Victoria’s “Not So Secret” Steps

First, Purge!

If you find yourself constantly standing in front of a closet full of clothes saying, “I have nothing to wear” it’s probably time to purge and organize.

1. Does It Fit? If it doesn’t fit…get rid of it. Every item in your closet should be something that you love and can wear today! Your clothes should be well fitting, flattering and make a statement about who you are. When in doubt, try it on. If you still can’t decide, thats when I come in and give you my honest opinion!

2. Is It In Style? Resist the urge to hang on to outdated fashion trends. Realistically it isn’t the acid wash jeans you love, it’s the feelings you have associated with that time in your life when you wore them. Remember that even if you decide to donate that polyester track suit, you’ll still have the wonderful memories, people and photos from that great time in your life. If you honestly can’t let go of an item because it’s too close to your heart then keep it. Find a place for it in the garage or attic with other keepsakes. Your closet should be about function, not really about storage!

3. Expiration, 1 Year. A good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t worn something in over a year you should get rid of it. No matter how much money you spent on it, or how much you loved it in the store window…if you don’t love it enough to wear it at least once a year then it should go in the “to donate” section.

4. Dare To Dream. You’re planning on wearing a size 4 by summer, so it’s okay to hang on to all your jeans from high school, right? Wrong. Hanging on to clothes for nostalgic or motivational purposes just creates more clutter. Don’t romanticize about the way you used to look or how you think you might look in the future. At the end of the day it should be about what you look good in now. So get rid of everything too small and too big and stick with what fits just right!

5. Quality Over Quantity. Do you really need 15 pairs of black slacks? Most people don’t. Where there are duplicates in your wardrobe, keep the items that are of higher quality and donate the rest. Three pairs of well-made slacks are much more valuable than 10 “so-so” or worn out pairs. The same logic holds true for shoes, for example!

6. Rid Of Rags. If it has stains, holes, or is simply past its prime…toss it. We’re all guilty of hanging on to something with the intention of repairing it. However if something has been sitting on a hanger with a hole growing bigger by the day for the last 6 months, it may be time to acknowledge you’ll never get to it.

7. What Reflects Your Life. As our lives changes, so should our wardrobes. For example, if you’ve transitioned from working from home into an office position, it may be time to adjust your sweatpants-to-business-wear ratio. Our choices of what we keep should reflect our true everyday lives!

At the end of the entire purging process every single piece in your closet will end up being something that you genuinely love to wear. With added space and easier access to your wardrobe, getting dressed will be fun again!

Color Coding

“A simple and effective technique to “know what you own”

Color coding your wardrobe in your closet makes it simple to find the clothes you’re looking for, coordinate your outfits, and creates an order to your hanging and folded clothing that is deeply pleasing to the eye.

There’s also another great reason to color code your closet. To find out if you need another black skirt.

Without your clothing sorted by type and color, you can’t effectively see the black skirts you own, so you probably think “yes” and go buy a new one. However, if all eight of your black skirts were placed together, you might think again. In fact colored coded wardrobe storage tends to save people money by easily seeing what is in your closet and how it can be paired with other items.

1. Saves you money because you stop purchasing the same or similar items now that you can see what you have.

2. Easier to combine your separates and create outfits.

3. Easier to pack your suitcase for travel and look your best.

4. Easier to experiment with what you already have now that you can see what colors pair well with others.

5. Easier to identify and round out any areas of your wardrobe that you need to add items.

6. Easier to step back and see if your wardrobe is a true reflection of you.

7. Makes your closet look like a boutique space.

Clothing Store Look

“You know you think, ‘Oh, it’s just a closet. How can a closet really change someone’s life?’ But that’s the thing she told me. She said, ‘You don’t understand how much easier it is to come here in the morning and get ready because everything has a place. Everything has a function.”

1. UNIFORM HANGERS. This is the quickest way to transform a closet! Think about your favorite store for a minute. When you walk in you are drawn to the clothes, maybe there are lots of colors in the store or maybe they have a more minimalist approach, but regardless you are focusing in on what is hanging in front of you not distracted by the hangers holding onto the items. 

2. ORGANIZE BY COLOR + STYLE. I think most organizers will agree that having things sorted by color is key. Beyond ROY G BIV, I always try to work to understand how my clients function in their space. In some closets, I have done tank tops groups together, followed by short sleeve tops, and finally long sleeves.

3. ADD A TOUCH OF PERSONALITY. If you have the space it is really fun to create little vignettes of your favorite collections. Maybe your wedding shoes are put on display with a photo from that day OR you highlight a stack of fashion-related coffee table books. Even in the smallest of spaces, there are ways to add a personal touch! 

4. PUT YOUR SHOES ON DISPLAY: Whether you keep them facing forward or have one facing in and one out, create consistency with the way in which your shoes are displayed. This could be peeking out from underneath your lower hanging racks or taking over a full shelving system (if you are lucky). 

Generally, I advise clients to toss their shoe boxes as they take up tons of valuable space. However, they can also be great storage container for items like hats, mittens, swimsuits and other seasonal goodies. 

5. REGULARILY EDIT YOUR SPACE: One way to make sure your space doesn't have a calming effect is for it to be a total mess. I love fashion, but have found that the less I have, the more enjoyable it is to put together outfits and really wear what I own. I can see all of my clothes in one spot, versus having to go from room to room to put an outfit together. If space is a major issue in your closet, think about ways to store the off-seasons goods elsewhere (under the bed, in a spare bedroom, etc.).