Monday, March 19, 2012

Spring Clean Your Closet With Help From The Closetnista!



Via Architectural Digest
Spring is in the air and I've been feeling it is time for a major closet overhaul.  I haven't done any editing since we moved into our house almost two years ago and I'm in that "I've got a closet full of clothes with nothing to wear rut." Ever feel that way?  It could be because I've got wire hangers from 6 different dry cleaners mixed in with shoes that haven't seen the light of day in years. Or maybe it is the fact that I'm still running into maternity pieces here and there, even though my daughter just turned 2. Either way, I've promised myself that I won't indulge in anything on my spring shopping list until I reorganize, declutter and clean out what I've got. Spring is a great time for us all to clean out our closets and I'm so thrilled to welcome Elizabeth and Tara from The Closetnista to give us their go-to guide to get our closets in check!

Elizabeth and Tara of The Closetnista.


Welcome! How Did The Closetnista Come About?

The Closetnista came about from our own closets! We were both in sales for various fashion lines, collectively for about 10 years, so you can imagine how overwhelming our wardrobes became! We had great pieces, many of which were lightly worn or brand new. So we started editing our own closets and reselling the items on ebay. This led to the realization that many women would love this service - how great to make money from your own closet!

What Is Your Favorite Part Of Your Job? 

We love the satisfaction of helping women look and feel their best. Confidence is key and fashion has the power to do that.

Biggest Mistake Most Women Make When It Comes To Their Closets? 

Most women feel daunted and overwhelmed by the feeling they need to do a huge overhaul at once. A few simple things can really go a long way. If you don’t have time to do everything, do one step a week.  

3 Pieces Everyone Should Own?

1.     A great fitting jean that you feel your best in.
2.     A classic handbag that can transition from day to night.
3.     A beautiful black pump.

Can You Walk Us Through A Spring Closet-Cleanout?

Sure!

1. Assess your closet - take a few hours to decide what you need and don't need.

2. Go item by item and create piles for charity, tailor, re-sell, and trash. (Yes! Some items may have seen their time!!!).

3. Re-sell your lightly worn items via the The Closetnista! It's therapeutic and will allow you to make money back from your closet.


Real Simple Slimline Hangers, Set of 50, $29.99, bedbathandbeyond.com. 

4. Buy slim, space saving hangers. The uniformity of all your hangers will allow you to see your clothes better and it will feel more organized instantly!

5. Hang all sleeve styles together - tanks and cami's, sleeveless, short sleeves and long sleeves.

6. Hang each category by color in this order - white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, gray, and black.

7. Do not keep business suits together. Separate them out with the skirts, pants and long sleeves so that you mix and match your suits and don't get in a rut of wearing the same thing together all the time.


Via La Dolce Vita.

8.  Line up all shoes in order by color. It will be easy to find the ones you need.

9. Store all out of season items such as sweaters and coats in a garment box/bag and place them wherever your store other seasonal items (under the bed in a hall closet, in the garage).

10. Store bathing suits in pretty baskets on your shelf for Spring/Summer use.

11. Use open top baskets for your flip flops and flats to be laid at the bottom of your closet. We like these:


White Washed Wood Bins, $14.99 - $24.99, containerstore.com. 

12. Summer, light weight scarves are a great way to accessorize! Store them with these great hangers or in a pretty basket.

Walnut 10-Scarf Hardwood Hanger, $9.99, containerstore.com. 

13. Hang necklaces from pretty hooks and screw them into your closet walls. It will also double as art in your closet - very pretty to look at and you will remember to use them! We like this one from Anthropologie.

Shaded Poppy Mallow Hook, $28, anthropologie.com. 

14. You only need one daily black bag, one neutral, and one fun color (like red, navy, or green).  You also only need one black and one neutral clutch. Let us make you money by selling the rest!!

15. Lighting: Do not use fluorescent light bulbs - they are harsh and will only illuminate your flaws. Use a nice soft light bulb so that you feel your best when you leave your closet.

Antiqued Tiled Floor Mirror from West Elm, $359, westelm.com. 

16.  Invest in a pretty floor length mirror - it'll make you happy every time you look at yourself as you get ready each morning!

17.  Remember: you want your closet to be clean and simple so that your clothes are the decor. You start and end your day in your closet, so make it a fabulous, clutter free, and stress free space! 

A huge Thank You to Elizabeth and Tara for sharing their tips and sources with us! Check out their website here or score some great new pieces on their two ebay stores: The Closetnista and The Luxnista. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter. Here's to a fresh and clean closet just in time for spring! Happy Cleaning!

20 comments:

annie said...

Oh there's some great advice in there, great post thank you! I only wish I had enough shoes to make it worthwhile organising them by colour.

I think this idea could be expanded to more than your wardrobe. I would love it if someone came round our home and sold all the stuff we don't use on eBay: electric fans, old laptops, unloved table lamps, that sort of thing.

tina said...

Thought the same as Annie. If I had enough shoes to colour coordinate.

I have to do this with books. Always keeping on top of piles and piles and regularly sorting them out.

Great tips re: staples!

Great post. I, of course, have the cumbersome heavy wooden hangers, but at least they are all uniform.

Anonymous said...

I love those girls. I met them in October and I think their business is just such a great idea! I love all their organizing tips you posted here. Teri

Nina said...

You post reminded me that I need to start organizing my closet! I started using the slimline hangers a while back because I had space issues in my tiny closet but still love them for my new and bigger closet. I sort my shoes by style not by color, they are mostly black anyways ;)

California Chic said...

@annie - That would be fantastic wouldn't it? I've taken photos of many things in my house with the intention of selling them on craigslist, but I never seem to get around to actually posting them. We all have $$ lying around the house, just a matter of making something happen:)

@tina - I actually really love the old wood hangers. I have a few from the early 1900's that I'm keeping. If I could squeeze all my stuff in with those, I would in a heartbeat. Maybe after I do a good clean-out.

@teri - Aren't they the best? Elizabeth and I went to undergrad together and I think they have built something really unique and practical!

@Nina - I hear you on the black shoes. I keep trying to branch out, but its hard when you are about to buy say a pair of red shoes and then stop and think about how often you can wear them. Especially for me who tends to use acessories for my color, I seem to always end up with black!

Theresa / InspirationCOOP said...

There are some really great and simple tips here. Some tips I could even run upstairs, do now, and feel instantly better/more organized.
This is also such a great business idea. Not only do Elizabeth and Tara help make your closet more organized and beautiful, they sell the things you don't need anymore.
Thanks for such a great post, J!

California Chic said...

@Theresa - I am very, very slowly chipping away at my closet. I'd love to have a whole weekend to handle it, but I'm hoping it will be shaping up just before Easter. Isn't their idea a great one?

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Best Reviews for Alaska Brown Bear Hunts grizzly said...

Wow what a transformation… It looks so nice now. Can you believe that I had for so much time those shelves and never thought of doing that. Gosh! That is such a great idea!

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