"Detox" That Closet For Spring!

Celeb Style Expert Gretta Monahan Lends Helping Hand, Early Show Saturday Editon

(CBS)  Just open that door, and you know it's time: Spring means it's time to clean out that closet! Unload some of that clutter!

True, it's hard to part with those old clothes and other items. You keep telling yourself, "This is the year I'll fit into these again!"

But the truth is -- what you need is a little help getting rid of things, trimming what's in there.

And, on The Early Show Saturday Edition, Gretta Monahan, a celebrity style expert and co-host of "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style," imparted tips to help you -- detox your closet!

She had tips on what to keep, what to get rid of, and how to organize what's left.

THIS IS A HARD THING TO DO, CLEARING OUT THE CLOSET. GETTING RID OF CLOTHES, EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T WORN THEM IN YEARS, IT'S LIKE GETTING RID OF OLD FRIENDS. HOW DO YOU MAKE YOURSELF DO IT?

It's like a little detox and an intervention all mixed up in one. It's hard to let go, but cluttering up is not making it easier for you to get ready in the morning. So you have to really go in there and be honest about what you're really going to wear. If you know you can't do that, bring someone in, a friend who's a truth teller, to help you really thin things out. Then you can create a style and look that works for you. If you feel badly about getting rid of these "old friends", give them to a charity shop, let someone else get some joy out of them.

FIRST, YOU SAY, YOU HAVE TO BE RUTHLESS. SO WHAT SHOULD WE DEFINITELY GET RID OF?

You have to be ruthless, use tough love, and decide, straight up, what has to go. If it's a maybe, it should be out. So many people have crowded closets and nothing to wear, this allows you to get right to the gold. If it's faded or worn, it goes. If it's an old trend, it goes. If it doesn't fit, it goes. If it's unflattering, it goes.

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO THROW IT AWAY, SOME OF IT CAN ACTUALLY MAKE YOU SOME CASH.

Good clothes, especially designer items, can have value if they're in good condition. You can sell them on line, or sell them to a consignment shop or a resale shop. Just make sure they're in good condition, have them dry cleaned first, fix any rips or tears, save the tags, and receipts, if possible, to show the item's value, and make sure the fabric labels are in place. Bottom line, take care of your good clothes and they can make you some cash.


WHAT DO YOU KEEP?

You want to keep classic items, make sure you have a white, button-down shirt, a nice pencil skirt, great-fitting pants, cardigans, your best-fitting jeans.

NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN RID OF THE OUTDATED, ILL-FITTING AND GENERALLY UNDESIRABLE ITEMS, LET'S GET ORGANIZED. IT STARTS, YOU SAY, WITH THE HANGERS.

Hangers should all be the same size, the same shape, and should all face the same way. You can try these "huggable hangers", or, if you are really pressed for space, try these folding hangers. You can get them online.

NEXT, YOU SAY, SOME THINGS JUST DON'T BELONG IN CLOSETS.

Jeans and tee shirts don't belong in your closet. They take up a lot of space. They're tough enough to fold on shelves in your closets, if you have shelves, or put away in drawers.
lear-Out/Keep jeans and tee shirts out of the closet)

AND, YOU SAY, KEEP LIKE THINGS TOGETHER.

Keep pants with pants, skirts with skirts, dresses with dresses. And sort things according to color if you can. It will save you so much time when you're getting ready in the morning if you don't have to search through everything to find one top or skirt. Take inspiration from little boutiques and how they sort the clothes.
(LOWER THIRD: Spring Closet Clear-Out/Keep like things together)

FINALLY, ACCESSORIES? ALWAYS A MESS.

Yes, but they are so easy to organize. Always store your shoes in a shoe rack or a shoe bag. Belts can be stored on either belt hangers or in little baskets or bins. You can even hang long necklaces on hooks in the closet, or get a jewelry tree and show them off. There are even handbag organizers. And you don't have to spend a fortune. You can get hooks for a dollar or spend more for an organizer. Lori Greiner makes spinning organizers for anything from sweaters to shoes, and you can find all sorts of storage solutions at all different price points from Container Stores across the country.

The following closet organizing items are all available at The Container Store:

Platinum Huggable Hangers (slim compact profile that helps to conserve precious space in your closet)
Swing-Arm Slack Hanger
Swing-Arm Skirt Hanger
24-Pocket Vinyl Overdoor Shoe Bag (not only for shoes also great for storing swimsuits, belts and other small accessories)
Drop-Front Shoe Boxes
Flip Flop & Sandal Holder
Icelet Jewelry Stand
Walnut 12-Belt Hardwood Hanger
Baroque Fabric Storage Boxes (are great for storing seasonal items (tanks, t-shirts, shorts) or other small accessories. The lid keeps the dust off the items and the box can be folded flat when not in use. Also, has a spot to label the box so you can quickly and easily find whatever you're looking for)
12-Compartment Eco-Fabric Accessory Bag
8-Pocket Clear Vinyl Handbag File
Dream Drawer Organizers
Eco-Stripe Drawer Organizers

[JoanneJr]

There is a great new product called Fit & Fold (www.fitandfold.com) that I just bought to declutter my closets. The snaps help you do the impossible in just seconds -- fold a fitted sheet neat and flat! They also indicate which corner goes where on the mattress.

My friend told me about them after seeing them at the Housewares Show in March. They are amazing and for the first time my linen closet doesn't look like a disaster!

[DebTruMom]

I Love Organizing Shows- I can tell you I have purchased the Lori Greiner Set of 3 Spinning Closet Organizers from QVC and they were perfect. I gained back half my closet space and I don't have a lot of closets!! I've found lots of good things at Container Store too, but I have to say these are my favorite. How about a Garage Spring Cleaning show next?? Happy Easter!