It is interesting to note, some researchers trace the origin of spring cleaning to the Iranian Nowruz ( the Persian new year ) which falls on the first day of spring, which is March 21st. Iranians continue the practice of khaneh tekani literally the " shaking of the house" just before the Persian new year. This concept was globalized, and spring cleaning started as a way to clean away winter's mess. In those days, homes in seasonal climates were heated by fire, and doors were kept shut tight to keep the warm air in. This, of course, led to soot and grime accumulating during the cold months. Spring cleaning is now considered by many of us, as an opportunity of renewal and re-organization of not only our surroundings, but our inner being as well.
"Spring cleaning isn't just about sorting through things, and getting rid of clutter. It's about taking stock of who you are, and how others see you. It's a chance to redefine yourself, to change expectations , and to remember that it's never too late to recapture who you were, or to aim for who you want to be." - Anonymous
The best way to approach spring cleaning without getting overwhelmed is to identify the reason you are doing it and then come up with a strategy. The experts at Uptown Life Concierge suggest approaching this feat one room at a time. They will be sharing reasons for wardrobe management during the spring and provide suggestions to make the process highly effective.
4 Reasons To Organize Your Closet
Taking inventory of your wardrobe - When the weather changes, it is natural to want to buy new clothing. This is also the case with the popular “back to school” shopping for kids who do not wear uniforms. Organizing before shopping allows you to see what you have, and what you need in order to spruce up your wardrobe, in addition to making decisions on what can be donated, repurposed, or sold.
Saving you time - An organized closet saves you time. No more hunting for that black dress or pair of slacks. It's annoying getting 80% of an outfit together only to realize the zipper is broken, missing a button, has a stain, or no longer fit. When your closet is organized, it’s simple to see what's there, and it's easy to access. This means getting dressed in the morning is an easier and simpler process.
Providing a sense of accomplishment- An organized closet makes you feel good in general.
Saves you money - An organized closet prevents “ Mistake Wear”. Mistake wear are the items you purchased that turned out to be big mistakes. They just hang out in your closet reminding you of past shopping mistakes.
10 Easy Steps To Managing Your Wardrobe
Step 1 - Take all your clothes, shoes, etc out of your closet, drawers, bins etc. Lay them out all on your bed or table.
Step 2 - Divide everything into 3 piles . Keep, donate, and throw away.
Step 3 - When sorting, you want to select things you wear on a regular basis, pieces that fit you comfortably and are functional .
Let go of inspirational items - that perfect pair of jeans I will fit into in the next 4 months - This is considered an inspirational item. School uniforms/ sports gear is the exception. However, if you have 7 black T shirts almost identical it's time to let a few go .
Step 4 - Store sentimental pieces or recreate them …How can we use them ?
We can send them to the breakout room with a garment and ask them how they could repurposed it. For example, Boy Scout uniform : we could place in a picture frame, T shirts from all my track meets can be made into a quilt etc.
Step 5 - Store sentimental pieces or recreate them. We can send them to the breakout room with a garment and ask them how they could re-purpose it. For example, for a Boy Scout uniform we could place in a picture frame, T shirts from all my track meets can be made into a quilt etc.
Step 6 - Make any changes if you feel like such as painting, adding shelves etc.
Step 7 - Hang clothing by type ( all short sleeve shirts together, all skirts all pants, etc), Separate uniforms ( far right in closest to prevent your flow of selecting outfits ).
Hang from light to dark colours (this allows you to identify where one type of clothing begins or ends) .
Step 8 - Secure clothing to the hanger. For example, if hanging a dress shirt, button the first button so it does not fall off the hanger.
Step 9 - Organize your undergarments. Accessories and shoes by type, from light colour to darker colours.
Step 10- If space is needed, you can store items in plastic bins not boxes, as this prevents mildew.
This can be done with your seasonal clothing ( winter versus summer wardrobe). Maintain your newly organized wardrobe for as long as you possibly can.
Hhhmmm - is it time to tackle the kitchen?