Bein' Real: Closet Envy

A Well Organized Closet

I have a case of closet envy, and I have it bad! On the last leg of our Japan trip we were spoiled and stayed in the famed Peninsula Hotel, Tokyo. Wow! When we were escorted to our room, I let out a few oo's and ahh's, but once the bellman had departed, I really started to drool! Ample space, wide halls, multiple rooms, great views, amenities at every turn. I was in heaven.

Then I walked into the closet. That's when envy set in!

Yes, there were no clothes in the closet, so of course it looked huge... but it wasn't just that. There was a place for everything and plenty of room too. There was even a sweet little dressing table with a mirror. (My 40+ year old eyesight now understands the beauty of these magnifying mirrors!)

I instantly thought of my closet at home. It's actually a pretty decent size. It's not Kardashian sized where you could fit a full boutique, but it's not tiny either. I've always loved it's late 1940's charm. It has 3 built in cubbies, and even sweet dressing table too. So why complain?

Well, unfortunately, in my almost 10 years living in our wonderful home, I have never had a cleared off spot to actually sit at that dressing table and put on make up, let alone consistently find an outfit I am happy with and/or pick up that scarf or accessorizing purse to match. My closet is stuffed. Overrun with a bunch of so-so clothes. It's time for a serious operation-- time to extract the bad, get rid of the "just in-case" items and find those cute outfits lurking in the mix.

I've been reading up on capsule wardrobes and am very inspired. Have you read about it? The simple description is a paired down closet per season or few months time period. Some folks pair their wardrobe down to 10 items. Some swear by a magical number like 33 items. Some are strict and allow no freebies (like accessories count in your item total), some are a bit more lenient. Either way, the theory is the less clothes you have in your closet, the more likely you will be able to find them and wear them. Also, if you take the time to think about your clothes as a mix and match set (per season), you will always look good.

Well, I'm sold. I've watched enough of the now off-the-air TV show "What Not to Wear" to know it's time! Wish me luck. I'll report back soon.

More Capsule Wardrobe Inspiration
Capsule Wardrobes on Pinterest
Thinking Through What You Need
Planning and Prepping for a Capsule Wardrobe