Our poor closets. They are the last places to be cleaned, are often filled with leftovers from other places, and are forever criticized for not being big enough. Given their “catch-all” tendencies, and lowly rank on the to-do list, it’s no wonder that they often become so full that just opening the door can feel overwhelming! How can we make any choices about using what’s inside the closet, if we can’t even get to it? Getting dressed can become a terrible struggle, a Herculean task! And certainly starts the day with a tone of frustration. This is no way to start our day! We deserve to begin every day with a positive vibe, even a joyful one! This opening note will set the tone for the entire day, and attract more and more vibes of a similar kind. Shouldn’t we then strive to make the first one a good one? With this in mind, I believe that moving “cleaning your closet” to the number one position on your to-do list can be a way to instantly improve your life, and lead to more success in all things!

SETTING THE STAGE

We all set the stage for our lives. The areas of our life that we use most regularly every day, the bedroom, the kitchen, the car, the office, the closet, or even just the sock drawer, are all small stages that we use to perform our daily functions. It is up to us whether those stages are cluttered, chaotic, filled with distractions and unnecessary items. They don’t have to be! We can instead create a stage of lightness, of clean, creative energy that inspires us! In order to move smoothly throughout our day ,with less friction, less delay and less frustration, in order to produce more positive interactions with everything around us, we must first clear the stage, in order to set it properly.

STEP ONE: EMPTY

The first step is the most work intensive, because it involves rolling up your sleeves and plunging into the fray. But this step is also the most cathartic, and can be fun! Pick a time of day when no one else is home. Or, if you feel confident that you will NOT BE INTERRUPTED by anyone, then find a time to spend at least 2 HOURS this first time around, so there is no rush, and no panic to “finish” before a deadline of some kind. This can possibly jeopardize the whole endeavor by making you feel defeated before you even begin. So shake off that attitude, instead wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, just in case, turn up some music (I like Fleetwood Mac, the Black Keys and maybe a little Moby thrown in) and dig in!

--MAKE PILES-- Piles first, bags and boxes later. The first step of emptying needs to move quickly along, with no time spent bagging and boxing. This step simply involves grabbing an item, giving it a think, and throwing it on a pile. Keep the rhythm going, make large piles, with clear spaces in-between so there is no doubt as to what goes where.

PILE ONE: GOODWILL Just start grabbing things out of the closet. Whether it’s a pair of boots, an umbrella, or an old domino set, pick it up and think quickly how often you use it. If you don’t use it often, is it a specialty item that you DO ACTUALLY USE at least once a year? If you use it less than once a year, put it in the Goodwill pile. You won’t miss it. If it is something you will use within a year and would like to keep put it in

PILE TWO: IMMEDIATE STORAGE I have things like snow boots, sleeping bags, photo albums and out-of-season clothing here. All those things I’m not using NOW, but WILL use. Important: these are not things I MIGHT use, that is how hoarding begins. Only things you are certain you will use within a year, or sooner.

PILE THREE: THINGS FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE HOUSE Here is where you permanently divest your closet of anything not clothes-related. Do not keep your towels in your closet, or your sheets, or your old curtain rods. These things do not belong in your wardrobe, and need to go where they are used. Clear the stage so you can use every available inch in there to your advantage!

PILE FOUR: CLOSET KEEPERS!!! (cue applause!) Favorite pile. These are the items you will put back in the closet, and be able to see and use and enjoy at the end of the process. I will list some guidelines to use in choosing what becomes a closet keeper following this section.

PILE FIVE: RECYCLE/TRASH I love this pile as well, because it is amazing how much goes there, and how much lighter things feel once it is gone! Instant magic. Recycle old papers that are no longer necessary, old shoes with holes or tears, old tees that are stained and stretched, old containers that are dirty and shabby. Anything that does not feel relevant or fresh, consider disposing of. Ahhh! That feeling is your soul lifting with the release of that clutter!

A WORD ON CLOTHES HANGERS: I suggest using only one kind of hanger, or if necessary, only a combination of these kinds: wood, clear plastic, or padded. Do not use the colored plastic hangers or wire hangers, or anything that is flimsy and mismatched. When you use the same kind of hanger the clothes hang better together, allowing for greater use of space, and easier access. Also, the beauty and symmetry of a consistent hanger style is fresh and uplifting to look at. Don’t underestimate the power of that! For your eye to fall upon a sleek row of tidy, appropriate clothing options first thing in the morning is WONDERFUL! It is how we change frustration for satisfaction, negativity to positivity, and generate joy!

ONCE YOUR CLOSET IS TOTALLY EMPTY:

Bundle your piles, bagging the Goodwill items and taking the immediately out to either the car or the garage, tossing out the recycling and trash pile, and redistributing the things that go elsewhere. When only the closet keeper pile is left, step back and imagine.

• Does your closet have shelves? Perhaps finer shoes that you’d like to see and keep off of the ground could go there.
• Does your closet have drawers, cubbies or bins? Perhaps sweaters that are too heavy to hang could be folded in there. Or large scarves could go there to be grabbed when necessary and not bulk up the hanger area.
  
  I have the world’s smallest closet. It’s one of those 6’x4’ spaces one usually only uses for coats, or linen. But it’s where I have to cram all of my treasures, and so I really try to make the most of it. For my closet, I bought:
  
  
• A shoe holder: there are many choices of styles, whatever you choose, make sure it is sturdy. Weak, cheap shoe holders wobble and fall apart, adding more clutter and bad vibes to your closet. You can find good, matching sets of closet organzers at Target and Ikea. Invest in a few of these items, and see how much they improve your space!
• 3 matching bins for the shelves: these hold everything from sweaters to scarves to purses, keeping things sleek and simple, not jumbled and confusing.
  
  ON CLOTHES PLACEMENT: For ease of access and choice, place things less worn to the back or side of the closet. For example, my lovely velvet blazer I wore over the holidays, and will probably wear again this spring over a light tank with jeans to drinks with the girls, is off to the right of my closet, not in the middle. Clothes that you wear all the time should be up front and center. You might arrange them by item, tops together, skirts, etc, or by outfits and coordinating items. I like this approach because it takes the thinking out of it, allowing for more inspiration. For example hanging that black silk drape neck tank next to the cardigan you’d like to wear it with, just makes things easier when you haven’t had your coffee yet!
  
  When you’ve hung everything up, rolled all the sweaters and stowed them away in the bins, arranged your favorite shoes in place, take a breath.
  
  Step back again and look at the beauty you’ve already created! A fresh, organized space full of only relevant items creates some very good vibes!
  
  Now, for icing on the closet cake, consider a small (!) amount of decoration. Perhaps something as simple as a cut out picture from a magazine of something you love, tacked to the wall. Or get a little more sophisticated and hang a small (!) framed picture in there, of whatever inspires you. I like to have a very small corkboard next to my closet that I fill with inspirational pictures of clothes and colors. The corkboard keeps it all in a tidy shape, with clean edges!
  
  Instead of a cluttered place of overwhelming chaos, your closet can become a fresh, inspiring place of possibilities. Take the time to clear your mind and your afternoon to clear your closet and improve your life. Enjoy the bright, clean and welcoming energy of your new space. You’ll start your day with a good feeling, and you’ll carry that along with you for others to enjoy!