3 Benefits of a Wardrobe Audit

Happy day, reader dear!

I know that there are oodles of people out there decluttering, working on household projects, and cleaning out their closets. Maybe there are a few unexpected benefits to come out of all this #shelterinplace and #stayhome stuff…

One unexpected plus for me has been two day weekends! I normally work Saturdays because I have clients who work 9-5 M-F and can only schedule Saturday appointments. I’m okay with that, so I built Saturdays into my calendar and another day off during the week. But that weekday off day was never really off, so six days a week was my norm. That means I have reeeeally been enjoying my “long” weekends. Not sure how that’s all going to play out in the coming months. I’m getting spoiled.

If you have yet to tackle your closet, I would suggest that rather than just clean it out, you take the time and do a Wardrobe Audit. What’s the difference? There’s a mindfulness and intentionality to a Wardrobe Audit. You aren’t getting rid of things higgledy-piggledy or simply organizing your inventory. Wardrobe audit has a plan AND benefits! Doing a Wardrobe Audit helps you:

(1) Know What You Own

If you’ve ever watched Marie Kondo on Netflix, you understand what I mean when I say that we don’t know what we own. And often, what fits! Not just fits your body, but what fits your lifestyle. When you take it all out and pile it by category (shirts in one pile, trousers in another, dresses, etc.), you become acutely aware of how many pairs of black trousers you own, or how many pairs of jeans. How much inventory do you want to manage?

Taking it all out also makes you aware of what you actually wear. Those items you keep. Not the someday clothes. Not the black pants you keep passing over for your favorites. Will you wear Item X in the next month (or would you if you were going to work as usual)? As for all that out of season stuff? Box it up for later. It won’t go anywhere without you! Once you know what you have and wear, and get the deadwood out of the way, it’s much easier to see what is missing…

(2) Identify Wardrobe Gaps

AND what would make what you already own work better! We call those missing pieces Wardrobe Gaps. One small item or accessory can be the missing puzzle piece that makes multiple outfits fall into place. Filling those gaps is the first step to a building yourself a versatile and practical wardrobe. What’s practical for you? Doing a thorough audit gives you the opportunity to evaluate what works for your lifestyle and get rid of what isn’t serving you. That allows you to…

(3) Make Room for What Belongs

Knowing what you have and ID-ing those Wardrobe Gaps allows you to get rid of what doesn’t work for you with no guilt, because now you know what you need AND you have a plan. Clearing out makes more room for what does belong! Bonus: You might just find those lost holiday gifts and the missing cross-body strap to that handbag you like to take when you go on vacation. Yes, this is the time to re-home all those non-wardrobe items that have crept into your closet!

Convinced? Now that a Wardrobe Audit is in your near future, here’s a link to the Prep Work and the Closet Work. If that feels overwhelming and you need some encouragement, call for a free half hour Style Chat. Really! I don’t normally throw my services at you, but if you feel unprepared to go it alone, professional help is available, in person (Not right now, sadly!) AND virtually. Not only will you reap the benefits above, but a professional will show you how to combine what you have to flatter your unique self: what suits your shape, what colors make you glow and what should go…

So how about you? Have you done any cleaning out this past month or two? Have you gone through your closet, or is that a no-man’s (or woman’s) land? What do you have (or think you have) in abundance? What might be lacking? Do you have what you need to head into the next season? Do let me know in the comments below… I love to hear from you!

Stay safe and sound, sane and stylish!