The closet is purged, right?  Or in the process of purging? Of course! What else were you doing over the weekend? (I say that teasingly, because my spare time to do room maintenance is scarce)

Step 1: Purge. Step 2 is assessing your closet’s needs. Not your needs, your closet’s. Your needs are simple: to be clothed. Your closet has a responsibility to clothe you every single day. Don’t hear this as needing to spend a ton of money on new clothes, this is just being smart. Learning what fits your personality best, what you feel confident in, and what is helpful for your daily tasks.

1. Take inventory of what you have. This could just mean figuratively or literally, however your brain works. I take a mental inventory of everything in my closet every once in a while; it’s a nice reminder of what I have. Items tend to get lost in the process of laundry, so believe it or not I often forget about particular items.

2. Make a list of closet needs. Let’s say you went through your closet and you discovered that you don’t have a black pencil skirt that fits any more, but a black skirt would work perfectly with what you already own; this would be a basic closet need. Create a list of items that would really tie your wardrobe together.  Everyone has their own list of primary basics, but mine includes:

black pencil skirt
khaki + brown linen pants
a handful of solid color cardigans
flats

This may sound ridiculous, but put that list in your purse, or type it in your phone’s notes — it helps give direction when you’re shopping. Misguided shopping leads to a random closet.

Make sure that everything on your need list fits into current wardrobe. Remember, you want a working closet — a closet that you can walk into and create an outfit by simply choosing a few items. If everything works together, then this is possible. (Working together doesn’t mean everything has to match. It just means that you don’t throw something random into your closet that you’d never wear but you bought because it was one sale.)

3. Now make a want list. Treat it like a splurge list. Maybe there’s a new trend I want to try or maybe I just want something that isn’t a direct need. That goes on this list. My current want list looks like this:

a bright colored high-waisted skirt
fall/winter wedges
oversized soft sweater

Once you acquire the basics, you will find that your wardrobe is easier to build upon.  I like to think of the want list like the frosting on a cupcake. “It’s the first thing you taste but the last thing you need.”

4. Set your two lists aside and step back into your closet. Since you’ve assessed what you want and need, now look at what you have. Put your mixing skills to work and start creating outfits.

5. Wear some of your experiment outfits that you put together. You’ll quickly figure out what you like and don’t like to put together.  Maybe you hate linen pants after all. Mark that off your list and figure out a new style. Maybe you love them and want more. Mainly get to know your closet and figure out what you expect from it. Soon you’ll be on your way to figuring out your style and telling your closet exactly what that is.

Best of luck on the assessing, organizing, and creating. Let me know what you come up with!

{image via tumblr}