HOW TO CURATE A CLOSET OF FEWER AND BETTER PIECES

HOW TO CURATE A CLOSET OF FEWER AND BETTER PIECES

To curate simply means to select items from a large number of possibilities for you or other people to consume and enjoy. In fashion it is the act of selecting a few essential items from your wardrobe which you can wear comfortably and still look fashionable. Curating ensures your closet is more organized and manageable. Many people are not conversant with editing their closet to remain with the essentials only. This chapter will be of great help to you if you are one of this people. A step by step procedure will be provided to help you in this process. It is almost impossible to try everything in the list but ensure you try the steps that appeal to you.

To begin with, you need to identify your personal style. Someone’s personal style is that particular look that speaks to their fashionable part and ensures he/she feels confident and comfortable. This will involve tapping into your unique style and all of the nuances that come with it. We all look up to various fashion icons who we believe have a great sense of fashion. It may be difficult to identify a single style icon who defines your style. Therefore it may be advisable to identify different people with different styles that are appealing to you. You can begin by starting a pin interest search of these personalities and saving the images that impress you. Take a second look at these photos, look beyond the names and focus on their outfits. Select a few words to describe how you feel about their looks, for example, classy, modern. Identify some words from the list that feel true to your style and put them down for future reference because they will help you identify and clarify your look.

There are certain days you walk out and stylish. Ensure you take pictures for future reference because these are the outfits that bring out your true personal style and serve as an inspiration. It is also important to choose a signature piece. For ladies, it may be those fancy earrings you can’t get enough or those oversize sunglasses. For the men it may be those cropped pants or even a certain piece of jewelry. At least every fashionable person owns a signature item or two with which he/she can be identified with. This item/s should be compatible with most of the clothes and shoes present in your wardrobe. Make it is as simple and personalized as possible, for example, that leopard scarf you like. Take note of common items in your closet, for example, striped tees or ankle boots. There is a specific reason as to why these items exist in your closet in abundance. The most probable reason is because they make you feel happy and comfortable. If the items flatter you and blends in with your personal style, then it is advisable to embrace them. This will go a long way in helping you identify your personal style.

Cleaning your closet is another important step in the process of curating your closet. This is almost everyone’s nightmare but it can be very useful. The process of tidying may vary for different people. It is therefore important to choose the method that works for you. First you have to identify the reason why you are tidying up. This will help you remain focused and also to ensure you overcome your emotions when they begin taking over. It is important to prepare yourself emotionally because feelings of guilt, sadness or guilt are bound to come. Having this knowledge before you begin, will help you start and have the power to manage these emotions when they arise. Many people tend to feel guilty for having items that they no longer require in their closets. One way to overcome these feelings is to remind yourself the reason you are doing it in the first place. Sometimes you may come across items which you may no longer need and should therefore be removed from your closet. The best way to get rid of them is to remind yourself that you are doing so in order to create more space in your closet. This method will help get you get rid of even that sweater which holds a lot of memories.

Another way that you can use to determine what to keep and what to get rid of is by taking everything in your closet out. Selecting clothes hanging from the rod in a closet is not a good idea. This is because it is a form of denial and guilt because at the back of your mind you know very well that taking the clothes out is what you should do. The good thing with taking everything out is that you are able to assess your collection easily and make sound decisions. Here you will identify items that may have become old or some that require repair. Look out for signs like stretching, fading or damage like rips and tears. It is also important to check whether the items still fit you, considering the fact that it is common to either loose or gain weight overtime. It is also advisable to have an emotional reason for cleaning your closet, for example, weight loss or gain or a change in career rather than the practical one, for example, your closet is full of clothes.

Now that everything is out of the closet, it becomes easier to sort the clothes based on a system of categories. Arrange the clothes using an approach that makes sense to you. Some people may prefer having categories like damaged, enough, uncomfortable, keep, yes or even no. Ensure you pick the one which suits you best. Your categories will help you to build a judgment on how your items physically and emotionally affect you. From these categories, you will be able to decide which items should be thrown out or donated and the ones that should stay. It is important to realize that if an item is no longer worn it should go without any compromise. Sometimes it is difficult to get through with this process although it is necessary.

The next step may prove to be difficult but you can do it. The ‘keep’ or ‘not keep’ categories or whatever terms you will choose to separate what to keep and what should go will be easier to handle. Remove the items from these categories and separate them from the rest, to ensure you have a clear view as you are dealing with the remnants. Put the items that you have decided to give out or throw away in a bag. If there is a separate category for item that need repair, identify the ones that you can fix yourself and those that need to be repaired by a tailor. Set a date during which you will take out the items to be donated or repaired within that week. If you take longer than it is unlikely that you will either donate or repair them. It is important to be true to yourself.

At this juncture, you will have made a lot of progress. This may require you to take a break and remind yourself the reason you are doing this. This is when your emotions will be put to test because the items remaining are those you are still unsure of. A lot of honesty and sincerity is required here so as to determine whether an item still has a place in your life. You will need to try on everything in this pile before deciding whether they should go or not. Do this with a lot of discipline and care to ensure you don’t make wrong decisions. For example, you might have a sweater which you love very much but it may not fit you well like before. This sweater needs to go despite the emotional attachment. You can take a few pictures of the item for remembrance. This is the stage where you will have to make hard decisions concerning your wardrobe. Remember your life is going to get better if you get through it. It is alright to feel sad because that is human nature but these emotions should not hinder you from doing the right thing. If you let something bad or something you do not like stay in your closet, it will be like postponing your grief. As painful as it may seem, just acknowledge it and be kind to yourself.

