Does your closet match your lifestyle? Last week, I started speaking on how to clean out your closet if you have a closet full of clothes yet still have “nothing” to wear. Today, let’s tackle this first question so that you can feel prepared when you’re about to do your next closet clean out.

How to clean out your closet to match your lifestyle

While the earlier article spoke to the advantages of having some classics in your wardrobe, the truth is that part of the solution to having a closet filled with clothes that you’ll actually wear is to become mindful as to why we have the specific pieces we do have.

So next time you’re standing in your closet, ask yourself: What does my lifestyle look like and how do these pieces fit in it?

Are you a mom and need mom mode clothes?

Do you workout a lot?

Do you do a lot of errands, garden, or have a casual lifestyle?

Like to dress up on the weekends?

Work in an Office?

Who exactly is -insert your name here-?

Grab your tablet, computer or pen and paper, and jot down the categories in your life. You may soon notice that you have too many or too little pieces in one area and this may be contributing to why you think you “have nothing to wear”. Here's an example: In the last year, you picked up yoga, and realize that aside from the activity itself, you enjoy running errands in comfortable yoga pieces. Yet, you have 2. Or vice versa, the last time you did yoga was five years ago, and you no longer like to run errands in yoga clothing, yet you have 15. There's an imbalance, right?

Once done with the jotting down exercise, try identifying pieces that can also be transitioned and worn in many of these categories. I personally like to think of how a piece can be worn across 3 different settings or categories. Take for example the suit I'm wearing here in the images. The suit can be worn together for the office or taken apart to be worn as separates. The top and jacket can be worn on the weekend with jeans or a great pair of trousers, and the skirt can also be worn with a white button down and great flat sandals.

So what we want to look for is what are these activities we undertake week in and week out? What is your lifestyle, or maybe the lifestyle you want to achieve? Then, look at the pieces in your wardrobe and identify: do these pieces match these activities and lifestyle? And can some of these pieces fit into more than one category?

Repeat the same process when you go out shopping too! You don't want to do a great clean out only to be followed by not-so-great purchases. As you are trying something on, or browsing online, ask yourself again: how does this piece fit into my every day lifestyle. How does it fit into my weekly activities?

And be truthful with yourself too: If you used to wear for example certain pieces 20 years ago that either you simply have no need for, or were for an activity you no longer participate in, then perhaps it's time to let it go.

Xo,

Dr. C