Tips on Shopping Your Own Closet!

These days, there is so much temptation out there to shop, shop, SHOP! There is always a new trend to try, a new color of the year, a new wash of denim you just have to have. And while shopping can be so  fun (and oddly rewarding) it can also result in over stuffed closets, having things you don't even want, and over spending!

So I decided to challenge myself, and I took this month, February, to try and rein it in a little and not bring in any new clothing items! Thinking it would be easy, temptation is everywhere and I didnt realize how much of my life is spent around pining- and pinning- over items to add to my wardrobe. So for those of you who have taken on the same challenge, I compiled a list of tips to hopefully make it easier to resist and hopefully find new says to shop the items you already have!

- Delete those email that retailers flood you with! Don't even open them! A special 30% off isn't going to woo me in your store, mister!

- If you love fashion magazines but find them to be tempting, try storing them away for the new month, don't read them right away or the temptation to look for those items might be to strong!

- If you MUST go shopping, go money free! Window shopping can still be fun, and you wont have the urge to get anything because well, you cant! 

- Get a garment rack or hang some hooks outside of your closet. Pull out 10 or so pieces you want to try wearing or love to wear and work on making outfits from those.

- On the flip side, maybe pull out 10 or so items you haven't worn forever or that have been hiding in the back of your closet and wear those. If they are STILL on the rack after this month and you didnt wear them then, then you probably will never.

- Organize! Arrange your pants by color, print, wash and fancier pants. Arrange your tops by color, by style or by casual to dressy... make it easier to see what you have!

- Challenge yourself! Don't wear many dresses? Wear dresses for a whole week! 

- When you see something you just HAVE to get...WAIT! Go home and take a day to think about the item! Still on your mind? See if there is anything in your closet that could substitute for that item! More then likely... there is another striped shirt that could look kinda like that new striped shirt... (guilty!).

- This is a great time to sort as well. I always do Keep, Sell, Donate. I pick a section in my closet and try the items on. I look at the fit, the style, the feel and what I really think about it. If I love it, it stays. If the fit is off, I see if it is something I could sell. If I don't like it, and its a less expensive item, I donate it!  Often times I do this for an hour or so with some music playing and its fun! Don't try to do the whole closet at once, that is too overwhelming!

- Do a clothing swap with your friends! Your not shopping... and you are still getting rid of things you wont wear. Possibly swap out more then you bring in, and make sure it is things you really love before you take them!

If you have some other tips, leave them in the comments below! I would love to hear your ideas!!