Your Closet: Step One....

(Photo Credit: We Heart It)

I know my closet is just a disaster sometimes. It's really small, all my clothes do not fit in it, there's boxes, bags, old school binders, shoes, purses.......everything. If you're a pack rat like me who insists on keeping things because you just know it will be back in style soon enough (and sometimes you're right). I'm here to tell you how to organize all of your...stuff.

Step One:

Admit you have a problem. 

You are not Carrie Bradshaw. Those sandals are worn out. That purse is ugly and was a trend that's never coming back, sequins anyone? Throw away things that you're holding onto for no apparent reason. Sort by your three basic piles:

Keep: This will probably be your biggest pile. This includes anything that is valuable, things you wear often, things from your mom/grandma/friend/family member/significant other that is of great value. It can be your mom's first Louis Vuitton that she passed down to you, it can be the first sweater you ever had, if it has emotional value as well as monetary value, keep it! I'm not talking about, "Omg, this is the shirt I wore when Jake asked me out!" You and Jake didn't work out, right? Exactly....

My Keep Pile:

Ralph Lauren polos/Regular polos. Why? They're classic, I wear them often and they're good for pretty much every season. They never go out of style. 

Layering Tanks/Shirts: Okay, this has restrictions. I keep them if I've bought them recently, wear them often or they work in different outfits. In most cases, it's all three. If they have holes in them, they're worn out or threadbare, I get rid of.

Jeans: This category also has restrictions. I keep all of my jeans that go as following: They're designer, like my 7s. If I wear them a lot, My White House Black Market jeans that I got at the outlet mall. They're comfortable, jeans that are too big but can be belted and rolled for my lazy days. 

Camisoles/ Dress Shirts: These are trend-varying in most closets. I still have a cami from my Abercrombie and Fitch days that I wear with my lazy day jeans, it still fits, it's cute. I keep it because it's versatile and no one has it anymore. With dress shirts including flannel (which everyone should keep!!) I try them on and make sure they fit in the chest area, the stomach and the arms. I work out and I have a bigger chest so tighter shirt become an issue with my arm muscles and buttoning them up. 

Dresses/ Skirts/ Dress Pants/ Formal Wear: I buy a lot of dresses from Forever 21 for going out because I don't like wearing the same dress twice to occasions. I'm not anal, it's just that some events require that dress. With Forever 21, they have cute dresses and skirts for different occasions and they're cheap so I don't have to worry about spending too much money. My closet is building up slowly due to these dresses, which I will address down below so just wait. I usually buy pricey dress pants (around $70) unless I find good ones at TJ Maxx. Places like the Gap and Express make long lasting dress pants that, if you take care of them, last a long time. Keep them. 

Shoes: Keep winter boots that you will wear next season. I always buy classic boots for winter because I want to wear them for multiple seasons. If your winter boots are in tact, the soles aren't bare and they still fit, keep them.

With sandals and flip flops, do a careful examination. I usually keep a couple pairs of flip flops around to walk inside the house. If they're newer and not cheap ones like Old Navy (I do love theirs though) keep them. Rainbos and Havianas are the best flip flop brands, they are pricey but they are good on your feet and last long.

Smell your flats and athletic shoes. If they aren't new, and aren't smelling, keep them. 

Give: This is the best part of cleaning your closet out. There's always that one shirts or those pair of shoes that you barely wore that your friend always asks to borrow. You can give it to her if you don't want it anymore. Then there's always places like the Salvation Army and Goodwill to give your unwanted items to. 

My Give Pile:

Jeans that are trendy and I don't wear anymore.

Sweaters that are thick, wooly or ones I don't wear a lot.

Trendy belts that I only wore a couple of times. 

Clutch bags/ Purses that were a one time deal.

Tank tops with little holes in them, not completely unwearable. 

Shoes that were trendy or I don't wear anymore.

Sweatpants/ Sweatshirts or exercise clothes that are bit smelly or stretched out. 

Trash: The last, but most important pile. This might be hard for some, but just know you are doing yourself a favor. If you clean out the clutter, you're making room for more fabulous items. Just think that way.

My Throw Pile:

Anything that is  unwearable: broken, worn out, straps are ripped, the padding is going (directed toward your old bathing suits!), the soles are worn, etc.

Old flip flops

Worn out shoes 

Anything permanently smelly

Sweat clothes that are disgusting

Stained things

Old underwear/ broken bras.

Holey socks

Broken belts/purses/wallets/jewelry