Fall is upon us and if your closet still looks like summer, it is time to organize and purge. It can be overwhelming, but follows are a few guidelines to help you unload the unloved in your wardrobe without tears. You are not ready to hit those [Link Removed] that are going on, unless you make room in your closet for new clothes.

UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WILL NOT BE EASY: The best way to accept a challenge is to acknowledge it. If you have clothes in several closets, start with your bedroom closet. Make this “chore” fun by inviting a friend and purchasing new hangers. I recommend the ones that are advertised as slimming and non-slip. You will be able to hang more clothes neatly and your closet will look uniform

SEASONALIZE YOUR CLOTHING: See I am not suggesting that you get rid of anything, yet. First make sure your clothing represents what you will wear in the current season. It’s fall, so take your shorts, tank tops, sun dresses, etc. out of your primary closet for storage in another closet or in storage containers. Since your primary focus is the current season, unless you have a lot of time on your hands, just put these clothes away.

CATEGORIZE YOUR CLOTHING: Depending on your closet configuration, the best way to organize your clothes is by type and color within type. So if you have fall sweaters that you want to hang and not fold, hang them by color. Do the same for your blouses. Start with the lightest colors on the left and move to darks and black on the right. Hang all your trousers, skirts, and dresses together in the same way. If you hang your jeans and they are all blue, put the casual jeans before the dressy jeans.

SELECT WHAT YOU WEAR: Now that your clothes are organized, it is time to go through them again and take stock. Does that old blouse you haven’t worn in two years deserve a beautiful new hanger? Seriously, it’s a consideration. Maybe you have changed and what you once loved is not you anymore or does not fit you. The clothes that hang in your closet need to represent clothes you wear. If you have space keep a few sentimental favorites and specialty items that you might wear and certainly don’t want to repurchase

PURGE: This is where you may need a friend for moral support and where the plastic garbage bags come in. For each item that is not deserving of a hanger, decide if it is in good repair/clean and can be donated to a charity or recycled. Have a bag for these items. Some items you own, let’s face it, are torn, worn, dirty, etc. and you need to throw them away or cut them up for cleaning rags.

TAKE A STEP BACK: It’s emotionally exhausting to see your life flash by in outfits you have worn. To lessen the drama, take the filled bags to a location in your house or garage that will be a staging area for the final goodbye. Let the bags sit for a week to see if you have second thoughts. Then by all means take them to your favorite charity.

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