Why you lookin' in my drawers?

Just as I split this wardrobe organization post in two, I split the actual organizing into halves as well.  Meaning, after the Epic Clothing Clearout of 2011, I had giant bags of “to donate” clothing in the corner, while the rest of my wardrobe was laid out in piles on my floor.  And then I went to bed.  It’s not that I have a ton of clothing, but trying on everything you own in one day (especially when you’re not exactly a fan of mirrors) is a draining process.  I say, if you need to take extra time, do so.  This is supposed to help you, so don’t let it freak you out.

The second day was spent dusting the dresser, vacuuming the inside of the closet and putting clothes away.  I was actually able to keep everything in my room, as opposed to having a separate storage area for off-season clothing. Oh, except my coats, which are in the coat closet.  Go figure. 

I have five drawers in my dresser.  Here’s how I utilized them:

·       First drawer: hats and gloves, belts, tights, sports bras

·       Second drawer: underwear, bras, socks of all sizes, more tights

·       Third drawer: left half is for athletic attire, right half is for pajamas

·       Fourth drawer: tanks, t-shirts, camisoles

·       Fifth drawer: off season bottoms (shorts in the winter, pants in the summer)

The closet took me a while to organize, but it’s so much easier to pick out clothing now.  Before, I just threw things on hangers and hung them wherever they would fit.  Not anymore, sir! Now all of my skirts, dresses, blazers, cardigans and so forth are hung nicely on hangers and are arranged by type.  Meaning, my dresses and skirts are all hanging together, my blazers are together, my hoodies have been reunited, etc.  This way, when I’m looking for a skirt, I don’t have to comb the entire closet to find one.  I know exactly where they are.

The biggest task for me now is going to be keeping it this way.  It took me such a long time to go through everything, and I don’t want to mess it up.  I also need to make sure that I don’t start adding clutter by purchasing things I’m not going to wear or that I don’t really need. 

Speaking of shopping, organizing your wardrobe in this way allows you to see where you may have "holes".  For example, all of my belts were either worn through or completely the wrong size.  I had to donate/chuck them.  This left me belt-less and afraid.  Mostly just belt-less.  I meandered over to one of my favorite stores and picked up a couple of new belts that fit and that I knew I would wear.  Hole patched!

My wardrobe organization is not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but it's a small step.  Little victories give us the motivation to continue on to the next challenge, which is why breaking larger goals down into pieces is so helpful.  I can now cross one thing off my giant Life Cleanse To-Do List, and I feel proud of that accomplishment.