The 2023 Wardrobe Challenge: Week 3

Welcome to week three of our Wardrobe Challenge!

This week’s challenge is about paring down and organizing your space!

I am a big believer in organization. It makes life easier, saves money, and allows you to manage your time and energy better.

After working with private clients for over a decade and hosting this challenge for years,  I know firsthand that a messy, unorganized closet space is one of the biggest reasons women feel overwhelmed or underwhelmed by their wardrobes.

The good news is it’s easy to fix.

If you are just joining us, or are running behind, don’t worry. 

Go at your own pace and utilize our FB group to keep you motivated and on track. 

Be sure you finish each challenge before moving to the next. 

Week 3: The Big Edit

Challenge #1: Finish Your Edit

Your closet space should be lovely or, at the very least, tidy. 

It should bring a sense of calm, not crazy.

It doesn’t matter what kind of closet you have. You could have a huge, custom walk-in or a simple bar and shelf.

Either way, your experience can be blissful.

Last week, I challenged you to perform a QUICK edit. 

This is my clever way of easing you into a more in-depth edit, especially if you have a hard time letting go of things or have a lot of stuff. 

As you move into Week 3, you should be left with your “Maybe” pile.

And, listen, you might need extra time for this week if you have a lot in your “maybe” pile. If that’s the case work finish this part completely before you move into the organization part.

Over the years, I’ve learned that the maybes are usually the trouble makers in our wardrobe, the pieces that are “just okay” but you wear because you don’t have something better.

They work, but they’re not 100%. 

So, now it’s time to dive into those pieces and be ruthless. 

Get rid of anything you don’t love or need. Be honest with yourself.

Are you going to wear it?

Does it match your desired style? 

Is it reflected on your Pinterest board? 

And the most important question:

What’s not quite right about it?

Try to articulate what is not working. Is it the fit, the color, or print?

Or maybe, it just feels wrong on your body.

Get rid of it.

The only exception is if you NEED to wear the piece until you replace it with a better version. Please make a note of it. You’ll need it next week when we create a shopping list.

If you are on a weight loss journey and have some pieces that currently don’t fit well, you can keep them, but remove them from your closet and store them elsewhere.

I don’t want you waking up to a closet full of clothes that don’t fit. It’s not a great way to start your day.

Be sure the items you decide to keep are modern, fit your style, and are things that you look forward to wearing when you hit your goals.

If a piece is sentimental, give it the respect it deserves. 

Have it professionally cleaned, remove it from the plastic dry-cleaning bag, wrap it in acid-free tissue, and store it with the rest of your keepsakes. 

An Important Note:

As you can imagine, I get a lot of push pack on this part of the challenge, so I want to get ahead of some of that.

First, you might not be able to finish this part in a week, and that’s okay. Don’t use time as a reason to quit. If it takes two or three weeks, that’s how long it takes.  

I do recommend setting up time to focus on it and working until it’s done to get it over with, but you know your schedule and capacity best. 

If the sheer volume of what you have is overwhelming, I mean, you are bursting at the seams, you may consider bringing in people to help, a friend, your sister, or even hire a professional organizer. 

A professional may help you stay on track and provide extra tips and guidance. I’ve worked with some in the past in other areas of my home and I still use what I learned today.

However, and I say this with love, if you’re struggling with letting go, and finding every reason under the sun to keep your things, you’re not ready.

I once worked on a closet that was so massive and filled with so much it took myself, an assistant, the client and her three sisters four days to clean out.

I was getting paid a lot of money and I hated every minute of it because the client didn’t want to get ride of anything, despite investing in me and asking family for help. 

I didn’t know why I was there. Every minute of the day was a battle and I learned a big lesson I carry with me today: my job is not to convince anyone of anything.

In this case you’re either in, or your out. 

No pep talk or rational from me is going to change that. 

But when you are ready, all of these challenges are here waiting for you, and we’ll host our next round in the Spring. 

Challenge #2: Get Organized

Take some time to find a place for everything. 

I promise that an organized and clean space will give you clarity and help with creativity.

Creating outfits will not seem so daunting when you see what you have.

A few quick tips:

Remove everything from your closet.

Give it a quick clean. I have seen enough closets in my day to know you have pieces hidden in the back, covered in dust.

Dust will destroy your clothes. 

Take 15 minutes to wipe off your shelves, vacuum, and throw away old hangers and miscellaneous items.

Only put back your wardrobe.

I once found a toaster in a client’s closet that she forgot she had bought.

Find another place for everything else (if you can). Remember to keep your Pinterest board close and use it as a guide for what to keep and what to “toss.”

Upgrade your hangers.

We love these flocked hangers, which are available on Amazon. I use them in all the closets in our house. 

Look at what you have before you buy any organizational tools. 

Before you run to The Container Store, see what you have lying around your house.

As you go through the closet, put items in categories to see what you are working with. 

Have a pile of handbags, belts, sweaters, etc. 

Then, reuse and repurpose bins, hooks, and baskets to help store them.

Last year, I did end up at The Container Store and found some fantastic items that made a big difference in my space.

But I was particular about what I needed and didn’t waste money on unnecessary gadgets.

For a list of all my favorite closet organizing items, see here. 

A Peek at My Closet

You can see some of those organization items above. 

I also have a small walk in in my bedroom, and then I built this wall unit from Ikea.

Obviously my job requires me to have more items than normal since I’m always trying things out.

I built this to keep my in-season pieces.

Need to catch up on previous challenges? 

You can view Week One and Week Two here.

Are you following along in our private Facebook Group?

If so, post some pictures of your space once you get it organized and share the inspiration!

Join Our LIVE Q&A

Join me on Tuesday, October 3rd, at 3pm EST for our  Week 3 LIVE over in our Facebook Private Group.

I’ll recap Week 1 & 2, set you up for Week 3 and answer any of your questions.

If you can’t make, you can catch the replay posted on Facebook once the LIVE wraps up, and if you’re not on Facebook, I’ll up dated this post with a recording to you can watch as well.