As we jump into the weekend and into the BIG task of the week, it’s time to also jump back into the closet and start looking at the space as potential and possibilities and with a little help and some tips from Adam Glassman, I think we just might get this done! While I know that, like many others, my closet has become the virtual hide away island of misfit everything that can’t fit into a drawer or that doesn’t have a home, the “stuff” that is hanging needs a little attention. This isn’t a clutter challenge but a style challenge. So, this time both a full length mirror and some simple honest feedback is what is going to be needed.
With a little time and these tips from Adam, I’m hoping to come out with both my “style uniform” (not easy for a work from home contractor, writer and photographer) and some nice go-to outfits for anything that just might pop up! You never know, I could be a winner in Oprah’s Atlanta OYou contest…and may just need something to wear after all. So, here are Adam’s tips that I found on Oprah.com. I sure hope they help…because I’m going to need it!
Adam Glassman’s Closet Cleanout Tips
If the thought of cleaning out your closet gives you anxiety, use Adam’s rules to help you weed out what you don’t wear.
- Rule 1: If you haven’t worn something for over two years, get rid of it. “Even if it’s pricey,” Adam says. “Give it to a friend who will make good use of it. Sell it, donate it, put it on eBay.”
- Rule 2: If it doesn’t fit you anymore, get rid of it. “Hang it up on the door and call it closet art if you want that for inspiration,” he says. “But truthfully, by the time someone gets back into a size, it may be out of style.”
- Rule 3: Don’t fantasy dress. Oprah says she bought a lot of purses she thought would be perfect for a lady who lunches, but she never had time to go to lunch. If an item fits the lifestyle you want but not the lifestyle you live, get rid of it.
- Rule 4: Everything in your closet should promote joy, beauty and usefulness. “You should feel pretty in it, and you should be comfortable in it,” Adam says. “And it should be really practical.”
- Rule 5: If something brings up a bad memory or has a negative energy around it, purge it. You’ll never want to wear something that reminds you of a bad time, but donate it and hope somebody else can enjoy it.
- Rule 6: Get rid of duplicates. If you have a ton a of things that look the same, streamline.
(Adam’s Closet Cleanout Tips are from a February 2010 article on Oprah.com and can be found here.)