Who says you can’t be head over heels for everything in your closet? With the new year upon us, many people are cleaning out their closets and starting fresh. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to jump on board, too! And the best part? It doesn’t have to be expensive or a pain in the neck if employ a little organization and planning. A few months ago, we shared a post about curating a capsule wardrobe—a super simplified closet with a very limited number of neutral basics. Today’s post is for all of you who read that and thought “Yeah…awesome idea, but I’m not quite there yet.” If you want to give your closet that kind of careful attention and still need a little more variety, here are some tips for building your own custom dream closet…
Video via youtube.com/user/DoItOnaDime
Step 1: Start with organization. As Kathryn from Do It on a Dime says, storage baskets are plentiful at Goodwill and go a long way to streamline a home. Wicker baskets are perfect to store smaller accessories like scarves, handbags, and belts and would beautify shelving. Rolling storage containers, like the black one shown in the video, are an efficient use of floor space in your closet since they can easily glide out of the way when necessary. Don’t like the color of a thrift shop basket? Spray paint can fix that! With your newly systemized closet (maybe you even cleared out a little space with some donations?) you’re ready to move on to step 2.
Image via goodwillrocktherunway.org
Step 2: Find your inspiration. Florence Wallace is one of the fashion designers slated to present her reconstructed Goodwill finds at Goodwill Industries of Central North Carolina (Greensboro)’s Annual Rock the Runway fundraiser in February! She draws inspiration from stylish celebrities then challenges herself to recreate their look with only Goodwill finds and the items already in her closet. When we identify specific styles we like, it helps us decide a direction for our shopping experience instead of wandering haphazard through a store then just grabbing what looks good at the time. If you shop without a plan, it’s easy to bring home the pieces that take up space in your closet and rarely get worn.
Video via youtube.com/user/goodwillgr
Step 3: Pinpoint your needs. With an organized closet and a little style inspiration, now it’s time to reduce your fashion-frustration by filling in the gaps. Do you need a reliable pair of boots? Are you running low on socks? Or maybe your gloves make it hard to use your phone on the bus ride to work? Jill Wallace from Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids (Grandville, MI) encourages you to use a little creativity—like snipping off the fingertips of thrifted gloves for DIY texting gloves—to fill in the gaps in your current closet. Check out their YouTube channel for some more creative style tips!
Just as building your own custom dream closet would set you up for more productive and inspired days, shopping at Goodwill helps the organization generate opportunities for others to build brighter futures for themselves and their families. So while it may not seem like much, this one weekend project can make a big difference in your life and the lives of your community members.
