Getting closet organized will get you to nirvana

Do you have a closet full of clothes, but nothing to wear?

Well you’re not alone, it can happen to anyone. It’s even happened to me – yes, even to me, once a high priestess of wardrobe management. Lo, how the mighty do fall.

Wardrobe efficiency: Planning a basic and sparse, yet workable wardrobe on a budget, used to be my forte. Indeed I used to preach it, teach it and practice it religiously. But I’ve strayed; I’ve fallen into a morass of jammed closets, clothes hanging on add-on hooks on the backs of every door and in boxes stacked under my very high bed.

Last year I even rented a storage unit for an extra closet. It was wonderful! I rigged up a 12-foot-long steel rod, 2-inch diameter, on which to hang all my extra clothes. The only problem with this off-site storage, of course, was that I never could remember where anything was, i.e., were those black slacks in the storage unit or were they just hiding in that jumbled maze in my bedroom closet?

Truth be told, in the whole scheme of things that we can find to worry about in our lives, a thing such as having a closet full of clothes yet nothing to wear may land on the bottom of our list, along with worrying about what to cook for supper. But, darn it … for lots of us women, it’s still a huge pain – and certainly one that can’t be solved with a couple of aspirin and a nap.

So, I’ve decided to get my act together and start practicing what I used to preach. In case you’re singing the clothing blues, too, and in need of some clothing religion, here’s the sermon.

First of all, when you’re alone, get out a legal pad and have a planning session. Write down the activities that currently occupy your life and for which you’ll need to have the appropriate clothes to wear: job, volunteer work, bicycling, church attendance and activities, bridge club, gardening, sewing, workouts, entertaining, etc.

Next, take a closet inventory. Do it only when you’ll have the house to yourself for four to six hours straight. Empty the closet and lay your clothes all over the place – on the bed, chairs, floor, living room and dining room, spread out as widely as needed.

Now, start trying on your clothes with the intention of creating outfits for the activities you do. Complete each outfit with shoes, bag and accessories. You’ll need a full-length mirror for this. (You need to own one of these!) When you create an outfit, write the complete ensemble down on the yellow tablet, listing every component including bag and shoes. I find it handy to number the outfits number one, number two and so on. This is your master list of outfits. Mix and match everything you own to create as many variations as you can.

Put your master list in a plastic sleeve and hang it on your closet door. This list is a life-saver and it immediately makes that old “what-to-wear” dilemma a thing of the past.

This list also reveals any missing links in an otherwise nonstop, workable, wear-anywhere wardrobe.

Now you’re ready for the next step: a shopping list. Based on missing links, it’s our focused shopping list and it will keep us safe and on target when shopping the sales (which is our new modus operandi).

As you plan, remember that a basic wardrobe should have two basic colors, one dark (black, brown or navy) and one neutral/light (white/cream, beige or grey), for example, black and cream. Bright colors, such as red, rust, pink, burgundy, yellow are used of course, but in usually in small components such as shells, jackets, an occasional two-piece dress, or an extra bag or pair of shoes.

Retired or working – this plan works. Only the component pieces will differ. Learning how to dress for retirement has been quite problematic for me. Dressing for the office was easy – but now I’m always changing my clothes to accommodate the various activities happening each day.

Now, getting dressed for the day is a different ballgame. The life of leisure may require that we have exercise clothes for the gym or for our morning walk. Later, we may have a luncheon and bridge game or need to run some errands. Then there’s dinner – and that can range from PJ’s to a “full-court press.”

Stick to the same basic wardrobe plan year after year, changing components as the styles change. Only a few items need to be added occasionally to give the wardrobe a seasonal jump start.

Having a closet that’s sparsely filled with clothes – all of which work together, and which provide us with something to wear anywhere and for any occasion – is nirvana. Nirvana is always good.