Whitney à la mode: Less is Truly More

Last weekend I did something that I thought would be really difficult but in the end feels oh so good...I cleaned-out my closet! Over the course of the school year, I've been weeding-out pieces a little at a time...but one look at my closet would have told you that I had way too many clothes. When you have way too many clothes, you sometimes run out of hangers and the clothing piles start to grow. Basically, I just could not keep things organized. And you know that I wasn't even wearing the majority of what I owned!

The time had come for a clothing purge! I am so fortunate that my best friend from Michigan came to visit me and was willing to help with the endeavor. I think that I was so fed-up with my closet situation that I had an easier time than usual parting with my clothes. I said "au revoir" to approximately half of my wardrobe! Here are some tips that I have for a successful closet clean-out:

1. Enlist a friend to help! Sometimes we have a special place in our hearts for a piece of clothing and are therefore blind to the fact that this particular skirt is no longer stylish (and hasn't been for some time). You need a friend to set you straight!
2. If you are feeling unsure, get rid of it! There were several pieces that I debated back and forth about. Ultimately I decided that if the decision is that hard, then I obviously don't love it and I don't need it!
3. Look for duplicates. So my dear friend pointed-out to me that I probably don't need two Lakeshore High School Cheerleading sweatshirts from the early 2000s for nostalgia purposes. One would really do the trick. And that goes for anything! Do you need two chambray shirts? Probably not. Clear-out some space for new and unique pieces by getting rid of duplicates.
4. Out of sight, out of mind. If you are really struggling to part with your things, stick them in a bag or box and then hide them in the basement or in a coat closet (someplace where you won't be constantly reminded of them). Wait a few months, if you haven't gone to dig-out that sequined mini-skirt from college, then it's time to say goodbye. And my guess is that you will forget that mini-skirt even exists!
5. Reorganize. While your wardrobe is splayed across your bedroom, take the time to reorganize what you do decide to keep. You will feel like you are looking at a brand new closet! In my efforts to reorganize, I purchased some Huggable Hangers (I've heard good things about these babies). I'm looking forward to having a more uniform look in my closet and to the space that these hangers will save.

I really encourage you to follow these tips and to clean-out your closet. I cannot tell you how much better I feel about my wardrobe now! I believe that I now wear 100% of what I own. I can actually see all of my clothes in my closet. And oddly, with less clothing, I feel less inclined to go shopping because I better understand what I have and how it works.

When I have completely converted to Huggable Hangers, I will post some pictures of my newly organized closet!

Also, I'm planning to sell much of what I decided to get rid of but I'm a newbie to the world of consignment clothing. Do any of you have any tips, tricks or advice about getting the most for your clothes?

This outfit features a colored cardigan that I love that had been lost in the abyss of my crowded closet. I'm so excited to wear it more frequently now! The color and the length of the sleeves are perfect for the approaching spring weather.

This animal-print dress is a fun, neutrally-colored piece that I can pair with a multitude of colored cardigans and blazers. Plus, it will look cute on it's own this summer with a pair of colorful flats.