Take An Inventory Of Your Clothes

Not Sponsored: I just finished doing a Winter Clothes Purge and Makeup Purge. It was a really good feeling to donate, sell and get rid of those things. My next project will be to take an inventory of all of my clothes (whew! that's why you want to purge as much as possible first). Taking an inventory of what you have, will let you know WHAT YOU NEED and DON 'T NEED. I wrote some things down and I hope it helps you as well. 

Image by Mike Gattorna from Pixabay

Let's just take a moment and look at the beautiful closet above. Wouldn't having a closet like this (or something similar) be nice. I'm enamored with beautiful, spacious closets. I don't have one (yet), but a girl can dream, right!?! 

Let's get started...

1. Shapewear and Underwear (Intimates)

Open your underwear drawer. Go through your bras, panties, bodysuits, shapewear, hosiery etc. What condition are they in? How old are they? Ok, you get my drift! Shapewear. Underwear. Intimates. None of these things are cheap. We try and hold onto them as long as we can. But there will come a time, when you will have to replace them. Write down exactly what you need, the sizes you need them in, how many of each item you will need, the colors you need them in and brand(s) you would like to buy them from (sign up for email alerts). Having great foundations is the key to looking great in your clothes. They can smooth curves, lumps and bumps! They also help keep your figure in tact for years to come. Your figure changes over the years, due to many reasons. There's weight gain and loss. So your size may change. You get older. You may need more supportive bras and body suits. So evaluate what you need and make those changes. Implement them in your collection.

2. Sleepwear

Ask yourself, what do you ENJOY sleeping in!?! Nightgowns? Pajamas? Short Sets? Sleep Shirts? What material feels good against your skin. This is an extremely important and personal decision. A good night's rest is extremely important. For me, I love soft pajamas and nightgowns. I use to buy just any nightgown or pajamas, but they weren't always comfortable (material made me hot, stiff cotton was uncomfortable or the flannel would be too heavy). My tastes have grown up! I now like tencel modal blends, viscose, elastane, and sustainable fabrics. By changing the type of sleepwear I would wear to bed, really made a difference in my sleep. I tend to buy more nightgowns than pajamas, because I live in a city that stays hot MOST of the year. So take into account where you live and how long the seasons last in your area. Does it stay colder or warmer longer throughout the year? The answers to those questions, will dictate what type of sleepwear you need. Constantly change out your sleepwear. Get rid of what doesn't work for you and stop buying things that don't last. Buy quality and it will last longer for you. Also, wash these items in cold, on gentle and consider using a less harsh detergent like Downy. It will help your sleepwear and intimates LAST LONGER.

3. Coats, Jackets, and Winter Accessories

Ask yourself, what do you NEED!?! I feel everyone needs at least one excellent winter coat, a rain coat or all weather coat, several jackets and blazers. Again, this depends on where you live (climate). I have a black, navy, and red coat (basics). I also want to get a camel coat. I have a really cute polka dot rain coat, but last year I purchased a really good navy all-weather coat with hood if it rains (that I can drive in really well and protects me if it's rainy & cold). I have blazers in black, navy blue, khaki and gray. I have black and brown leather jackets. I'm looking to add more sweater wraps/jackets to my closet. So again, ask yourself does it rain a lot where you live, do you travel a distance from home to work (where you're susceptible to weather changes), is it mainly cold throughout the year? That will guide you as to what Winter gear you will need to buy.

Once you figure out what type of coats and jackets you need, then you can see if you have accessories to match. Do you have gloves, hats and scarves to match all of those coats, blazers and jackets? Try to purchase accessories that will be interchangeable with your collection, to save money. January is a great time to buy Winter accessories, because they are usually on SALE.

4. Dresses

Take an inventory of the types of dresses you have in your closet! Sort (or stack) your dresses by grouping them into casual, work, formal, cocktail, little black dresses, wedding, funeral and vacation. Then, divide those groups into FALL/WINTER and SPRING/SUMMER. You should have a dress for EACH of these occasions, already in your closet. For a funeral, no matter what season (Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter) ... you should have a dress or pantsuit ready to wear in your closet. Usually for weddings, you have some lead way. But it's always good to have something to wear to a wedding, no matter the time of year. It's good to have an assortment of little black dresses (short, long, mid-length, short sleeves, sleeveless, long-sleeve). It's good to have at least two formal dresses and an assortment of cocktail dresses, if you are invited to an event. The idea is to be prepared. Not to always have to run to a shopping mall or order a dress when you need to go somewhere. Stay prepared. Try grouping your dresses in your closet according to these categories.

5. Shoes, Socks & Hosiery

Look at your shoe collection. Many factors come into play when analyzing and inventoring your shoes, such as your job and leisure (personal) lifestyle. If you work for industry, there are certain requirements. If you're in the medical field, you will have certain shoes you will need to wear. But let's focus on leisurely shoes! Shoes are expensive, so it's important to make really good decisions when purchasing them. The two things that come to mind is STYLE & FIT! I have two pair of shoes up for sale, because the cut of the shoe near my toe is too narrow for my foot. They are the same size as my other shoes, but because of the cut/style, they don't work for me. This mishap happened, because I was unfamiliar with the two brands. I just sold one pair and another person is interested in the other pair. Buying online, when it comes to shoes (and if you're unfamiliar with the brand), can be a little tricky. I know you're saying, why didn't you return them. They fit! But as I wore them, they weren't as comfortable as I thought. So it made no sense keeping them. So ask yourself, do the shoes you have FIT properly? If not, try selling them or donating them.

