May 16, 2018
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SPRING CLEANING / #BetterYouLandL

GREY DRESS |GLORIA HAT |KAREN WALKER SUNNIES 

DENIM JACKETSNEAKERS

SPRING CLEANING Part 1: YOUR CLOSET

Welcome to a who-knows-how-many part series on spring cleaning!! Because of all the clothing and shoes I amass through my job, I have to do this at least quarterly or my home will be featured soon on Hoarders. But as the season FINALLY changes here on the East Coast, and I have been moving my wool sweaters out and my shorts in, I thought it would be helpful for all of us if I tried to detail my process in cleaning out things. NOT because I’m an expert… just because I have to do it more often than most. So let’s start with the closet. Remember, I’m the girl who owns 32 white tee shirts! So it’s a must that I am constantly editing what is allowed to stay in my closet.

STEP ONE: Schedule it

*Block out 2-5 hours; put it in your calendar, get a sitter, make it a big deal. I like to have a bangin playlist for some impromtu dancing. Get your beverages of choice all lined up. Some water, maybe something with caffeine… and a snack or two. UNPLUG. Like I tell my kids when they’re doing homework, you will be way more efficient and effective if you aren’t distracted by your laptop, phone, or ipad.

*Take everything (YES EVERYTHING) out of your closet and lay it on the bed. Get in your closet and physically clean it. Vacuum, wipe down the floors and walls, switch out any lavendar sachets you may be using for moth prevention.

Congrats, you made it to step 2! Take a quick break if you need it and then get back in there. You got this girl

STEP 2:

*Time to sort. Move the clothes on your bed into piles on the floor. Be ruthless and go with your first reaction. To borrow from Marie Kondo, if you pick up an item and it doesn’t “spark joy”, you should let it go. We all have too much in our lives to hold onto things we don’t love. Plus if you’re holding onto “skinny jeans” or clothes from another life (pre-kids, whatever) they are going to make you feel badly when you see them. Time to remove these items. If you lose weight/get in killer shape you’ll want to buy new clothes anyway, trust me.  You won’t be reaching for those boot cut Seven jeans circa 2002.

*MAKE FOUR PILES

LOVE: I love these things, they fit well, and I wear them often.

LIKE: I want to keep these but I’m not sure why.

DONATE: These items don’t fit my body, style, or life. They’re in good condition though and someone else may find them useful.

TRASH: These items are in poor condition. (If you can repurpose anything in this pile go for it! If not, get it out of your house.)

Briefly hydrate with a good Diet Coke and celebrate! You’re almost there!

STEP 3:

*Bag up your items to donate and discard right now. Bring them to your car and put them in the trash. Get them out IMMEDIATELY. No sneaking back out to the garage at 2 am to rescue the MC Hammer pants you’re sure will come back in style. 😉

STEP 4:

*Time to take a second look at the remaining two piles. Try on clothing you’re not sure about and be critical of how it looks on you and how it makes you feel. If you’re still unsure here are a couple of tips to get through this part of cleaning.

Would I buy this in a store if I saw it today?

Did I wear this item in the past year? If not, go put it with the donate items in your car right now.

Toss out any duplicates. (Exception of course is white tees or anything you bought another because of how excessively you loved the first one.)

Put the remaining clothes either in seasonal storage or back in your closet.

GREAT WORK! You did it. Now reward yourself with a quick Instagram break and then see if you’re up for the bonus round. Maybe even a quick boomerang of your progress. 

STEP 5:

*If you have time and energy left over, do the same thing with your shoes and jewelry. I find that once I’m in the zone it’s better to just get it all over and done in one swoop.I must admit, though I love the suburbs and all the space, part of me misses NYC living where you had to be vigilant about how much stuff I acquired. It was a literal one in, one out situation. I hope this helps you! Post pics of your clean closets and tag me so I can see. #BetterYouLandL

GREY DRESS |GLORIA HAT |KAREN WALKER SUNNIES 

DENIM JACKETSNEAKERS

MORE TANK DRESS COLORS (wearing size small) go up one size if length is a concern

GREY DRESS |GLORIA HAT |KAREN WALKER SUNNIES 

DENIM JACKETSNEAKERS

MORE TANK DRESS COLORS (wearing size small) go up one size if length is a concern

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