those doors. Skirts and blouses were fighting with dresses and jackets for room to breathe. Boots tried to get a foothold among the shoes. Sweaters and tee shirts struggled to hold their ground as handbags advanced on their territory. So I decided to combat the chaos by attacking the mess head-on. I took the ten item wardrobe challenge.

After I emptied the whole closet, I realized that I had made a tactical error. I had no idea what I was going to do with my clothes while I was in the process of reorganizing them. This wasn't a job that could be completed in one afternoon. So that night, before I went to bed, I piled the clothes in front of the closet. Each time I worked on this project, I found myself moving piles from here to there -- not a very efficient way to work. So for those of you who wish to join me in this endeavor, here are a few tips:

• Have a bag or box handy for those things that you are going to give away. Perhaps you know someone who can use them, or you can donate them to a charity. I won't give the common advice about discarding anything you haven't worn for a year. If you are like me, you may have simply forgotten about some of those items. But do look at each article of clothing with fresh eyes. If a piece doesn't feel right, or if it is stained or worn out, get rid of it! 
• Know what you are going to do with your out-of-season clothes. Do you have another closet that can be used for this purpose? Maybe you can simply box them up and place them on the top shelf. Either way, they will not be taking up space and adding confusion to the clothing you will be wearing this season. 
• Choose the shoes and handbags that coordinate with your ten item wardrobe, and put the other ones away. This will make getting dressed so much easier, when you don't have to wade through 20 pairs of shoes. The same goes for belts and scarves. There is no need to have your white sandals in your closet in January, or black boots taking up precious space in July (unless, of course, you live in the Southern Hemisphere!).
• Try to use matching hangers. It will make the whole closet look so much nicer! They don't have to be expensive. Remember, you will be limiting the number of items that will need hangers, so you won't need many.
• Take measurements of shelf space before you go out shopping for organizational paraphernalia. And take a tape measure with you when you shop, so that you will be sure the things you buy will fit in your closet.
• Be creative! You don't need to spend a fortune on this. If you have the money for a beautiful, customized closet system, that's great! But with a little thought, you  can use what you already have to get things under control and looking nice. For example, boxes can be covered with contact paper, or even wrapping paper, to make them pretty. Labels will let you know what each box contains. Everyone's needs and resources are different. Your closet belongs to you, so make it yours! 

It will be so much easier to get dressed in the morning, once your choices are narrowed down to only the things that make you look and feel good. No more rummaging through a forest of garments or rooting around in a pile of shoes. And you will probably save money by not purchasing clothes that you don't need. Your next trip to the mall may be for just one dress to replace one that has worn out. Or perhaps you only need a blouse in a particular color to complete your capsule of clothing. You won't be tempted to buy everything in sight. You will be in control! Are you ready for the challenge?

Next week: A peek inside my closet for a glimpse of my ten item wardrobe.