Often most of us embrace the New Year with vigor and zest. Many times we set great intentions and think, “This is the year!” This is THE month I am REALLY going to follow through with ________.

More often then not we set off with a plan, have a few successful days or weeks and then peter out. It makes complete sense. There is so much pressure on us for a big change with the start of the new year and often we take on too many changes at once.

This year I invite you to approach your goal setting a bit differently. While this can be applied to any task, we are going to specifically focus on your wardrobe as a starting point. The first step is to not wait until the turn of the new year. Start now! With these simple steps you will glide through the holidays with ease and feel that much more ahead. I promise!

We all have those deep areas of our drawers and closets that are accumulating with clothing and accessory clutter. There are many wonderful creative ways to store items for visibility and efficiency but first one must clear the clutter and asses what stays and what goes.

Step one:

There are three weeks until we welcome the new year. Pull out your schedule now and block off 20 minutes per week. I suggest scheduling this during times when the house is mellow. Perhaps when everyone is away for the day. An early am or after everyone is asleep. You need to have a relaxing environment to have a positive experience. Otherwise you are going to get frustrated and chances are you won’t finish – and we don’t want more clutter from your good efforts!

Step two:

In preparation for your first designated day gather three bins or boxes for your first session. Place a label on each and label them
Maybe – Alterations – Unload

Step Three:

I personally have way more fun when I tackle any “daunting” task with some music. Even if I have to pop in my headphones. Having a few favorite songs will help you zip through the task with ease. I suggest setting an alarm for 15 minutes. This will enable you to stay on point and not get berried by a sea of items which can leave you feeling discouraged and overwhelmed.

Step Four:

Start with a small section of your personal area. Perhaps it’s 3 ft. of the closet. Two drawers or that accumulative “catch all” area hiding behind  your dresses. Wherever you choose to start make sure you set your intentions on a small and manageable area for the time allotted. Don’t unload your whole closet on your bed and think you are going to fly right through it. Small areas leads to successful and manageable results.

Pick up one item at a time and pay attention to how you feel. While I don’t want you to be wasteful I do encourage you to be intentional. If it’s an item your purchased 15 years ago because it was on sale (and you have not worn it) then I would suggest identifying if a) you have not worn it because you don’t know what you’ll pair it with but LOVE it. Or b) Are you keeping it out of guilt. Or something other like you hope you will fit into it someday. If it’s b then I suggest placing it in the “Unload” bin. The fact is, if you don’t REALLY love it and have not worn it in 15 years then you most likely will not. I encourage you to dress the body you have now. There will always be other pieces you can come across later. Clothing you wear should make you light up and encourage positive emotions. If it’s kept for other reasons then it may be worth exploring why.

If it is an item that is superb but just needs a simple alteration then get it altered! Don’t let another year go by. Place it in the “Alterations” bin. If you know you are wanting to keep the item then fold/hang and return it to it’s area. Try to use this space to stay on top of the organization. Do not get swept into re designing your whole closet right now but don’t just throw an item back on the floor if that is where you found it. Remember, small steps make a huge difference to the overall goal.

If it is an item that you don’t know the answer to in 10 seconds then place it in the “Maybe” bin and move on.

Step Five:

When you’re alarm goes off make sure you stop. You will want the few minutes to now shift gears from pausing this tasks and cleaning up. Don’t leave your bins in the middle of the room. Instead, move them off to the side for your next session. Use this time to tidy any hangers and “reset” the room as you found it. Lastly, check your schedule for the next session you set aside. Double check the date is still manageable. If not then find a new 20 minute slot. Do not put this off as you want to feel a sense of progress. You may have to shift the date down the road but at least you are making an effort. After session three you most likely will have a fair amount of items to alter and move on out. There are many ways to unload apparel and accessories. From consignment to donation there is a solution for everyone. Have some alterations? See below for a discount.

The first step towards less clutter is to remove the unwanted items. Then, you can focus on organization, assessing what your wardrobe is missing etc. There are many ways to approach this however when time is limited I suggest removing what is not needed first.

You won’t get this all accomplished in a few sessions so be kind to yourself and don’t set yourself up for disappointment. It did not take a few days to accumulate the clutter. Be thankful and proud of yourself that you have started. Even making a dent is better then a dodge!

Keep an eye out for my follow up for useful and creative storage ideas for all those awesome goodies you have! Go to: findyourmoxie.net

Written By Brandon Dewyea – Image Maven

Brandon works with both men and women providing support and guidance with their apparel needs. She believes there is incredible value in truly loving what you wear both personally and professionally as it’s a part of your personality. Her services range from closet edits, shopping support, special occasion dressing, look books and workshops. To learn more about Brandon’s services go to: http://www.findyourmoxie.net

Receive 10% off Alterations with McKinnon Services – home of the traveling tailor and more.
Make sure to mention this blog when you reach out to Shelley at:  [email protected] / 518-365-8239