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Happy New Year!

I hope you and your family had a wonderful and safe holiday season. I still can’t believe we are at the beginning of a brand new year!

While 2020 was stinky in so many ways, it also had its perks. Our family would have never had so many meals around the table together, and so many family movie nights. We never would have said NO so much and we would never would have built. up our resilience in the way that we have.We would have never added chickens and our a dog to our family. Our hearts wouldn’t be near as full and we wouldn’t have as many memories with each other!

2020 was definitely a doozy, but also a great reset!

And, one of my personal favorite ways to reset is to do a deep clean of my house. Anyone with me?

I don’t know why a decluttered house does wonders for my soul – but it sure does!

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For the whole month of January Mix and Match Madness is going to be focusing on decluttering and organization of your home (and life!).

I’m pretty sure we are all VERY ready for a fresh new start so our 2021 year can flourish with blessings, gratitude, and a lot less junk. Am I right??? 

For my family, one of the places we like to begin when decluttering our house is actually our closets. 

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Our closets can often become the “junk drawer” of our rooms because we will just throw all the stuff we don’t know where to put in them. It’s so easy to justify this within the moment because when you shut the closet door the mess can’t be seen by us or, most importantly, our guests when they visit. 

However, I believe with due diligence we can keep our closets tidy and clutter-free with these simple steps. Now, as I’m typing this it’s important for you to know that I’m currently going through this same exact process with my husband and three kids. I’m not always super mom when it comes to cleaning (trust me, my kids will tell you the cold hard truth) BUT this year is going to be a year where we take the time to truly create the habit and mindset for a clutter-free house.  

So, if you’re up for the challenge I’d love for you to join me in The Mix and Match Madness Declutter Series, starting with your home closets.

Tips for Cleaning Out Your Maser Closet

When I clean out my closest, which I like to do a few times a year, I make three piles.

1. Consignment: These are clothing items and accessories that are still on trend and in good shape but I no longer want/need

2. Donation: These are clothing items and accessories that might be out of style, stained or have any signs of lots of wear

3. Attic for 6 months: These are items that I really love and are still in good shape, BUT I don’t seem to wear them often so I’m questioning if I should keep or purge. I put these items in the attic for 6 months and if I don’t ever them or go dig for them, I ditch them after 6 months.

Now that you have your three piles, let’s talk about how I analyze the things within my closet.
The very best way to knock this off your to-do list is to invite a friend or two over and treat them to coffee or wine while they sit and visit with you and give you their opinions. BUT since you may be social distancing right now, I encourage you to set up a FaceTime date with them or maybe even a Zoom conference call. 

Next, you aren’t going to like this, but you need to try on E V E R Y T H I N G. Yup, actually try it on and look in the mirror and at your friends reaction when they see you in it. It takes some time, but trust me, it’s worth it!

Here are a few questions I ask myself about when it comes to the pieces in my closet.

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• Does it fit me? If it is too big or too small, it needs to go! Stop saving those things you hope to fit back into one day. Truth is, there are always new things out there. If it’s too big, get that outta there so you don’t let yourself eat too much while stuck at home thinking, “Oh, I have stuff in case the things I love get too tight.” You may laugh at this statement, but I know we’ve all thought something similar to this statement.

• Does it still look good? No stains, peeling, “balling” etc. If it is worn out – LET IT GO! (Anyone else have the Frozen song pop in their head?)

• When I put it on is it easy and comfortable to wear? Or, am I going to be constantly shifting and tugging?

• When I put it on and look in the mirror or at a selfie, does it actually look how I pictured it was going to in my head before I put it on?

• Do I wear it often? Can I style it at least 3 ways with other things in my closet? Don’t “save” your things for a special occasion. Wear what you have and USE IT!

If you wear it often, feel good in it, and it’s still in good condition it is a no brainer – KEEP IT!

For the things you THINK you want to keep because you thought up new outfits, turn those hangers around in your closet and if in 6 months the hangers are not hung back in the right direction – it’s a goner! Yup, set an alarm on your phone and in 6 months those questionable items move to consignment or your donation pile. If you haven’t worn it in 6 months, chances are you aren’t ever going to.

Now, your closet as more than just clothes, right? Let’s talk about the other categories.

Jewelry

Gosh, you know I am an always accessorize kind of gal, so I have a LOT of jewelry. Here are some of my declutter tips when it comes to jewelry. 

• Ask yourself if it’s still your style? If no, add it to the consignment or donation pile?

• Is the item missing any stones, broken pieces, etc.? If yes, time to rid of it.

• Do I have outfits that I can wear the piece with?

• Does the piece look pretty on me and does it make feel confident when I wear it?  

• Also, think about how many necklaces, earrings, bracelets, etc. you really need and try to limit your pieces to your preferred number of items. 

And, while you may not have as much of an accessory obsession as I do, I’ll be sharing all of my storage tricks for jewelry in hopes you see one you might like to use for your collection in part 2 of this blog.

Shoes

I will talk more on this in the next blog, but when I have too many shoes and they don’t fit on my shelves that designed for shoe storage in my closet, it’s time for me to get rid of some pairs. Here are a few points I consider when evaluating what pairs to do away with.

• Do they fit? If yes, are they comfortable to wear?

• Have I worn them in the last three months? 

• Are they worn out? How are the soles holding up?  

• How many outfits can you wear them with? 

Bags + Purses

Raise your hand if you need another BAG like you need a hole in your head, but you keep buying them!!!!! GUILTY! If your obsession is handbags, this might be one of the hardest parts of cleaning out your master closet. Here are some tips for decluttering those bags!

• Is it still in style?

• Do you actually use it?

• Does the bag pair with multiple outfits? 

• Limit the number of overnight bags and purses, you allow yourself to keep in your closet. Store the others in your attic and if you don’t go digging for it or miss it within 6 months, time to add it to your donation or consignment pile.

Remember, if you are a designer bag girl- save the classics to hand down to your children one day but consign the rest to recoup some of your moola on a purse you aren’t using. 

Your master closet may also hold your spouses clothes as well.

Take the same steps as above and apply them to their portion of their closet. If your spouse wears ties and hats, consider these as accessories and ask yourself the same questions as they apply – but them in the corresponding piles. Just think, this could be your next “date night.” Put the kids to bed, pour 2 glasses of wine order to go food and tackle his closet!  

Now that you’ve gotten your closet decluttered, it’s time to organize it!

Later this week, I’ll be sharing my top organization tips for your home closets.

Let me know in the comments if you’re joining me in my declutter challenge! And, if there’s something you have a question about when it comes to decluttering and organizing your home, drop that below too! I’m actually kind of curious- what’s the hardest part of your home to keep decluttered and organized. 

Together, we are going to start 2021 off with a clear mindset and set ourselves and household up for declutter success!

P.S. You can also read my blog Closet Clean Up & Clean Out which focuses specifically on your kids closets.

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