The next step is to ensure the hangers you have match the number of clothes you have. Remember the more hangers you have, the more the number of items you are allowed to have. If you plan on cutting down your expenses on clothing, then it is advisable that you reduce the number of empty hangers in your closet. You can also try avoiding the fashion stores for a while. This is because whenever you visit them, you will always find something that will attract your eyes.  You should only consider adding more items on your closet if you find out that after sorting the clothes, the ones left are very few.

At this point, you should now play around with different combinations of your clothes to find the ones which are versatile. Keenly search for ways to wear clothes you love that you never thought of before. These should be items that you can find one to three ways to wear. This does not mean that you cannot have items with limited use, just make you restrict their number. The beauty of combining these different types of clothes is that you will come up with the most outfit combinations from a few items. During sorting, you can consider dividing your clothes into tops, layers and bottoms. This will make your work easier. Consider using worksheet to organize your work. After you are through with this process you will know how many total outfit combinations you have and also the number of times each item you have is used in the outfits you created.

The next step is to refine your closet. Check your summary from the worksheet to identify items that could not be used in many outfits. You should consider eliminating those items that have limited use from your wardrobe. It is ok to have them but if you are serious about having a capsule wardrobe then you cannot have too many of them. Put them in a bag and consider donating them to a children’s home or even a close relative. By doing this, you will have achieved two things, first, you will have helped someone in need and also you will increase the space in your wardrobe. Go back to the worksheets and remove the outfits that used that item. Repeat this until you achieve a number of outfits that you are comfortable with. If you discover that you have too few outfits then you should consider adding some items to your closet. These items should increase the number of items at your disposal. Ensure you enjoy the items that you add in because you will be the one to wear them.

You can now put the remaining items back in your closet and arrange them neatly.  Arrange the items in capsules of your outfits. Keep your outfit plan in your closet as a reference. This will reduce the amount of time you spend deciding what to wear. It is advisable you have an outfit for each occasion, for example, one for casual events, another for official events and the rest. You will discover that you have a lot of space to spare and you feel happier than before. You will be surprised to find out that you can live without those items you consider special in your closet. Items tend to accumulate in our closets even when we are not paying attention. For this reason we have to repeat this process on a regular basis, say after three months. This will help you to keep track of your closet. The general idea is to start a minimalist wardrobe by elimination. The process may sound easy theoretically, but may prove to be a bit hard practically.

This next step applies if you want to build a capsule wardrobe but with more stringent rules. If this is the case you can try project 333 by Courtney Carver. You will be required to dress 33 items for three months. Remember clothes, outerwear, jewelry and accessories are included in these items whereas underwear, sleepwear, loungewear and workout clothing do not count. Proceed to box up everything else as they wait for the season to be worn. Remain with these 33 items in your closet. The importance of this idea is that you will be able to wear outfits that you love in different ways. You may also discover some other amazing combinations in the process without straining. This will bring back the joy that you were missing when wondering what to wear.

The idea of rearranging one’s closet each season seems tiresome and tedious for some people. If you are one of these people then it is advisable you go for a French wardrobe. The plan is to come up with a closet a wardrobe that you are comfortable with and can accommodate all occasions on your schedule. You can begin with a set of foundation basics. Purchase any basics that may be missing from your wardrobe. You are also required to remove clothing that you do not love to wear from your closet. The next step is to reduce your new purchases, for example, you can decide to purchase five non basic items per season. This will cut your costs and also reduce the time you spend deciding what to wear. The regular purchases will make your wardrobe feel up to date and fresh.

Consider trying out a signature look. This is the type of dressing that you can easily associate yourself with. You need to do a lot of research and also try different styles before finding it. Be true to yourself and experiment a lot to ensure you select the one that suits you. To achieve this you have to avoid following trends and stick to the items that make you feel comfortable. You also need to check on the items you purchase. It is also advisable to look for inspiration from your favorite fashion icons. Identify four to five outfits that you would wear anytime and write them down. You can also get an honest friend to help you with this process. Find your signature item, for example, white shirts. Having a signature look is very important because it makes shopping easier and also reduces time spent deciding what to wear.

The next step is to create a list of items that you need and think that will improve your style. The list of items that appear more than once in your closet will come in handy here. Michael Kors once said your closet should be 70% staples and 30% sparkle and shine. Staples are those items that are basic and you have to wear again and again whereas sparkle and shine are those items that you wear during special occasions. Focus on purchasing the staples first since you may be required to wear them almost daily. After you are satisfied that the staples are enough, then you can now consider buying the sparkle and shine. It is important to ensure the items you buy fit you and also make you feel comfortable. This list helps you save time while shopping and also save you money.

Finally, as previously stated, the process of curating your wardrobe may not be easy. It can take several hours to complete. Ensure you plan your activities before you begin. You also need to have a plan for what will happen to the items that you do not require anymore. You also need to be in your right emotional frame of mind. The best way to achieve this is to ensure you have a reason and purpose for curating your closet. A good reason will override your emotions and enable you carry out this process efficiently. I hope you will find this process to be enjoyable.