Organizing+Styling for Home and Wardobe
Are you bored with your current wardrobe? Shop your closet first and get creative with styling different color combinations. Thinking outside the box can give you so many more outfit combinations. I am currently loving turquoise for Spring and Summer. Here are a few examples of outfits I love. Visit my instagram to see even more turquoise inspiration! If you are feeling stuck. I am here to help and make style fun again!
Have you ever thought buying fresh flowers for yourself was a luxury? Maybe it seems too expensive and frivolous? I used to feel the same way until I started following the amazing Amanda Gibby Peters and bought her book “Simple Shui for Everyday.” You can read more about the advantages below in her post.
If you are at all interested in Feng Shui she is a master and so inspiring. And even if you think Feng Shui is too woo woo…buy yourself the flowers anyway because you are worth it! I truly believe it’s the little details that make such a difference in our homes and how we feel!
Are you stuck in a style rut??
You don’t need to go out shopping! You can shop your closet and create new looks with what you already have! I helped my friend create this outfit within minutes of looking in her closet. And once we added the necklace that was the icing on the cake. She said she would have never thought of putting these colors together. Sometimes you just need to see your closet in a new way and be creative! This is why I love helping women with their closets… there are endless possibilities already in your existing wardrobe.
In the past few years I have really embraced shopping secondhand. There are so many advantages.. more environmentally friendly, saves you money, lets you try multiple brands all in one place!
When you go shopping, making a list is super helpful so that you don’t get overwhelmed and buy a bunch of stuff you don’t need. You can search by brand, color or item. This makes it easier to narrow down the options.
I found these 3 pieces the other day and am super excited to style them in so many different ways!
Secret Closet in Hillsborough,NC is one of my favorite consignment stores to shop!
One easy way to pack light is to pack some staple pieces and then pack accessories to change up the looks. This is a perfect example of a black faux leather moto jacket that can be dressed up with a skirt or worn over a dress. Or you can wear it with jeans or leggings.
You can really change the look of the outfit just by changing the scarf and earrings. Scarves and earrings don’t take up much room in a suitcase and can really help you create so many more outfit combinations! So get creative and have fun with your wardrobe!
I love adding accessories to really elevate an outfit. I have even been known on more than one occasion to create a whole outfit starting with an accessory like a scarf, necklace or earrings. I found this beautiful pink and blue Ikat scarf at the local consignment shop, My Secret Closet, and I just had to get it. That is one thing I love about Consignment and thrift shops is you never know what you might find. It is kind of like a scavenger hunt.
Once I got home I realized that I am drawn to this color palette quite a bit. This art by Jenna Webb Art has similar colors to the outfit and I have always loved it. I also have photos of bright pink flowers and pictures of the Amalfi Coast with all the blues and pinks. I Iove just about any shade of blue and pairing a hot pink with it just gives it that extra pop!
There are so many great sources of color inspiration around us. What colors are you constantly drawn to? I bet if you look around in your home or closet you will see some color themes!
Don’t you just love Pantones colors for Fall/Winter of this year?
There are some great bright colors you would not expect going into Fall and Winter.
However, there are plenty of great neutrals as well for those of you that like a more classic and neutral wardrobe.
I am a big believer in layering in the Fall and Winter. There are many pieces of my wardrobe that I use year round so I am loving that I can incorporate some of these brighter shades like Rose Violet, Amazon and Waterspout.
So what do these color predictions really mean? Well one of the biggest benefits is if you regularly wear any of these shades and want to add more pieces to your wardrobe they will be much easier to find in the stores. That means you can shop within your budget because multiple price points are available. You can also shop thrift and consignment stores and buy things secondhand. These are great ways to add to your wardrobe on a budget and have fun discovering new brands.
One of my favorite ways to help my clients is to teach them to shop their closets first. We create new outfits using interesting color combos and accessories they haven’t tried yet. Once we identify what colors and styles you are drawn to it is so much easier to make a small shopping list of any pieces you may be missing. Don’t forget adding even just one great accessory like a scarf or piece of jewelry can totally elevate an outfit!
