Setting You and Your Closet Up for Fashion Success.

Most women are familiar with the aggravation that comes with walking into your closet and not being able to easily piece together a stylish outfit that you feel comfortable in. When your closet is full of items that are ill fitting, stained, outdated, and unorganized, getting dressed becomes an aggravating and longer routine.

Setting you and your closet up for fashion success can be accomplished with these 10 tips – 5 from Theo Pace, founder and personal stylist at Chacha-Olivia, and 5 from Jess, professional organizer and founder of The POP Home.

Before embarking on any type of style work (or organization), I recommend a good closet cleanse. If you're good at staying on top of your wardrobe and regularly assess what you own and wear, then you may only need a little "touch up."

1. Don't keep anything with holes or stubborn stains.

Keep a running list of the items that need replacing so you can search them out and fill any gaps they may leave in your closet.

2. Don't keep things out of guilt.

Hand-me-downs are notorious for taking up space in our wardrobe. If you feel comfortable, ask the giver if they'd like it back or would like you to donate it. If you haven't worn it and it's not really you, it doesn't need to take up real estate in your closet and your mind! Remember this tip the next time you accept a hand-me-down.

3. Do keep your basics

White tee shirts and blouses, layering pieces, classic blazers, and trousers are always great items to have in your wardrobe.

4. Do not keep uncomfortable shoes

If you never wear a pair of shoes because they hurt too much or you need to hold onto someone while you are walking, it is probably time to let them go. So, let them go.

5. Do not keep anything that doesn't make you feel confident. Period.

If you are always questioning how you look (or feel) in an outfit, chances are you will never feel confident in it.

"I have always believed that fashion was not only to make women more beautiful, but also to reassure them, give them confidence." -YSL

Once you have completed a thorough closet purge, leaving only the best of what you have, it is time to organize your wardrobe. Establishing an organized closet space will not only allow ease when getting dressed, but it will also make your closet a beautiful space.

6. Organize by occasion and then by color

I recommend three main departments of hanging clothes in your closet that make getting dressed a breeze.

Department One: Everyday Wear
The clothes for everyday life, taking the kids to school, meeting with friends, running errands, etc.

Department Two: Business or Business Casual Attire
The items you would wear to a meeting or possibly a charity event or school function.

Department Three: Cocktail and Formal Wear
Items that are not worn as regularly, so they should be kept further to the back of the closet.

7. Color code to beautify

Once you have the items that you would like to keep separated in the departments, order them by color. In my own closet, I take it one step further and organize by sleeve length as well, it goes from tank tops to long sleeves.

Though color coding is not a totally necessary part of organizing your wardrobe, this step not only makes it beautiful, but it allows for you to easily find exactly what you need when you need it. There is no sense looking through green business blouses when you need a green tank for a kid’s baseball game.

8. To maximize space, use drawer dividers and shelf dividers

I LOVE both of these tools and feel that they are far underutilized in master closets. The drawer dividers are a lifesaver.

The KonMari Method of file folding may work in some homes, but it does not work in mine. With my husband and I both folding the laundry, there is not always a consistent technique. The drawer dividers ensure that each item stays in its place within the drawer, keeping it from turning into a mess of clothing. They are a practical solution for organized perfection.

The shelf dividers allow for open shelving to remain organized and more importantly, utilized. This is valuable closet real estate that can be used in many ways, including for purses, scarves, and shorts.

9. Use the same hangers

This one seems so simple, but makes the BIGGEST difference. There are options that fit every budget. These are my favorite and typically run about $40 for a pack of 100. They are durable, don’t leave annoying creases in the shoulders of blouses or sweaters, and maximize space. Also, they look great!

Pro tip: when you remove an item from the hanger, do not leave the hanger in its place. Designate a hanger spot where all the empty hangers live until they are to be used again. This will keep the racks neat and orderly and help you cut down on the time you spend searching for hangers when putting the laundry away.

10. Get your shoes off of the floor

No matter the size or style of your master closet, there is a shoe storage solution that will work for you.

If you are storing shoes on shelves and need to maximize your space to allow for more shoes, I recommend using these Shoe Slotz. If you’re lucky enough to have tons of space for your shoes and need to keep them all in their place, the Stackable Shoe Drawers are awesome.

Over the door solutions are really great if you do not have any space for shoes, and you are storing them on the floor.

The goal here is to get the shoes off the floor to get rid of the clutter. You will be far less likely to toss your dirty clothes on the floor if nothing else is there.

A purged and organized closet that is practical, organized, and perfect is attainable for everyone, if these 10 tips are followed to create your perfect space. If you are having trouble tackling this project on your own, reach out for a consultation – we would love to set you and your closet up for wardrobe success!

To find out more about The Pop Home and founder Jess’s offerings, head to her site here.

Happy Organizing!,