On a recent frigid January evening, when you would think everyone would stay home to keep warm, more than 50 people turned out to hear Nancy Pipal speak about closet clutter at the La Grange Public Library. Clearly, in spite of the cold, many are looking to get a fresh start with the new year.

 

Nancy Pipal is an executive presence consultant. Her goal is to help her clients establish their own style by helping them to discover a more effective presence at home, at work or at play. One of the most important aspects of this transformation is what Pipal calls The Closet Cleaning Project.

 

Pipal began the evening with a Zen parable that the audience could identify with: A wanderer on a lonely road came upon a torrential river that had washed out the bridge. So he built a solid and heavy raft that carried him safely across to the other bank. He thought to himself, “This is a good raft. If there’s another river ahead, I can use it.” And he carried that raft for the rest of his life.

 

Admittedly, most of us have too much stuff. We hang onto things, knowing full well we will never wear them again or use them in any capacity. There are many reasons for hanging onto things: the item was expensive; you had a great time while wearing a particular piece of clothing; it was a gift; it is the perfect thing to wear to that special occasion when you DO get invited.

 

Before you begin cleaning your closet, you need a full-length mirror, very good light and time. The first order of business is organizing.

 

“This is the easy part,” Pipal said.

 

Sort clothing by season and then sort again by type of garment — shirts, slacks, skirts, etc. While sorting, take a quick look for stains, threadbare pieces, hopelessly pilled articles or those that are just plain worn out. Put these items in a garbage bag. If it still has a tag, toss it.

 

The second step is the purge. Put aside your go-to outfits, making sure they still fit well and are suitable for wear. Try on everything else in front of that full-length mirror with the good light. Be honest and be strong. If you are keeping something just because it is expensive or was a favorite from the ’70s or ’80s, don’t let it take up valuable space in your closet (and your life). Take these items to a resale shop or take a picture of them and save the snapshots in your computer photo album.

 

The third step in the process is maintenance. This saves you both time and money. Some tips for maintaining your lovely and up-to-date fashions are to use good hangers and high-quality cedar shoe trees, space items at least one inch from each other and use breathable material bags — not plastic cleaning bags — for storing clothing. Pipal suggested you hang up your clothing in a manner that you can actually SEE what you have. On display were hangers called Huggables that are a wonderful invention. They are slim, cushioned hangers that you can even use for sweaters or jersey knits. They are available at Target and Bed Bath & Beyond.

 

Another tip when buying something new: If you bring something in, toss something out. Also, try on your new piece of clothing with the shoes you will wear and determine if it needs any tailoring and/or if you really like it. If you are not as keen on something as you thought, either return it within a week or have it tailored within a week.

 

When you do get your clothing organized to either pitch or donate, there are a few organizations within our community that will welcome your cast-offs. One is the Hope Chest, located at 717 W. Hillgrove in La Grange. Proceeds from the shop benefit Constance Moore House in La Grange, the home for women. Additionally, the Community Nurse Thrift Shop funds a great portion of the clinics by donations that are sold in their shop on Calendar Court.

 

Another organization that will welcome your donations is Poised for Success in Lombard. Poised for Success provides free business-appropriate clothing to women in the job market. The volunteers also assist their clients in building self-esteem and interviewing skills. The group was founded in 2002, and it is their directive to ensure that every woman has the opportunity to become financially independent. Poised for Success is supported by volunteers and donations. For more information, call (630) 691-1455. 

 

No time like the present to dig in and clear out. Pipal believes in this credo: “When in doubt, do without.”

 

Pipal is available for personal consultation. She can be reached at (708) 579-1016 or nancypipal@gmail.com.