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Now that the year is off to a good start, it’s natural to get into cleaning mode. One of the most important places you can start is in your closet. My clients have said that the Closet Cleanse experience has been one of the most valuable and life-changing services they’ve invested in. So I thought I’d take a moment to talk about the Closet Cleanse and why you might want one!

Closet Evaluation

Before we can get organized, we get really messy! The first thing we do during the closet cleanse is to evaluate your closet. We start pulling items out one-by-one, working from one side to the other. We look at each item and I ask 4 questions: When is the last time you wore this? How did you wear it? How did it make you feel? And lastly, how does it fit? If there is any question about how it fits or how to style a piece, we put it to the side in a pile to look at later.

Identifying Patterns

The further we go into the closet, the more we notice patterns. One person might have 12 black blouses. Another one might own a lot of colorful dresses but ends up wearing jeans every day. We talk about these patterns and I dig a little deeper. Why do you own that many black blouses? Do you need them? How are they different? I love to ask my clients, “Would you repurchase this garment if you had the option?” If not, then why do you still have it?

*A Side Note About Joy

Because of the Marie Kondo effect, some clients feel like they need to get rid of everything that doesn’t spark joy in their closet. But, not every single piece in your closet is going to spark joy. A black t-shirt isn’t a cause for celebration, but it’s still a necessary basic and may be the key piece in an outfit that will spark joy and make you feel fabulous!

The Try On Session

Once we’ve uncovered the patterns around your purchasing habits and what ends up in your closet, we turn to the pile of maybes. We try each of these pieces on and evaluate the fit, first and foremost. If you put the garment on and have a negative reaction or start talking about what you don’t like about it, that’s your cue to send it to a new home!

Now for Styling

If the clothing fits and you don’t immediately hate it, we go back to the closet and start styling. Sometimes you buy something because you love it, but you don’t end up wearing it because you don’t know what to pair it with. I help you create outfits from the pieces already in your closet. Then, I take a picture on your phone so you have a record of the outfit and can reference it later. At the same time, I make a list of key items to add to your closet sometime in the future to maximize what you already own.

Putting It Back Together

We make sure to put the closet back together based on item type and color. So next time, you can see that you own 12 black blouses!

About The Process

This whole process – depending on the size of the closet – takes about 4-5 hours. It can be exhausting and emotional. Sometimes, we break up the Closet Cleanse into two sessions.

It’s normal to feel a range of emotions – from elation that you forgot about an item that you love – to questioning your judgment – and sadness about having to let something go that you had an attachment to.

I have to remind many of my clients that it’s ok to let something go. Just because you spent a lot of money on it, doesn’t mean you should hold on to it. Your closet should work for the body and the lifestyle you have NOW. Keeping a closet full of clothes you don’t wear takes an emotional toll and ends up blocking access to the pieces that you do love to wear.

This process can truly open your eyes and change the way you approach shopping. It can make a huge difference in your daily life. And I love guiding clients through it.

If you’d like to set up a Closet Cleanse, send me an email and we’ll set something up for February!