Are you stuck in a style rut? Look around you for inspiration. Let these new colors for the season inspire you. Check out Pinterest or catalogs or store windows. Challenge yourself to create a new outfit using what you already have!
Shopping secondhand may take time but there are so many advantages to it! After years of helping women with their closets I can honestly say there are so many clothes out there that are in new or like new condition that end up at consignment or thrift stores. Taking items to consignment is a way to make a little money and pass your items on in a responsible way where they don’t end up in the landfill. If you aren’t worried about getting any money back for the items then there are so many great thrift shops that support wonderful causes that you can donate to. And the best part is that someone else benefits from something that was just taking up space in your closet and never being worn.
What are some of the biggest benefits of shopping secondhand?
-You can try a variety of brands all in one place and you may even discover brands you didn’t know about.
-Once you identify the brands that fit you best you can look for those specific brands in the future.
-If you have an item, style or brand that is no longer made sometimes you can find these gems hidden at consignment and thrift shops.
-You have the opportunity to buy brands that are higher end and better quality for a fraction of the price.
-If you need some transitional pieces for weight fluctuations ( as many women struggle with, myself included) then you can buy some staple pieces at an affordable price.
-If you have a special occasion that requires an outfit you are not likely to wear often you can buy secondhand to stay within a budget and not have to spend money on something new.
I hope these tips helped and you are inspired to buy secondhand or at least do some browsing! Its’ fun to see what you might find!
Some of my favorite local shops are:
Pennies for Change Thrift Store, Durham, NC
My Secret Closet, Hillsborough,NC
The Stock Exchange, Chapel Hill, NC
http://www.shopstockexchange.com
Do you ever say to yourself “Well this room is a mess and I don’t have time to do a big cleanup so there is no point in trying?”
I’m here to tell you the little things not only make a difference but they also provide motivation to do more! There are so many times that I have worked with clients who say “That area isn’t a priority and it doesn’t really bother me.”
Until….we improve the spaces around that area and suddenly it really jumps out as an eyesore and starts to drive them crazy.
This is why I am so passionate about organizing AND styling your space. When you style your space or even just a corner of the room and love the way it looks then suddenly you feel better and want more of that feeling in your home!
What is one small thing you can do today to make your space feel happy?
We can’t all be lucky enough to have a giant closet. These days all you see on social media are these beautiful dream closets with floor to ceiling storage and gorgeous chandeliers. However, many of us (myself included) have to make do with an average size closet. Over the years I have lived in many different style houses. I have to say my husband and I love old houses with all the charm but none of the closet space!
Therefore, I have had to learn to get creative to max out my storage space. Also, I have learned that you don’t need as many clothes as you think you do! Weeding things down to what you truly love and wear is half the battle of having an organized and streamlined closet.
I wanted to share one of my absolute favorite storage solutions for a small closet. It is truly a game changer! I have used this in multiple houses for my own closet and used for clients as well.
It is called the Elfa Start a Stack and you can find it at the Container Store. There are a few different versions once you start looking at Elfa but one of the things I like about the start a stack is that it is a freestanding tower of drawers. It is perfect for rentals and small spaces. So if you are someone that likes an easy solution that can be assembled in less than 30 minutes then this is it! It does come in a few different widths so you want to measure your space but I have found the depth perfect for a small closet and the height as well. It slips perfectly under your hanging clothes so that you basically have a built in dresser under there maximizing all that space.
I actually do not own a dresser anymore and use these drawers for anything I don’t want to hang. Leggings, workout wear, pajamas, casual tees, scarves, lingerie, lounge wear…It makes putting away your laundry a breeze! I file fold or roll most of my stuff so that it is easy to see and grab.
These also work great in kids closets! And there is a taller version you can buy and use to max out that wasted vertical space. You can also use it to store kids clothes, toys and craft supplies. The best part is the kids can easily find things and easily help put them away.
The start a stack is such a multipurpose storage solution. It’s great in any closet, pantries, laundry rooms, craft spaces, kids homework spaces.. the possibilities are endless. If its a little over your budget just keep an eye out for the Elfa sales which run multiple times each year!
https://www.containerstore.com/s?source=form&q=Elfa+start+a+stack