Editing Your Closet Like a Stylist
What better way to start your PCS season than with a little Marie Kondo rendition? Am I right?
If you’re sitting there stumped and asking yourself, “Who is Marie Kondo?” then I must ask you—where have you been hiding? The entire nation (of spouses) has been energized by a call to action by a bestselling author and her popular Netflix series. Her magical ways (or so people swear) of decluttering your home have led to an overflow of donations at the local thrift store—just what we need in the middle of a PCS purge.
I must admit, after binge watching all eight episodes of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, I too had a sudden urge to tackle my own closet—and document it! Of course, my execution of the Kondo Method came with a few revisions—because, well, closets are my specialty!
Collect the Clothing
The Marie Kondo Method wants you to collect all your belongings in a specific category to one designated area. She often recommends starting with your clothing before moving on to the rest of your home. I’ve read that she starts with clothing because it will hold the least emotional attachment and is the easiest to tackle. Obviously, as a personal stylist, I beg to differ, but I’ll address that later.
First, we need to tackle that closet. You know, the one that contains full wardrobes for life from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, to Fort Wainwright, Alaska, alike—all while having orders to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Oh, the joys of military life—never knowing where we’re off to next and always wanting to be prepared.
Did I mention, this closet also has jeans that vary in sizes from 2 to 10 plus a few maternity bras left over from five years ago—though we swear we aren’t having any more kids?
Do you recognize the closet I speak of? Yes? Perfect, let’s dive in!
As per the MK Method, I went into my primary closet (that I share with the hubby), pulled all my belongings out and placed them on my bed. I then went into our guest room and did the same thing with my summer wardrobe.
Once all my clothes were piled high on top of my bed (and I started regretting all my life’s decisions that led me to this very moment—kidding), I took a deep breath and started picking up my pieces, one by one.
Determine the Why
Here is where my process as a stylist differs a bit. While the Marie Kondo Method wants you hold each piece and see if it “sparks joy” for you, I recommend putting every single piece on to determine the why.
Why does this dress spark joy? Is it the color? Silhouette? Why does that skirt not spark the same joy? Is it that I don’t know how to style it? Is it that the length makes me look even shorter than what I already am?
I want you to ask the questions.
Is this the best shape for me? Do I love this piece enough to learn how to make it work? Is this the wrong neckline? Is this my style?
Sometimes simply looking at a piece isn’t enough. Because our clothes hold emotional ties, we need to further investigate why certain pieces “spark joy” while others don’t. Are we associating dread with a skirt we can’t figure out how to wear? Do we cringe with fear when we pick up those skinny jeans we think we aren’t cool enough to wear? Are we too attached to the pair of sweatpants that have stains and holes in them from college?
Don’t be afraid to ask yourself those hard questions before tossing an item in the donate, sell, or keep pile.
Yes, I did say “tossing,” because unlike Marie Kondo, I don’t feel the need to thank every single item I’m throwing in the giveaway pile—but this is an easy personal choice to make.
This process can be hard, emotional, and exhausting. Give yourself grace, but also give yourself honesty.
If clothes simply don’t fit (and haven’t in longer than you care to admit), then it’s time to say adios. If a T-shirt has outstayed it’s welcome, toss it in the pile. If you know you aren’t returning to the workforce in the next couple of years, there are women’s shelters who would love your donations. This doesn’t mean you’ll never get back into that size or work again; it simply means that when you do, you’ll want to celebrate by going out and buying yourself new clothes.
Once you start working on your pile, you’ll get into a groove and the process will become easier and, dare I say, even fun.
The Benefits
Here are some fabulous benefits of starting this process:
- You’re PCS ready. You’re leaving your current duty station knowing you love everything in your closet and can’t wait to have an organized closet at your new home.
- You rediscovered your personal style. You now know what you love, what fits well, and you’re ready to reach for that cute dress you forgot about.
- You’ve identified the gaps in your wardrobe. You know exactly what you need to shop for. No more aimless shopping and buying more sweatpants when you really need a little black dress.
- You enjoy walking into your closet and getting dressed in the morning. You don’t cringe at the thought of getting ready in the morning.
- You’re genuinely excited about the pieces you have hanging in your closet. You can’t wait to post a photo on Facebook to show your friends what a success your closet is.
Oh, and most importantly, you’re now ready to embrace decluttering the rest of your house!
Maybe.
xM
