Unveiling the Dressing Room

Let me see a show of hands for everyone who made a New Year’s resolution to clean their closets/get more organized/de-clutter/tidy up. WOW!!!!  I would guess I am in good company. Getting more organized is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions – right up there with improving our health, wealth, and mental well being. The sad fact is that 88% of us fail to keep our well intended commitment (Wikipedia). As an inspiration, I did take the challenge and have started (starting is the first step) to organize my closets. But – I have gotten sidetracked with looking up the best ways to get – and stay – organized.

When you Google “getting organized”, “declutter”, “organize your closets”, a slew of results pop up from WebMD to Zen Habits to YouTube to The Huffington Post to Psychology Today. One of my favorite tips is “be ruthless in your closet” – hmmmmm. Without encouraging any crazy activities, I have created a Pinterest Board which captures great organizational ideas and gorgeous designs.

If you are looking to re-organize your closet, there are soooooo many articles, books, and blog posts on the topic that it could make your head spin and has taken me on a fabulous detour from actually organizing my closets (oh no!). But, I have come across some really helpful information. I love the design and organization of Clos-ette – they even have their own hangers and jewelry organizers!!!! There are really helpful articles in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Houzz, Real Simple and Apartment Therapy. Another tip I plan to follow – “You don’t need more clothing, you need less” (Elle Decor). I would rather have a well edited wardrobe of items I love, instead of a closet full of things I barely wear.

Before we continue, can we please do away with the word closet? After all, one of the meanings of closet is “a state or condition of secrecy or carefully guarded privacy” (Dictionary.com). That is not a way to describe a place that should make you feel good (especially now that it’s organized so beautifully) and that holds the key to your personal style. Why don’t we name it the Dressing Room  – “a room used chiefly for dressing” (Merriam-Webster)?

Actually, when I design a home, I always think of these spaces as rooms. I take just as much care in designing a dressing room as I do for any other room in the house. Wall coverings, color scheme, lighting, fabrics and furniture are all taken into consideration. There is a great article in Traditional Home, “Beautifully Organized Closets and Dressing Rooms“ which features dressing rooms that are intentionally styled to not just look like a room but more like a store. How much fun is that – going into your dressing room and feeling like you are shopping!!

Designing the dressing room also includes finding great ways to display (better word for organize) your personal items. Love the solutions for shoes, jewelry, scarves, hand bags for women – and, ties, cuff links, and suits for men. Think of your clothes and accessories as part of the design. Organize by type of clothing and by color to add to the overall decor. Below are a few VGI designed dressing rooms. These are definitely spaces which feel like a place to dress much more than a place to keep in a state of secrecy.

I would love to hear about and see how your dressing room organization is progressing. Now, I need to get back to mine!

Happy New Year’s resolutions!!!