Something else to consider is, do you have a good selection of shoes? Do you have work shoes, tennis shoes, casual shoes, rain shoes, shoes when it's cold (boots, booties, etc.), shoes when it's hot (sandals etc.), hobby (sports, hiking, etc) and formal shoes? Write down what you have and what you need?

Once you figure out your shoes, then evaluate if you need trouser socks, footies, ankle or knee socks, opaque or fun textured tights, compression socks / compression hosiery and in what colors.

6. Pants and Shorts

Let's start with shorts! It's all about length, material and what looks flattering on you. Let's get that straight from the beginning. It's important to be honest! Look in the mirror. Do your legs look flattering in that length of short? If unsure, take a picture (from the front, side, and back). Look at it! If not, take it down a length. Once you figure out a length, then concentrate on material. Do you like cotton, linen, maybe a jean material? Then you can play with whether you want solid colors, prints etc. So start with an evaluation, see what you have and then that will dictate what you need.

Pants run an enormous gamut! There are chinos, linen, corduroy, travel-wear material, jeggings, jeans, trousers, suede, cotton, leather, leggings etc. Again, you must take into account your lifestyle (work, casual, formal, going out etc.) and season (fall, winter, spring, summer). Do you have pants for everything you do and for all seasons? Do they fit properly? What do you have and what do you need? I had some ankle trouser pants that were great for spring, summer and early fall, but when winter hit I needed a longer trouser pant. So I invested in some wide leg trouser pants. I also invested in travel material pants. The material is awesome, because they barely wrinkle, are stain-resistant, comfortable and easy to launder. All I do is wash them and hang them up! I don't have to iron or press anything. 

7. Tops and Sweaters

To take up less room in my closet, I like to pair tops with bottoms. But this system doesn't work for everyone. When I pull a hanger from my closet, it is a complete outfit. But sometimes people like to mix and match outfits. That's understandable! But the key with tops is, sometimes we have MORE TOPS than we need. MORE TOPS than bottoms! Then the tops take over your closet. Been there! Done that! That is why I went to pairing tops with my bottoms (to control that problem). It's great to have a spare, but be sure that your closet is not overflowing with tops. Ask yourself, are you wearing all of your tops? Are there some that you haven't worn in awhile? If so, why not? Does it not pair with any of the bottoms in your closet? Ask yourself, what looks good on you? Long sleeve, short sleeve, maybe 3/4 sleeve tops? Maybe you no longer like blouses and prefer simple tees? Try to narrow down the style of tops you wear.

Take a look at the sweaters you own. I stopped wearing button down cardigan sweaters awhile ago. Why? They were emphasizing an area, that didn't need emphasizing. HaHaHa Once I understood my figure, I realized button down cardigans were not my friend. Turtlenecks looked much better on me. Also, I was collecting a few too many kitschy holiday and themed sweaters. I was only wearing them once a year and sometimes not every year. I started selling those and making more room in my closet. I now like tunic sweaters! So with body changes and maturity, expect your tastes to change over the years. Don't keep past tastes in your closet.

8. Skirts

I use to be a huge skirt girl! Until I found out they break your figure up. HaHaHa I now wear more dresses (which make curvy figures more uniform). Now, I can count the number of skirts I have in my closet, on my hand. Are the skirts in your closet flattering on you? Are they pleated, A-line, pencil, wrap, full, micro, midi, maxi etc.? I want you type skirt types in your search bar! What styles are flattering on YOU? Get rid of what doesn't work for you and only purchase what is flattering on you.

9. Purses

Your style of purse may change through the years.  I love all types of purses, but my purse of choice through the last decade has been cross-body bags. Why? I've always been a fan of small purses, something easy to carry and lightweight. I only keep keys, credit cards, drivers license, insurance, lipstick and a mint in my purse. I go to concerts which require small purses. Unfortunately, there's a lot of crime in my city. So I prefer something not noticeable and that I can wear close to my body. So that is what works for ME. You must decide what works for YOU! Are all your purses necessary. Purses have great sell back potential! Buy quality and it will be bought and treasured by someone. 

10. Costumes and Holiday Themed Clothing & Accessories

I use to dress up in costume every Halloween. Costumes can really pile up. I kept some of my favorites and sold the rest. People are always looking for great costumes cheaper than store bought online. Same goes for Holiday themed clothing! Go through your holiday stuff. Only keep what you're going to use or re-wear. Donate or Sell the rest!

I hope the information I've shared above, gives you some inspiration and ideas when inventorying your closet. I thought it would be good to write down my thoughts, as I work through the different groups. I hope it helps you.