What if I told you that decluttering and organizing your closet could be interesting, easy, and fun? Would you believe me?
It’s true, I promise! My special Style School guest, Diane in Denmark, is here to share her expert tips and enthusiasm for this topic. Diane is the most delightful person on YouTube, and her personal style inspires our Lifestyle members and beyond. We are blessed to have her in our community!
In this replay of our Style School event, Diane and I walk you through the steps to transforming your relationship with decluttering and organizing. If you’d like to work along with us today, grab three bags or boxes, a handful of hangers, and a notebook and pen for notes.
We discuss why decluttering is important for your style and how to do it best for your Type, (26:50) and your Type’s biggest challenge with clutter. How to organize your closet and accessories. What to keep, how to incorporate this season’s new trends, how to put outfits together to save time and boost your style confidence. (15:42) Diane shares what a “swap party” is and why you’d love it. (18:29) She also explains how to add pops of pearl to any item (here’s a link to the tool she uses).
Ready? Let’s jump right in!
(2:56) Decluttering Process
Decluttering and refining your wardrobe is an ongoing process that can also be simple and easy. Diane shares the steps to know what you like and how to let go of what you don’t. You’ll also get ideas to simplify decision-making, options for selling, donating, embellishing, or upcycling items, and swap parties.
(11:17) Recap of decluttering steps:
- Put like items together.
- Hang clothing with hanger hooks facing outward; once items have been worn, hang them with hooks facing inward.
- Once each month or season, take all unworn clothing and put it in “probation.”
- Wear all “probation” items in a week and decide whether they stay or go.
(12:50) Clothing Storage & Organization
Now that you’ve decluttered, you’ll organize and store the items you kept. Diane and I cover hanger use, folding techniques (e.g., KonMari style), and organizing by sleeve length, color, and season.
(26:50) Each Type’s decluttering challenges, with organizing solutions:
- Type 1: Managing clothes/Laundry every day.
- Type 2: Being sentimental about clothing/Creating a flow in and out.
- Type 3: Accumulating too many “great deals”/Clothing swaps and thrifting.
- Type 4: Overwhelm/Efficient systems, and investing in quality items.
(39:40) Q&A
- (39:40) I always see closets full of tops. What are others doing with jeans and trousers?
- (41:43) Please review the bins and boxes you use for decluttering.
- (44:30) Regarding “probation” garments, I have some pieces that I’m not sure about, but they are not the right season so I can’t wear them next week. Where should those go?
- (45:27) How are you setting up your closet to allow you to wear the spring trends?
- (55:00) Where and how do you store your shoes?
(46:01) Jewelry Storage & Organization
Accessories transform an outfit from “wearing clothes” to “having style.” With the spring trends in jewelry and accessories, we have a fabulous opportunity to play with layered necklaces, pearls, colored jewelry, and floral accessories. Layered necklaces can present challenges with tangling; Diane and I share our tips for effectively organizing our jewelry with hooks, screws (yes, I use hardware screws), boxes, trays, and bags.
You’ll be amazed at how many more options you have with less stuff. The variety comes with how you style them.
(51:20) Creating Pre-Planned Outfits
There are various ways to pre-plan your outfits. The important thing is that you do. You’ll be more creative when you give yourself time to assemble your outfits ahead of time. Otherwise, you’ll default to what you know and are used to. Invest in yourself and in your style confidence by setting aside time to create the style you want.
Diane likes to plan one to two days at a time; I prefer to batch it and make outfits for a grab-and-go wardrobe for one or more weeks at a time.
You have to get dressed every day, you might as well like what you wear.
Our Style School Springs/Summer 2024 is in full swing. We’ve been learning and sharing with each other in the Lifestyle Facebook group. Take what you’ve learned here and share a picture of your organizing process. It could be your three boxes, how you organize your jewelry, or your “probation” items in an outfit (bonus points if it also includes a Spring Trend).
Resources mentioned in this broadcast:
- Stay Organized and True to Yourself (this was Carol and Diane’s previous feature together)
- DYT Spring Cleaning
- Carol’s “Grab and Go” Outfits
- How to Shop Your Closet
- How to Make Style and Lifestyle Choices That Spark Joy True to You
- Diane’s Organization Tips for Each Type of Child
- Style School Spring/Summer Type 1 Trends
- Style School Spring/Summer Type 2 Trends
- Style School Spring/Summer Type 3 Trends
- Style School Spring/Summer Type 4 Trends
