building a cohesive wardrobe: the closet clean out

In my early twenties, I loved nothing more than to go shopping (okay, now that I'm in my late twenties, not much has changed). The problem was that I didn't have a lot of money, and I didn't have a plan. If I found something I liked at Forever 21 or H&M, I would buy it. Then I would wear it one time, realize that I hated it on me, and stuck it in the back of my closet. This was also the time that blogs started to become popular, so I kind of was running after the trends I saw on them - think colored jeans, arm parties, and lots of layering.

I never felt secure in these clothes, and I always felt like I had nothing to wear. When I was accepted to medical school, it hit me that in 4 months time, I was going to move 600 miles away, in just my little car. I was not going to drag all those clothes with me to my new home/life. So I started the long closet clean out, and the eventual building up of my closet.

In this multi-post topic of building a cohesive wardrobe, the first, and most important step, is doing a closet clean out. It's also the hardest. It's difficult to get rid of things you've paid money for - it feels like throwing money away. But I promise, once you only have clothes in your closet that you actually like to wear, you will never ever miss those old items again.

So. The following were (and still are!) my guidelines when I clean out my closet. I just did another round of this over the last few weeks while moving, and it really did help narrow down what to keep and what to get rid of. Here is my process:

switcheroo

Remember how everything was covered in snow last week? Thanks to a couple of 50+ days, the snow is now gone (forever!....just kidding) and we're back to beautiful weather. I'm sure this little switcheroo won't last long, but boy am I thrilled the warmer weather is here for just a few more days!

Another switcheroo is the outfit I had planned on wearing this day. Since I have another move coming up at the end of May, and that move will lead to probably having to share a closet with a boy, I've been slowly going through my clothes again. I've been pulling out items I haven't worn since I moved here, and putting them on the hook right next to my closet. I leave it front and center for about a week, and if I'm still not reaching for it, it goes into the donate pile. I had this shirt I bought a few years ago out and while in theory I would like it (black, white, geometric), I tried wearing it several different ways and it just didn't feel right anymore, so into the donate pile it went.

My mom and little sister went through my donate pile and took what they were interested in. My mom ended up taking the shirt, and I know she'll wear the hell out of it. Plus if I ever miss it, I can just go borrow it ;)

Blouse: Loft [similar]

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Scarf: H&M [similar]

Belt: Everlane [exact]

Watch: Michael Kors [save | exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch [save | exact]

P.S. Cyber Monday is in full swing. Here are just a few of the best sales ;)

• Kate Spade: 30% off 
• For them: everyone needs more polka dot placemats in their lives
• For you: I love the unique style of this crossbody bag (that is already on sale)
• C. Wonder: 40% off
• For them: a little bubbly for their bubbly
• For you: a personalized necklace that makes me wish I was a gemini 
• DvF: 40% off 
• For them: a studded zip clutch they'll want to go out with
• For you: a dress you'll wear for decades to come - if not now, when? 
• Gap: 40% off everything
• For them: high five gloves will make her the coolest on the playground
• For you: get this sweater that they just re-stocked so we can be twins (I just ordered it!)
• Target: buy one, get one 50% off
• For them: a cozy sweater (that you'll end up buying a second one for yourself!)
• For you: a festive sweater you can wear all winter long
• Loft: 50% off everything
• For them: pearls upon pearls upon pearls 
• For you: soft and embellished - how great would this look under a blazer? Or maybe this dress (which I think is just so beautiful...but I shouldn't...should I?)
• J.Crew Factory: 50% off
• For them: for that biking man of yours (who also likes to look good)
• For you: this dress would look amazing on you, promise
• Nordstrom: up to 40% off sale items
• For them: a cognac purse that would get so much use
• For you: these OTK boots are amazing. Seriously...if I didn't own a pair, these would be on their way to me.

the lizzi chronicles: purging, donating, and boyfriends

Back when I was preparing to move last year, I kind of did all of the purging in stages without really documenting any of it. At the time, I hadn't moved more than three miles in any direction in seven years, so it took a while to go through everything I had accumulated in that time. One of my favorite ladies, Lizzi, is currently in the processing of moving in with her boyfriend, and in the process is using this move as a time to not only clean out her closet, but many of the different items in her possession. She's been doing a ton of research on how to best donate certain items, and we both thought that it would make for a great couple of posts. I hope you guys enjoy her intro post - be on the look out for progress pictures in the next few weeks!

