It Takes Time to Make Time – Tip #1

Business owners have long heard it takes money to make money.  The thought being you have to invest in your business to get ahead.  The same rings true for our time.  It truly takes time to make time.  You have to be willing to invest a little up front to get more out of your time.  Time management has always been a hard pill for most to swallow.  How can you manage something that isn’t tangible?    I look at it more along the lines of there are portions of the day when I wish the time would slow down (late for pick up at school and I am begging the clock not to tick away) or when it seems to go by so slowly (when I arrive early for pick up without something to read or do).  How can we manage ourselves to make sure our time is used wisely?

My next few posts will deal with how to take time to make time.  These aren’t time management tips per se but more organizing ideas will help you to find more time in the long run.

Tip #1  Clean Out Your Closet

We all know, fashion diva or not, what it is like to be in a hurry to get dressed.  It seems like when you are pressed for time nothing looks good, fits or is clean!  Mornings are hard enough, and it seems as though the minutes we have in the morning tick more like seconds.  Having your closet organized can be a great way to find more time in your day.  If you take the time to sort out your clothes, purge what you no longer wear (or fit into) and group the clothes you have left into categories, you will:

• Easily find what you are looking for
• Have clothes that fit and look good ready to put together
• Know what you have and what you need

Who doesn’t want to look good when they walk out the door?  Getting dressed should not occupy that much time in our day, but if you have ever stood in front of your closet and thought, “I have nothing to wear”, you know how fast time can be sucked away.  For ease and convenience, it is important to find clothes that are easy to mix and match.  Think staples and uniforms.

• Choose bottoms and tops that can easily be put together to create a whole new look.  Beware of the hard to match tops and bottoms…you wind up with lots of unworn clothing.
• Choose what you like to wear.  You will always have “go-to” outfits that will be quick and easy to throw on.  These become a “uniform” of sorts.   A child who wears a uniform to school doesn’t have to think before they get dressed!  Why do you think they still exist in schools? – ease and convenience.
• Choose clothing that fits.  Tailor items which almost fit, but need a little adjustment.  If the clothes don’t fit, you won’t wear them!

I also want to include accessories in this tip.  A boring white shirt can be brought back to life with a fabulous necklace.  A plain black dress can look different if you wear different accessories with it every time.  Shoes can transform an outfit from OK to WOW in no time flat.  (no shoe pun intended!)  The same as organizing your clothes, organize your accessories and shoes.  The easier it is to see what you have, the more likely you will wear it.

For more ideas of organizing your closet and accessories check out my other posts:

http://afreshstartblog.wordpress.com/category/closet-organizing/

http://afreshstartblog.wordpress.com/category/jewelry-organizing/

Organizing your closet will free up many minutes on a daily basis.  A little hard work upfront will go a long way.  But remember it is an on going process.  A closet is a boundary.  You must limit what goes in.  The one-in-one-out rule is very important to remember when shopping!

I want you all to know that every tip given here is not the only solution to an organizing dilemma.  They are suggestions to help you get started on a path to organization.  No two people are alike and no two spaces are alike.  If you have tried something I have suggested and it doesn’t seem to be a good fit, write a comment and I will try to offer another solution.  By all means, I want you all to have the Fresh Start feeling that organizing gives you.  I am here to help!

Create your own Shopping Boutique

Do you look in your closet, and even though it is full, you feel you have nothing to wear?  Instead of asking for a whole new wardrobe this holiday season, try shopping in your own closet.  Think of setting up your closet like a beautiful boutique, with groups of similar clothes.  When you try to imagine how your closet will ultimately look, think of how your favorite store is laid out.  Clothing is grouped by color, style, and type of clothing.  When you can find outfits to put together in your own closet,you won’t feel the need to  shop and in turn you will be able to save money.  SELF Magazine reported in the December 2008 issue “people who arrange their clothes in categories (e.g., pants, skirts, dresses) may be more satisfied with their choices even if their options haven’t changed.” – Researchers at Stanford University in California.   Not only will this save you money by wearing what you already own, but it will save you time and stress when getting ready for your busy day.

One thing I really like when shopping in a beautiful clothing store is the way the clothes are hung.  Matching hangers, space to look through the items, and the ease of finding similar items makes my shopping experience relaxing.  Whether I have money in my budget to spend on clothing is one thing, but if I am on a mission to find a new item, I want it to be easy!  Here are a two types of hangers that will make your closet feel more like a boutique and fun to shop in!

 

• Huggable Hangers are fabulous if you have a tight space.  They are narrow and are covered in a velvet to help keep your shirts from slipping off.   Also, they won’t leave marks in the shoulders of your shirts!  There are matching pant hangers available, too.  They are available on-line and at Target. 
• Wooden Hangers are my favorite look.  You can find them for great deals at Target, Bed Bath and Beyond and at IKEA.  There are pant hangers to match a well.  The clean lines in your closet from the uniform hangers help you focus on the clothes and not the mismatch of hangers!

Two other choices of hangers out there are Crystal Clear plastic hangers and basic plastic hangers.  My reasons for not loving these are that the Crystal Clear hangers don’t sit uniform.  They tend to get stuck on each other and make it hard to pull out your clothes.  The basic plastic hangers are usually a fabulous price, but they will leave a mark in the shoulders of your clothes.  One of the reasons I am a fanatic about matching hangers is that it helps you to focus on the clothes.  There is no distraction from closet chaos.  Also, investing in hangers will help maintain the life of your clothes.

I hope you have a fun time shopping in your closet.  With a tough economy, if we can save money and feel good about the clothes we are wearing, we will be energized. 

For more tips on organizing, visit my website at:  www.afreshstartorganizing.net/tips.  Also, you can subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter “Fresh Ideas for A Fresh Start” . Subscribe Now