True story. As you may know, I purge my closet quite regularly. I shift items in and out as the seasons change and when I do many items end up being permanently removed. About a month ago, I put away all of my summer staples (sniff, sniff) and to my horror the only thing left in my closet were black tops! Why is it that any time I buy a new top……I choose BLACK?! Boring and predictable.
So it got me to thinking. Happy people have color in their lives. I am a happy person. I have made myself two promises: 1. Buy responsibly and 2. No more black. While deciding on a color palette for my own closet, I explored a few options. Yellow is interesting and inspiring in both clothing and in the home. This mustard yellow is the bee’s knees. Paired with dusty pink and black -it’s striking! I thought I’d share a few images that gave me that creative spark.
Whimsy art work with a pop of yellow. Wouldn’t this look great in an office?
Yellow pants, yellow boots, and that clutch (as an accent to pink)….I’m loving all of it!
Pairing yellow with moody dark walls or light and white. Either way it’s a great statement in the home.
I ultimately decided this color yellow does not look great with my complexion….but I still love it so. Maybe it will work for one of you?? What color(s) do you seem to buy again and again? I’m super curious.
We have distinct seasons here in the Pacific Northwest. With a shift in weather, comes a shift in wardrobe. I see this time as a perfect cue to clear out my closet.
I have had several of you ask me for help with your closets. The hard part is knowing where to start. In our busy lives, a formula is always welcome. While I have not written a best seller, I am pretty good at clearing out my closet.
If you remember, I created a storage system when I gave my closet some love. Clothes and shoes that I am not currently wearing find a home in storage containers for a few months. Clothes move in and out of my closet based on the season. You may not have this system in your home, but the process will be the same. Every article of clothing must be closely considered. Does the item stay or go? This is where it gets really difficult.
Here are the things I consider:
Fit
Simply, it must fit. For me I can’t keep something that doesn’t fit anymore. This is sometimes painful and sad. {Please note, I’m not talking about it being a bit snug because that can change by the week or day.} If you aren’t sure, try it on and look at yourself in the mirror. Does it flatter your shape? Do you feel good in it? Does it button or zip easily? If the answer is no to any of those questions, it is time to let it go. If you have recently lost weight and the piece is too large, please don’t wear it anymore. Either have a tailor alter it for you or pass it along. You deserve clothes that fit you well.
Condition
Carefully inspect each piece. Is it in good shape? Is it missing buttons or is the hem coming loose? Some problems are easy to fix and will give life back to your clothes. However, sometimes it is just time to say good bye. Even if you absolutely love a blouse, you can’t wear it if it has a large stain. Sweaters don’t look great once they have lost their shape. Shoes get old. I recently just gave away two of my most favorite pair of pumps. They were past their prime and starting to look a tad tacky. Was I sad? Yes. Did they need to go? Yes.
Style
Yes, it is true. Everything eventually comes back into style. However, it usually takes twenty years or so. Are you really going to hold onto that pair of jeans until they are back in fashion? I hope your answer is no. There are true classics and they can be great from year to year. However, it may be time to update your black pants or blazer. If you tend to buy trend pieces, you need to be extra critical. {I find that these pieces only stay in my closet for a couple of years.}
Do I wear it?
This should be your final question, always. Do I wear it? Honestly. If you don’t wear it, what is the point of keeping it? Buyers remorse might be involved here, but you just have to get over that.
If you have done your job well, there is a pile of clothes that need a new home. I make two piles: charity and consignment store. If you believe that someone else would pay money for a few items {usually name brand}, consider taking them to a consignment shop. You earn a little cash and this often times makes the process easier. Off brands or older items can quickly and easily be given to a thrift store or charity. Put them in your car right away so you don’t second guess yourself.
If you have questions, please leave a comment or shoot me an email denise@whereisjune.com. I will help in any way I can! You can do this!
Back in October, I decided to give my closet a major overhaul. It was in desperate need of some TLC. You need to know that my closet is a standard sized bedroom closet with dual sliding doors. A powdered-coated, metal shelving/hanging unit was installed by a previous owner of our home. Sadly, it also has florescent lighting. This was not going to be a remodel. I had to work within the space I was given. When I set out to create a closet to love, I set my priorities for the project.
In the end, I hoped for:
*bright, open and inspiring
*a place for my accessories
*space to hang a few pieces of art
While it is quite embarrassing to show the before pictures, it is important to show its original sad, drab state. Yep, it was that bad. Crowded, cluttered, and certainly uninspiring. The closet wasn’t getting any larger and it wasn’t going to magically become a walk-in overnight. To reach my goal of creating an open space, I was going to have to be fearless in making some tough decisions. I needed to edit my wardrobe! I spent a long afternoon, pulling things from my closet. The result was a very large bag which I took to my favorite consignment shop. The rest went to a charitable thrift shop. There was space to work with!!
The work began in four main areas:
Clothing Storage: I pulled my spring/summer wardrobe off hangars and put it in storage. I certainly don’t need shorts and breezy little tops in the dead of Seattle’s winter. I also put my flip flops, wedges, and sandals in individual plastic shoe boxes.
Painting: The walls need some major help. They were actually dirty {gross that I didn’t notice that when I moved in} and the paint was drab. I chose Benjamin Moore Ribbon Pink. It took over 3 weeks to finally decide on the shade of pink. My ideal color would be a bit paler than Ribbon Pink, but once the clothes were back it wasn’t a huge issue for me. The hardest part of the painting was the shelving/hanging unit. It is barely hanging on, so if I had taken it down there is a pretty good chance it wouldn’t have gone back up. Instead, I taped around it using painter’s tape and my level. It took forever. For a fun effect I taped color blocks! The finished product makes me smile because of the awesome white borders throughout the whole closet.
Accessory Storage: I had to use some creativity for hanging and storing my accessories. A shelf liner gave me a solid surface to build on. I had been dying for a reason to buy this gorgeous gold stag! I finally had it. Using the antlers and a handful of brass nails I had plenty of storage for my necklaces. Along with jewelry trays, vintage tea cups and collected glassware I had a place for almost all of my accessories. An acrylic shelf helped give one more surface for all the treasures. All of my hats, scarves, and belts are now housed in two colorful canvas baskets I found on clearance at Target.
Art: With a little help from all of you {here and here} I chose two pieces of art. The fashion illustration by Anum Tariq is so beautiful. I wish you could see it person. A LOVE print, one of my very favorite photos, and a few Instagram snapshots finished off the space perfectly.
I apologize for such a lengthy post, but I can’t help but be overly excited about this outcome! It makes me so, so HAPPY to open my closet each day. Many of my most treasured items {like my grandmother’s gloves I wore on my wedding day} now have a place in my everyday. While not large or ornate, I now have a closet to love.
{If you see a detail that I didn’t explain or discuss, please leave a comment below. I am happy to answer any questions!}
