Style Carmen’s Spring Closet Cleanse

By In Her Shoes Guest Contributor: Carmen Lilly

As a personal style consultant, I would have to say that spring is my busiest time of the year. All of my clients are ready to shed the heavy layers of winter and get into the newest styles and colors for the season. The first step that I take my clients through before we shop for new pieces is a closet cleanse. Clothing is very emotional for some of us. The first step is detaching yourself from emotion and understanding it is just clothing. It’s got to have value, in that it does something for you. Just because you’re cleaning out the closet doesn’t mean tossing out your sentimental things. You’ll always want to keep the cozy sweater passed down from your great-grandmother or the blouse you had on when your husband proposed. But your dye-to-match prom shoes or the ill-fitting dress you’ve never worn? Those can go to Goodwill or a consignment shop.

Following are a few spring closet cleansing tips to help you kick off this season with a clean slate:

1. Divide and Conquer: Begin your closet cleanse by dividing your wardrobe into three sections.

– Repair
– Consign
– Donate

My general rule of thumb is if you have not worn something in two  years it is time to let it go.

2. Hanger Uniformity: This will instantly take your closet from cluttered to streamlined and preserve the life of your garments. I recommend thin felt hangers because they help to maximize space in densely packed closets.

3. Smell of Luxury: A great smelling closet is the icing on the cake. Clothing is an investment and when properly cared for, you can extend your cost per wear exponentially. I like to use linen spray or lavender sachets to give a fresh smell to my client’s closets while protecting their items from fabric-destroying moths.

I highly recommend going through your closet twice yearly to maintain an organized wardrobe. Besides an organized space for your clothing, it will also change your shopping habits. You’ll now face potentially deal-breaking questions before you take anything to the cash register (or that tempting online shopping cart): How often will I wear it, do I really love this and does it fit well?

To book a professional closet cleanse consultation e-mail carmen@carmenlilly.com. For more closet cleansing tips follow me (@stylecarmen) on Instagram!