How to Make Your Closet Work Harder

The simple systems that keep me looking put together

We welcomed a new furry family member a month ago (named Dewey Decimal Davisson, after my late librarian mother’s favorite organizational system), and we’re all still adjusting to the new routines and added responsibility a puppy brings!

My three boys sporting their first day of school outfits

In addition to our furniture, Dewey has chewed up a lot of our time and mental energy (good thing he’s so darn cute!). The past month has made me appreciate the systems I’ve put in place so I can still manage to look and feel put together when life is chaotic.

In this 8 minute read, you’ll learn:

• The freedom that comes from having wardrobe constraints;

• Why I swap my clothes out 3x/year despite not having seasons; and

• How I keep my items looking new year after year.

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Effective systems help things function

This is the third post in my Deliberate Closet series. I started with the backstory of why I care about this (TL;DR — I have a complicated relationship with stuff: I love style AND strive to consume consciously).

Last year, I interviewed Shira Gill about her book Lifestyled, and I fell in love with its simple framework to avoid overwhelm in any area of life:

1. Adjust volume - figure out the right amount of volume for any given space

2. Establish systems - find the simplest solution to a challenge or problem 

3. Implement habits - form habits so that your system works and maintains itself

I decided to apply her framework to structure my Deliberate Closet posts; I tackled Step 1 in How to Buy Less.

What’s Step 2? Creating systems.

A system is an organized set of interconnected elements that work together to achieve a specific outcome. For example, our body is a system: our organs work together so it can function. 

The ideal deliberate closet system offers a structured, repeatable process for wardrobe selection, organization, and maintenance – all so you don’t have to think so hard about getting dressed. Because even if you don’t have a new puppy, there are too many other things to do!

I’m excited to share my time-honored tips with you.

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Wardrobe Planning/Selection

• Keep a wishlist.¹ Shopping without a list is like going to the grocery store hungry: you’ll end up with random items – likely more than you need – that don’t add up to coherent meals. Your list should be informed by your style, current lifestyle and climate (be realistic!), and closet priorities. Do I always stick to the items on my list? Heck, no. But having one keeps me honest about where an item fits in the hierarchy of my needs (and budget). Currently on mine: hoodie sweatshirt that zips, gun metal silver flats, and a cardigan in a Ring 3 color. Your list doesn’t need to be fancy (I use Apple Notes). For new items, the Carted app (which I learned about from Kelly Williams in her excellent newsletter Midimalist), is a cool way to save items and track their prices so you can pounce when they’re on sale.

• Create purchasing guidelines. My guidelines can be summarized as follows: curate a wardrobe in a coherent color palette made of primarily natural fibers by prioritizing secondhand first. Let’s break these down in turn:

  • A coherent color palette. Years ago, to find the shades that best suit me, I sent in photos to someone who did seasonal color analysis virtually; I was told I was a Deep Autumn. Then I re-did it in person, and I was declared a Deep Winter; it rocked my world to the point that I was initially in denial.² However, I now accept it; it’s why white suits me better than cream and why people ask me if I’m feeling ok when I wear orange. Having a coherent color palette makes my closet more versatile and makes packing SO much easier.

  

  Deep Winter — who knew?!

  • Clothing made of natural fibers. With the exception of athletic gear, I purchase clothing made primarily of natural fibers, like cotton and wool. Natural fibers are more breathable, comfortable, and durable – not to mention better for the earth because they actually break down at the end of a garment’s life. Here’s the sad thing: a great deal of clothing manufactured today is NOT made from natural fibers.³ If you’re interested in why, I recommend listening to the podcast “Why Do Clothes Suck Now?” This leads me to my third guideline:

  • Prioritize secondhand first. My mother was a consignment store pioneer; thanks to her, I discovered secondhand as a means to afford brands that would otherwise fall outside my budget. It’s also a great way to find vintage items, which often are cheaper and hold up better than new ones. The Gem app has been a game-changer because it consolidates search across all resale platforms. I do rent special occasion items from Rent the Runway; I wish it had existed at the peak of my wedding-going years.

Alex Mill shirt from The Real Real; puppy sold separately

My guidelines may not be your guidelines! To come up with your own, reflect on your current priorities and lifestyle. Perhaps you’re in the young child phase and a “nothing too precious” guideline makes sense. Silk, while a natural fiber, might be off the table for now.

Guidelines might feel stifling to some, but I find them liberating. I breathe a sigh of relief when I admire a garment, look at its fabric composition, and realize it’s not for me because it’s composed primarily of synthetics.

