Weekend Warrior: Wardrobe Rehab

Does the thought of your closet strike panic into your heart? Do you have clothes piled floor to ceiling dating back to 1985? When you walk into your closet is it hard to get out? Are there items of clothing you have totally forgotten about? Do you have pieces hanging in your closet with the tag still on it? Does this remind you of your closet?

If any of these scenarios describes your closet, then you are at the right place! Welcome to Weekend Warrior: Wardrobe Rehab! In the next few minutes you will read simple it is to go from frenzy to fabulous; from messy to meticulous; and from worn out to wonderful! Follow these simple steps and in no time at all your closet will be headache free!

STEP #1: TOSS THE OLD, WORN & UNWANTED

The rule is if you haven't worn it in ONE year, it MUST go! No excuses, no exceptions and DO NOT BREAK THIS RULE! We all have pieces in our closet we try to hold on to for sentimental reasons OR because we will SOMEDAY fit into them again, but let me tell you from experience, that day may come but you won't want to wear something old, but rather NEW!

Make three piles as you scour through your closet: donate, toss & clean. You might need someone there for moral support as you begin this process. Think of it as if Stacey & Clinton were there!

Write down all the items in the donate pile for tax purposes, bag it & take it to the car immediately. If it lies around for a day or two you might be tempted to put it back in the closet.

Toss anything that is showing wear, such as pills on sweaters, stains, armpit stains, tears, fraying or thinning.

Don't forget accessories either!

Keeping your clothing clean & pressed will ensure its longevity. Always read the care tag before you clean and follow it implicitly!

STEP #2: COLOR CODE & ORGANIZE

How many times do you stand in front of your closet and say, "I don't have anything to wear!"? Most of the time it is because we don't know what we have in front of us. By color coding your clothes it becomes easier to locate items and put them together.

Start from lightest colors to darkest colors, left to right.

Organize as you go. KEEP PIECES TOGETHER (i.e. all your shirts together, all your skirts together, and so on...). Again, this makes it easier to find items and put things together.

Separate Spring/Summer from Fall/Winter. Having a separate closet that can be swaped from season to season is ideal.

STEP #3: INVEST IN CONTAINERS OR CLOSET ORGANIZERS

The best way to get a closet looking neat and organized is to invest in a closet organizer. These range in price and can be purchased at specialty stores or at Home Depot. If a closet organizer is not in your budget, try buying a few containers to store your clothes in.