Several years ago I was sitting in my doctor’s office in Livingston waiting the obligatory 30 minutes to leave after getting my allergy shots. I was looking through a home design magazine and had an “aha moment.” The article was about lighting and the designer was discussing how the newest thing in chandeliers was hanging them in bathrooms and closets. I felt my heart skip a beat from the excitement. A chandelier in my closet? What a novel idea! I absolutely had to have one. I called my husband from the doctor’s office and informed him that we needed to make a change of plans for our afternoon task list. We were adding a trip to Capital Lighting on Route 10 as a destination.
I’ve always taken pride in my closet. I remember one day a few years back when I worked in NYC, we were talking about what we had all done over the weekend. I was feeling very proud because I had made the switch from spring/summer to fall/winter and my closet was organized and ready for the new season as we spoke. My colleague was discussing her weekend, which included theater and fine dining. I enjoy that too, but I also like having my house in order. She commented to me that I must live a boring life if that gave me joy. Au contraire, I have a great life and am able to enjoy it because my closet is in order (as well as my house).
It is very satisfying to know that I have clothing ready to go for any occasion that may arise. I store my clothing respectfully, which means not surrounding garments in suffocating plastic or jamming them in so tight that they cannot breathe. Remember that cotton, silk and wool were once living organisms and they require their proper space to hang in order to look their best.
In my work I get to experience my clients’ closets and observe how they relate to their clothing. The average person wears 20 percent of their clothing 80 percent of the time. In that case, most of us could eliminate about 100 garments from our lives and not miss a beat. Think of the people in our county alone who would benefit from our neglected suits, slacks, blouses and shoes that are stored in our closets and bureaus unworn.
Some of the challenges that most people have are based around keeping clothing that has not fit them in years. Their fantasy is that someday they will lose the weight and be able to wear that dress again. My philosophy is simple—live for today. You are this weight now, and have probably been this weight for a long time. If you do lose the weight, you are going to want to treat yourself to new and current clothing. The old classics in our closet may be showing their age. If the garment does not bring you joy, donate it! If it does not fit you and it brings you angst about the weight loss waiting to happen, give it away! Give it to someone else to experience the bliss that you no longer feel. Donating your unworn and neglected clothing can not only give you a new lease on life by clearing clutter from your home, but can provide opportunities to someone in need of clothing for a job interview or special event.
I don’t have a Real Housewives’ closet but I do have my beautiful chandelier. I can see everything that I own for the season and whatever is hanging is ready to be worn. Nothing is hung waiting to be dry cleaned, washed or mended. Once it’s hung up in my closet, it’s ready to go. My chandelier provides adequate light so everything looks vibrant and happy. In the morning when I am rushing to get dressed and out the door, I have full access to what my options are and it makes my decision making that much easier. With a little bit of planning and time management, this could happen to you too, even without a chandelier.
Happy Organizing!
Eileen Bergman may be reached by e-mail at [email protected] for feedback and suggestions for future articles. Eileen is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO®) as well as the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD).
By Eileen Bergman
