How (and why) to merchandise your wardrobe
Transform your closet into a fashion wonderland!
When you walk into a clothing store or boutique, are you inspired by the displays and racks? Most likely yes. It’s because stores showcase their inventory in a way that’s pleasing.
In retail, visual merchandising is a marketing practice that uses floor plans, color, lighting, displays, technology, and other elements to attract customer attention. Its ultimate purpose is to use the retail space to generate more sales by making a store’s inventory stand out and attracting shoppers.
It makes perfect sense to use the same approach with your wardrobe. When you merchandise your wardrobe, it makes the process of getting dressed efficient, effective and enjoyable. No more stressing out. No more digging for what you need. No more reaching to the box on the top shelf of the closet for the scarf you want to wear.
In fact, if many of your items are hidden in bins, boxes and drawers, you even forget you have things so you wouldn’t consider using them in outfits.
CREATE YOUR OWN BOUTIQUE
“Boutiquing” your wardrobe is actually very easy–and fun–to do. Here are a few techniques you can borrow from retail merchandising and apply to your very own space.
ORGANIZE BY ZONES. How you do this depends on your lifestyle, plus what and how many wardrobe items you have. You could do it one of these ways, or do it in combination:
Activity: Work, weekend, athleisure, casual, formal events
Types: Sleeveless tops, short sleeve tops, long sleeve tops, etc.
ROY G BIV YOUR CLOTHES. Within your zones, always organize your clothing by color. Start with whites, then colors, then darks. With patterns, organize by the dominant color.
USE STYLISH STORAGE. In a store, a merchandiser decides whether items should be hung on racks, folded on a table, or carefully rolled in containers on shelves. You should do the same. For instance, I folded all my jeans, separated them by style, and stored them in a bookshelf that also doubles as a center island. I also got pretty jewelry organizers and put them in pull-out shelves for easy access. If you do use bins or baskets, make sure they are clearly labeled and in a visible spot.
SHOW OFF THE FANCY STUFF. Carve out areas to display some items. This could be a small countertop above drawers for statement necklaces, shelves where you put nice purses, or hooks on the wall where you hang a few hats.
DECORATE! Work in some framed imagery and other decorative items, just as you would any other room of your home. Vases, flowers, framed images, books, decorative trays, candles, busts, small statues, pillows. Go wild!
DON’T FORGET ABOUT WALL SPACE. One of my favorite ways to use wall space is for hanging scarves, belts and purses. In my case, I used wall-mounted coat hangers for bags. These types of pieces often finish off an outfit, so it’s great to have them in a very visual spot.
SPOTLIGHT ON SHOES. The best way to store and present shoes is on shelves. Avoid shoe containers, shoe boxes or other storage methods that hide your shoes. It’s best when you can see all of them to decide on the best pair for your outfit. If you’re short on shelving, use shoe slots to double your space!
TAKE A TOUR OF MY RE-ORGANIZED AND ELEVATED CLOFFICE AS IT WAS COMING TOGETHER!
FIND THE RIGHT SPACE
Before you jump into the process, let’s talk about space. If you don’t have a spacious walk-in closet, no worries! Consider using other areas to organize and display some items. For instance:
Claim a corner of the bedroom for the display of jewelry and scarves.
Steal a linen closet outside the bedroom to organize shoes.
If you really want to go wild, use a small extra bedroom or little-used space–like I did–and convert it to a dressing room. I made mine a combination closet and office: my CLOFFICE!
With love and style,