*clears throat* Is this thing on? Is this where one blogs?

Ah, yes! Hello! This is Lizzi, Fran's favorite outlet shopping and concert companion! I am here because I approached Fran a few weeks ago about doing a few posts on "getting rid of stuff".

NO! Don't leave yet! I know that doesn't really have a lot of zing as it stands, but let me explain myself. And for what it's worth, I swear that Fran responded to my email with "I LOVE THIS IDEA!!!!" and "I'M SO EXCITED!!"

closet inventory

When I was preparing to move last year, I spent a lot of time going through my closet and getting rid of a ton of it. I hadn't moved more than three miles in any direction in seven years, so I used the 600 mile move across the country as a good time to really sort through everything I owned. I spent months sorting, donating, selling, and giving to friends, and I thought I did a pretty good job of only taking with me what I really wore and used.

I'll be moving again next year, and to prevent another massive clean out during the super stressful time of board studying and moving, I'm trying to be proactive about what I buy and keep in my closet (and surroundings). I've been trying to buy less since I don't really "need" anything, and I've been cleaning more out. There were some things I held on to that I thought I would wear more during the school year, but I just didn't wear them, so I've already donated a giant bag full of clothes after this recent clean out. I wish that I had taken a full inventory last March just to see how much has changed in the last 18 months!

I've been asked in the past how much clothing I actually own, and so being inspired by AJ's and Kimmie's closet inventory posts, I thought I would share a little of my own. Here are all the clothes I own:

So what does that come out to? Here are the numbers:

Tops: 94
Sleeveless: 8
Tees: 21
Long-sleeved shirts: 10
Blouses/Button-ups: 26
Cardigans: 12
Sweaters: 17

Outerwear: 15
Vests: 2
Blazers: 9
Coats: 4

Bottoms: 36
Jeans: 5
Casual Pants: 5
Dress Pants: 8
Shorts: 8
Skirts: 10

Dresses: 23

Shoes: 34
Flats: 17
Heels: 8
Sandals: 5
Boots: 4

This of course doesn't include work out clothes, pjs, or the large amount of college sweatshirts I own (all the red in the back right corner). I'm a little shocked I own 200 pieces of clothing. I would have guessed it was closer to 150. There are still some things I know I'll be getting rid of in the next year, so I'll probably do a one piece in, one piece out rule.

I know many people suggest using thin velvet hangers to make as much room as possible. I won these wooden hangers last year from Alterations Needed (read her review on the petite hangers here) and I think that they work a lot better for me. I like that it spaces my clothes out a bit more, and it leaves me with a finite amount of hanger space - it prevents me from holding out to clothes I no longer wear. I used to organize my closet completely by color - all white blouses, sweaters, and tees together, and so on. I found that organizing by type helps a lot more - they are still organized by color (because I'm a bit of a nutcase) but now within type. So if I want a tee shirt, they are all together. If I'm looking for a cardigan to wear on top of an outfit, I can see the 12 I have available all in one space.

I'm hoping to inventory once a year just to see where I'm at. Questions about anything? Let me know!

closet clean-up: from cluttered to loved

Once I found out in February that I would have to move for school, I slowly started cleaning out my closet. I've lived in Madison for seven years now, and have lived in four different houses. Each time we moved, I just grabbed everything I owned and took it with me to the next place a few streets away. This move though, across several states and by myself, would require me greatly reduce the items I own.

I had clothes in three different places - my main closet that had all of my normal clothes, some coats in our coat closet, and my handful of dresses (which I couldn't wear to work) were in a shared closet in our bedroom - our place has a lot of closets! I started out by pulling all of the "big ticket" items that I knew I could sell on eBay - a few purses, a North Face jacket, and a few J.Crew / Banana Republic items. I'm a pretty beginner eBay seller so I don't have a ton of tips and tricks. I do a lot that is recommended here, and I almost always use the eBay app as you can take pictures, upload, and have a listing within just a few minutes from your phone.