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Wardrobe Organization

Organization isn’t only about making my small closet space look good, it’s about the systems I entail to make it work harder for me. Here are my top tips:

• Use the same type of hangers. This makes a closet appear way more coherent, regardless of its size. We currently use slim plastic velvet hangers, but they break frequently. We’re slowly replacing ours with wooden ones.

• Switch out clothing seasonally. Even though I live in a climate without distinct seasons, I switch out a portion of my clothes every 4 months.⁴ I initially adopted this practice out of necessity (my full wardrobe doesn’t fit in my small closet), but I continue it because I wear my clothes more and feel more content with my closet when I give myself a little break (absence makes the heart grow fonder!). These switch-outs prompt me to assess what I haven’t worn and edit my closet accordingly. Depending on an item’s brand and condition, I sell it on Poshmark, give it to a friend, or use a Trashie bag to retire it responsibly.

• Organize digitally. The Indyx app serves as my digital closet organization tool. It helps me plan and select outfits as well as keep track of what I own (and calculate my favorite metric, cost per wear). More soon in the next Deliberate Closet post, including an interview with founder Yidi Campbell. In the meantime, you can check out co-founder Devon Rule’s smart takes in her newsletter, BRAND PANIC.

  

  Is this not the stuff of closet organizing dreams?

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Wardrobe Maintenance

The silver lining of having maximizer tendencies (only the *right* black cardigan will do) is that once I find an item I love, I take VERY good care of it. Here are the things I rely on to keep my clothing looking new, year after year:

• Enlist experts. I’ve written before about my secret weapon, my beloved tailor. I also have a go-to cobbler. I take in new shoes to get taps on the parts that wear down the most and weatherproof them, especially if they’re made of something delicate, like suede. My cobbler has also resoled shoes, punched new belt holes, and repaired leather straps on a bag. A team of experts can help your clothing work harder and longer for you!

• Wash cold and air dry. After having one too many items damaged by a dry cleaner, I now rarely send clothing out to be dry cleaned. Almost anything can be washed in cold water on a delicate cycle and air dried. I like The Laundress wool and cashmere shampoo for sweaters, but I’ve also used the Soak brand because it doesn’t need to be rinsed. I treat stains with this stain solution.

• Not too often. The less often you wash, the longer your clothing will last. For instance, I wash sweaters once a season, tops (before I store them). Between wears, I use a fabric steamer and a sweater comb to keep them looking fresh. And I wear tshirts or Numi undershirts under sweaters and blazers (and sometimes blouses and button-downs, if I’m presenting) to keep them sweat-free.

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Having written all this down, I’m realizing my systems aren’t exactly simple. Cultivating a deliberate closet takes some work! But perhaps that’s something we all need to acknowledge and embrace, even those who don’t love style as much as I do. The simplest solution (buy cheap things, don’t take care of them, order more, repeat) is actually more complex and costly in the long-run — both for our wallets and the planet.

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Abby’s Latest

My backlog of new and forthcoming books has grown even longer than usual (thanks, Dewey!). Below are the ones at the top of my TBR pile, each by a terrific author. Here they are, in order of pub date, with a few words about why I’m excited to read them:

• The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups, by Colin M. Fisher. Unlock the secret power of group dynamics that will forever change how you live and work.

• Repair with self-care: your guide to the Mom's Hierarchy of Needs, by Leslie Forde. Make space for learning, growth, mental and physical health after having kids.

• Having It All: What the Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and How to Get the Most Out of Yours, by Corinne Low. Design a life that goes beyond the work-life binary to create true joy, balance, and fulfillment.

• Like a Wave We Break: A Memoir of Falling Apart and Finding Myself, by Jane Chen. The courageous memoir of one woman’s globe-spanning journey of unraveling and awakening.

• Lucky By Design: The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want, by Judd Kessler. Hidden markets determine who gets what in everyday life—learn how to tip the scales in your favor.

Happy reading!

Deliberately yours,

Abby

1. If you need a major closet overhaul, this isn’t the best place to start. But most of us don’t need that. I’ve only done it once and it’s intense. Let me know in the comments if you want to hear more about that in a future post!

2. Learn from my mistake and only do this in person! SF readers, here’s where I went.

3. This doesn’t mean they’re cheaper! I am floored by how much brands will charge for a 100% polyester skirt.

4. Most of them are in a plastic storage bin in my garage when they’re off duty, although I have a few sweaters bags stashed inside the house.