According to the Chief Design Officer of California Closets (interviewed in The Wall Street Journal in 2013), only 20 percent of the clothes in the average person’s closet are worn on a regular basis. This translates into having ten perfect little black dresses for the parties you never attended or pulling out your favorite jeans, over and over, instead of the new pair you splurged on. It’s difficult to face the reality of everything that once fit, but years later, they just don’t feel right or the style hasn’t come full circle yet.

When working with clients in their clothing closets, my goal is to get to the point where they can “shop their own closets.” This means all contents meet the following criteria:

Clean and ready to wear
Fit well and don’t need to be tailored
Stylish and make you feel confident

Any keepsake items such as prom dresses, graduation gowns, wedding dresses, etc. should be removed from general circulation and placed in airtight containers (impenetrable from pests). They may be stored in your closet if, and only if, you have ample room for them and looking at them on a daily basis brings you happiness.

Just imagine getting up in the morning, walking into your closet and knowing where everything is, and that you will feel fabulous with any outfit you choose. Maybe you fall into the lucky few who are already close to experiencing this phenomenon, far exceeding the 20 percent statistic. If not, it’s never too late to “have your closet organized and eat it too.” Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and letting your space BLOOM in Baltimore and beyond.

*Photo credit of the frosted cut out cookies pictured to: The Orderly Space located in Bellingham, Washington and Morgan G. Cookies.