Well, that’s the $64,000 question, isn’t it? I get asked this all the time – by wardrobe clients as well as my closet-design clients. Invariably, when I step into a client’s closet for the first time, if it’s not very organized, they will say “Oh please don’t judge me! I know I’ve got to do something about all of this!” Of course, I reply that I don’t judge them, and I don’t. Everyone’s got their own issues to deal with when it comes to purging and organizing their ‘stuff’, whether it’s clothing or books or their office, or whatever.

KonMari Method
There are several different ways to approach cleaning and organizing your closets. First, and probably the most timely, is the method devised by Marie Kondo: methodically go through every collection of ‘stuff’ in your home (in a very specified order, if you follow her method to the ‘t’) and physically touch each item, keeping only those items that ‘spark joy’. Only after you’ve done this, do you address the issue of how to store the kept items. (Here’s a little bit more about Marie Kondo personally, and about her KonMari system.)

There are many fans of this method and if you’re committed to getting it done, it is very thorough. It is time-consuming, but let’s face it. You’ve accumulated your stuff over time, so it makes sense that it will take some time to organize it all. For my California Closet clients who are opting to build a brand new closet, I always tell them that this is the perfect opportunity to do the full-on purge. When their beautiful new closet is installed, they’ll only be putting in the items that they truly love and use, and that fit – and that does spark joy! (You can read about some great closet and storage ideas here.)

The One-Minute Rule
At the other end of the spectrum in organizing is the ‘One-Minute Rule’ devised by habit-and-organizing guru Gretchen Rubin. It’s very simple – anything that can be done in one minute – do it. This is a very simple method to get you started in organizing and cleaning up. That necklace and bracelet tumble on your dresser top? Start putting them away and get as much done in one minute as you can. You can go longer, but you don’t have to. I’ll add that if, as you’re going through these items, you are finding that you really don’t want or need some of them any longer, take a few seconds and put them into the donate bag or bin.

The Power Hour
Piggy-backing on the One-Minute Rule is the Power Hour, also coined by Gretchen Rubin (if you can’t tell, I’m a fan!) and this may be the area where most of us will see real progress. It allows us to get more done than just one minute will, but we’re not committed to days at a time of organizational upheaval. Give yourself one focused hour on one area that’s been needing your attention and do that and that alone.

I find myself floating between these last two strategies most often and they serve me well. In all honesty, though, I did use the KonMari method when we were preparing to move across country last year. I literally touched every item we owned and had to make the decision of whether to move it with us or not. I said ‘good-by and thank you’ to many items that didn’t make the cut, and it felt good. Once the major purge was done, I find that the One-Minute Rule and the Power Hour help keep me organized.

What about you – do you have any tried and true methods for getting and staying organized? I’d love to hear about them.

Thanks for reading – stay stylish!
Adena