I always say, “Organized Closet, Organized Life,” but then again, I’m biased! So to kick off the Spring season with a fresh start, here are a few tips on how to edit and organize your closet with ease. If you’re not up to the daunting task, skip to step number five.

STEP ONE: DO A VISUAL EDIT.

In order to organize your closet, you have to know what’s in it. First take out all the pieces that you LOVE and cherish, items that every time you wear them people comment on how great you look. Place these pieces in a keep pile. Next, do the exact opposite. Take out items that while wearing them, someone asked if you were under the weather or if you were pregnant – when you weren’t. Do this with a discerning eye and put these pieces in a donate pile. Finally, remove anything with rips or stains and pieces that are beyond reconstruction or repair. Put them in a trash pile and don’t look back!

STEP TWO: TRY EVERYTHING ON.

Yes, I mean it! Try on every single item that’s left in your closet. Sort things into the keep, donate, or trash piles. Be honest! If there is a piece that you’ve had for years, never worn, but still want to keep, then mark it somehow. Maybe put a tag on it with the date that you cleaned out the closet. Then if in a year you still haven’t worn it – ask yourself why you aren’t wearing it and why you want to keep it.

STEP THREE: PUT ONLY THE PIECES IN YOUR KEEP PILE BACK INTO YOUR CLOSET.

Load the donation pile neatly into a box or bag ready for a friend or charity and discard the trash pile immediately. Now that your closet is edited, it’s time to organize your clothes by kind. Start by sorting each item in categories like shirts, pants, skirts, dresses and jackets. Then each category is sorted further by color. Shirts, for example, would be sorted from tank tops to long sleeve, casual and dressy, then from light to dark.

STEP FOUR: REPEAT!

This isn’t a one-time project. At least once a year, repeat all of these steps. Your tastes will change, and so might your body.

STEP FIVE: Still need help? Email or call me at Style@LeslieChristen.com or (310) 866-1026