Once those items were gone, I started going through the clothes that I regularly look at. I pulled out the pieces I knew I hadn't worn in years, and put them aside. I tried selling some on poshmark and on here, but those took more effort than it paid out. I basically worked through my closet a little bit at a time. Every time I by passed something and couldn't remember the last time I ever wore it, it went into the pile. About once a month, I would take a pile of clothing to Plato's Closet - a consignment store geared mostly towards teenagers. My experiences were fine there - I've made about $100 from selling clothes there, but I felt because they were so geared toward teens that a lot of my nicer items that just didn't fit were passed because they were "too mature". The items they didn't take I handed down to my mom and sister, and whatever they didn't want, they donated to St. Vinnies.

That was what I did up until this past weekend. I move on Friday, so this last closet clean out was really necessary to get rid of the last unnecessary pieces. I had already packed up all of my blazers, remaining bottoms, skirts, and shoes which hadn't been pulled. My family is shipping those boxes to me at the end of the week as I just didn't have enough room in my car. Next, I went through all of my tops. I pulled each one out of the closet and put it on. If I felt uncomfortable in it, if it fit me wrong, or if I knew I was just never going to wear it again, into the pile it went. I'm only packing the pieces I really wear. As hard as it was to let go of a bunch of relatively nice jeans, tees, and sweaters, I knew I hadn't worn them in so long, and with my restrictive dress code, I knew they weren't going to be worn in the future either. I tried one last time to take a few things to the consignment stores, made about $25, and took everything else directly to Goodwill. I set a side a few things again for my mom and sister, but the rest will find a new home with something who will appreciate them.

When I look at my closet now, and even during the cleaning out process, I felt so much better about getting dressed. I didn't feel guilt looking at all the clothes I spent money on, but didn't wear. My choices were limited, but I liked everything, so I never had "I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR" moments. Since I started working with a budget, I feel like I've been a lot smarter about what I buy, so I'm hoping that in a year/four years from now, I won't be in this same situation. I need to make smart buying decisions, buy items off of my holes in my closet list, and not just buy on a whim. I want to find the balance of buying staple pieces versus more "fun" pieces - maybe do 3/4 of my budget towards purchasing items I will get a ton of wear, and then the rest towards statement/fun pieces? Since I will be living off student loans that I receive twice a year, instead of paychecks I receive twice a month, I may do what Kimmie and Jess do, and have a yearly budget and work with it that way. I'll definitely share what I decide to do!

I can't wait to show you guys by new closet next week! It's going to be beautiful :)

My tips for cleaning out your own closet - no moving 10 hours away necessary! :

+ Pull everything (EVERYTHING) out of your closet, and try each piece on. If it doesn't fit NOW, get rid of it (or if it may fit again for sure, put it into storage)

+  If you haven't worn it within the last year, ask yourself why. Does it just fit wrong? Donate or sell. Not your style anymore? Pass along to friends or donate. Needs alterations? Put into the alterations pile and actually do them.

+ Be prepared to make "the hard" decisions. Yes, it sucks that you spend x number of dollars on that sweater/pant/skirt/shoe....but what good is it doing you in your closet if you haven't worn it in years? Either store it in case it comes back into fashion, pass it along to family members/friends, sell it, or donate it. You'll feel better not looking at it every single time you open your closet.

+ Reorganize your closet so you can see your clothes better. I currently organize by color, but when I move, I'm going to organize by type - blazers, cardigans, sweaters, tees. Seeing your clothes in a different way may inspire you to wear it a different way.

+ Now that you know what you have in your closet, think about what you think needs to be added. Think about what you want your style to be, what colors you should focus on, and what pieces you'd like to add. Make a list, and keep an eye out for them when you shop. If you are unsure, these posts, these posts, and these posts have been a big help to me!