Closetful of Clothes but Nothing to Wear?

Nothing to wear? Crowded closet jammed with clothes offers no ideas? Can’t find one chic outfit to wear after literally digging through that cramped closet full of clothes? Always wearing the same pieces over and over again? Frustrated with finding killer outfits even though you just recently went shopping? Tried shopping from your closet but nothing you like? If you answered a sad yes to all of the above, welcome to the “Closetful of Clothes with Nothing to Wear” club. You’re among many fashionable friends here. But there is a solution! Sharing seven ways to help guide you through curating your closet so that you’ll have dozens and dozens of incredible outfits.

Personal Style Not Defined?

First things first. What is your style? If you can’t answer this question, this is the best place to begin curating your closet.

Ask yourself what type of clothing brings you the MOST joy. Do you feel the BEST by dressing…

• Trendy (always wanting the latest advertised trends, labels, accessories…)
• Creative (variety of prints/colors/textures/designs/designs)
• Edgy (statement pieces with striking details and bold designs/colors)
• Classic (traditional and timeless, coordinated & complimentary, polished & put together) 
• Natural (simple lines/patterns/structure)
• Feminine (flowing & flowery, bows/ruffles, and more muted tones/colors)

Are you a combo of all of the above? A mix of a few “styles” or are you not sure? What are you wearing right now? Do you love it? Wear it often? Let’s assume that’s your “main” style. Curate your closet MORE around that vibe.

Not Enough Basics?

Remember THIS post? All about the 10 (timeless) essentials you need in your closet.  Doesn’t matter your style because these are foundational pieces that help support everything else you wear.

• Mix and match 10 basic wardrobe pieces to create dozens of looks in an instant.
• Go from casual to chic night out with basics (if you have the right ones.)
• Invest in quality “basics” because they will be pieces you’ll wear frequently.

Overwhelmed with Options?

Quick – how many items of clothing do you reach for all the time? If the number is under 5, you are spinning from too many choices. How do you figure out what are the pieces you love and wear all the time? Or even pieces you were more often than not?

• Whenever you wear something, hang it back in your closet with the hanger hooked back on the rod the other way. This will be a visual clue to you to know what you’ve worn and what you haven’t worn.
• Try this hanger method for each season (or even a time frame if you don’t have distinct seasons.)
• After the season/time frame is over, remove the items that you’ve never worn. It’ll be easy to spot them if you use the hanger method!

Doesn’t Fit?

Yes, it MIGHT fit one day. But how long have we been saying that? It’s OK if something doesn’t fit you any longer. Time to say goodbye to those pieces.

• Our bodies change.
• The clothes get worn and shrink from multiple washing/drying.
• Less expensive made garments tend to shrink immediately (1st wash/dry) up to 1/2 of an inch!

Wardrobe Doesn’t Match your Lifestyle?

Your closet might have all kinds of fabulous outfit options but if they don’t match your current lifestyle you’re probably not wearing them.

• Change of careers
• Working from home
• Had a baby
• Your style changed from the clothes you wore 5 years ago.

On Sale but Don’t Love it?

Guilty! Those sales are seriously sneaky ways to “add to cart”, aren’t they? But even if it’s 70% off… think about THIS post about the “5 Things to Ask Yourself Before Buying Anything.”

• Cost per wear, friends! If you buy a $20 item but only wear it once, that outfit costs $20 to wear. But – if you buy something (you LOVE) that costs $200 and wear it 20 times, that outfit costs $10 to wear. Divide the cost by the number of times you wear or use it and that’s the cost per wear. Basically, it’s smarter to purchase a $200 item you adore over an inexpensive fast-fashion piece that you wear once and toss aside. Get it?

Haven’t Done a Closet Cleanse Recently?

Now that we’ve figured out some guidelines to cultivate our style and our closet, let’s donate the rest to help others or make a little extra money for yourself!

• Charities that accept clean, wearable clothing include American Red Cross, Dress for Success, Planet Aid, The Salvation Army, Soles4Souls, and the list goes on. Google it.
• Online services that might payout for your gently worn “trending brands” of clothing include ThredUp, Poshmark, Tradesy…

What other ideas or strategies do you use that aren’t on the list above?

Let’s keep the curated closet vibe going!