I was born an organizer. I hate clutter. I love post-it notes and planners. I believe everything has a place. And I like my labels facing out. When I worked in Corporate America, my coworkers would constantly crack jokes about my office space. All of my file folders neatly arranged on my desktop. The stapler and jar of funky push-pins and paper clips positioned just so. A daily To-Do List always set beside my keyboard. 

To some, this may seem over the top but for me, being organized has helped me achieve greatness in my career. I’ve always been able to meet or exceed deadlines because I tackle projects with a plan. I’ve always been able to focus on the task at hand because I don’t become distracted by all the clutter.

Organization = Success.

According to the article 21 Success Habits of Highly Organized People, “The more your work and living space are decluttered, the clearer your mind is … A decluttered work/living space produces a decluttered mind.”

#TheTruth

It’s the New Year and we’ve been talking a lot about resolutions lately. If you’re looking to get more organized in 2018, I think it should start at home. Like many females, my day begins in my closet. So today, I’m going to share some tips for organizing your entire wardrobe in under an hour. I actually just did this myself a few days ago and it feels like I’ve removed a huge weight off my shoulders. I’m hoping you’ll feel that same way, too! 

Ok, before jumping right in, I want to warn you that having an emotional attachment to your clothing will make this process astronomically more difficult. This is something I struggle with so I really needed to get it through my head that, “they’re just clothes (most of which you don’t wear anymore.”

You’re going to experience an immense feeling of refreshment after this exercise so keep THAT at the forefront of your mind! That said, use the “rip it off like a bandaid” mentality. Work quickly and don’t overthink things. Complete the following steps like a multiple choice quiz … your first answer is typically right!

Step 1: Remove all of the items that you LOVE (a.k.a. stuff you have worn more than once during the last month or two).

The jeans that make your butt look nice. The sleeveless blouse that accentuates those killer arms you’ve got. The soft fleece that keeps you warm and cozy on a frosty winter day. Anything that you feel fabulous in (and that you wear frequently) needs to be placed into the LOVE pile. 

Step 2: Remove all of the items that you HATE (a.k.a. stuff that you never wear).

If you haven’t worn it in over a year, it’s time to get rid of it. The jeans that don’t make your butt look nice. The itchy wool sweater that looked terrific on the rack but tormented your skin. The chartreuse sequined top you went clubbing in back in the early 2000’s. (Yes, I am sadly drawing from real life examples here.) Immediately place these items into the HATE pile.

Step 3: Sort through the MAYBES. 

This might be the toughest part of the process. Dealing with the Maybes. After removing the items you love and the items you hate (or strongly dislike, because Hate is such a strong word) from your closet, you’ll most likely be left with a whole bunch of stuff you’re unsure about. Remember, I said to approach this process a.) quickly and b.) like a multiple choice quiz (no overthinking!). 

Go through the Maybes with this question in mind: If you saw this item on a rack today, would you buy it? You’re now at an advantage because you’ve had time to wear these clothes so you already know how they fit and feel. The only items you should keep are the ones you realistically see yourself wearing again in the very near future. Don’t hold onto something just because you think it might come in handy for a Business After Work event next spring. (That’s what last-minute shopping excursions are for … hehe.)

Step 4: Make your Goodwill pile and empty the trash.

After you’ve sorted through your Maybes, now it’s time to organize the items you’ll be getting rid of. Pieces that are in good condition can go toward a good cause and be donated to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. The pieces that have seen much better days can be discarded.

Step 5: Organizing your wardrobe. 

You’ve reached the finish line, my friend! This is the fun part … filling your closet back up with the items you love! Since you’re working with a blank slate, this is a good time to organize the items by season/style/color (if you have the space). 

Since I have a walk-in wardrobe room, I’m able to store all of my clothes in one place. However, if space is limited, start Step 5 by packing away items that aren’t currently in season. When you go to place the remaining items back into your closet, organize them in a way that’s neat and easy to navigate. I started by hanging my dresses, skirts, and tunics on a tall rack (organized by color). I then folded my bottoms and placed them in a drawer. One side for summer/spring pants and shorts; the other side for winter/fall pants. I completed the process by hanging my tops, organized by color, on the remaining clothing racks. All on white hangers. (Did I mention that I’m slightly OCD?).   

The entire process took me about an hour, although results will vary depending on the quantity of clothing you have to work with. All you Carrie Bradshaw’s might be looking at a slightly larger time investment. ;)

I PROMISE you’re going to feel completely refreshed after organizing your closet. And I’ll even venture to guess you’ll be motivated to organize other areas, too. Your car. Your office. The files on your computer. Organization = Success. 

If I’ve managed to entice you to go through this process, please leave some comments below and let me know how it all worked out!