This blog post was inspired by a series of mishaps on my end. Let me explain. I have this bright white down comforter that I probably should take to a dry cleaner, but for whatever reason, just haven’t. My time is limited so I normally just throw it in my washer that is way too small to hold this comforter, and go about my cleaning. This process was working; all except the deep blue Tide detergent I used left its mark on the comforter. So maybe this process wasn’t working.

Now, not only did I need to get the blue blotches out of the comforter, but I still wanted to keep washing the comforter at home without taking a trip to the dry cleaners. This is when I decided to try and find a DIY remedy online that would take care of everything for me. I came across this article from Glamour.com that caught my eye and gave it a try.

Here’s what you do:

Mix one part Dawn Dish Soap (yes, it is blue but I assure you it won’t stain your whites), with two parts hydrogen peroxide. I also added a little bit of baking soda to make the mixture a little thicker.

Pour the mixture directly on the stain and scrub it with a kitchen brush. I let the mixture sit on the comforter for about an hour. Once again, I stuffed it in the washing machine to give it a good rinse. To my surprise, it worked! My comforter was SUPER white! No blotchy blue stains from the Tide not getting rinsed out or stains from my son wiping raspberries all over the bed. I later read that this same mixture takes out yellow underarm rings as well as chocolate stains and red wine stains.

This DIY stain remover recipe is definitely a keeper!

Are you in a wardrobe slump, opting for the same five shirts and pair of jeans despite your large closet with rows of clothing and endless shoes? Yeah, you’re not alone.

We’ve all gone through some sort of scenario where you’re scrambling to find something to wear, but just can’t seem to settle with anything that you already own. Sounds to me like you are in a wardrobe rut.

Here’s a few tricks I’ve used to help see my existing clothes in a new light, pair different things together and get out of the “I have nothing to wear” slump.

Find inspiration online.

There are so many sites and online that can be used as great sources of inspiration. I’m a huge fan of Pinterest and have my virtual pin boards for “Spring & Summer Fashion” and “Fall & Winter Fashion“.

Polyvore is another good site to check out. You can create your own style boards to use as inspiration, look at others ideas and best of all, it’s completely free!

There are also hundreds of style blogs on the web and finding someone who posts their outfits that share similar tastes as you might become your new favorite read.

Wear it in an unexpected way.

There are no rules saying you can’t wear an article of clothing in an unexpected way. I’ve worn tube tops as skirts with leggings underneath and dresses as tunics. I’ve even worn long shirts as dresses paired with a blazer, stockings and boots. I had an outpouring of compliments that day asking where I purchased my “dress”. Anyway, you get the idea. Take some time one day to try different combos in your closet and the ones you think are worth wearing out, take note so you don’t forget…which brings me to my next point.

Write it all down.

This sounds so cheesy but in high school, I used to write down what I wore everyday so I didn’t wear the same thing twice within a two week period. I know, right? A little silly, but I can see where I was coming from. If you have a stellar clothing combo you just came across in your closet, write it down so you don’t forget about it. There are even apps for this now, such as Stylebook.

Repair and Mend.

Do you have a stack of clothing that either has a hole, needs to be hemmed or has a missing button? I’ll be honest, I have a HUGE stack of clothing that needs some sort of loving care, sitting right next to my sewing machine. I try to at least make two new articles of clothing wearable each week. This sounds excessive, but I can’t buy a pair of pants without hemming them because I’m vertically challenged. A lot of my stack is made up of pants that need to be shortened mixed with the occasional cardigan or top that’s missing a button.

Try EVERYTHING on.

What a crazy idea, right? But don’t you think it’s better to have a partially-filled closet full of clothes that fit you perfectly and make you feel attractive then a closet stuffed with articles of clothing that fit poorly and of items you plan on never wearing? I’d say so.

Here are a few others tips I’ve suggested to help you declutter and spruce up your closet, making it really easy to take inventory of what you own. This way, trying everything on might not seem so daunting after all.

Have you heard about this “Real Age” test? It’s a questionare you fill out that calculates your body’s health age. It was created by top doctors, including Dr.Oz. Best of all, it’s free to take.

You first have to sign up for an account or login through Facebook on RealAge.com. Once your account is created, you complete the quiz, which takes a little less than 15 minutes. It’ll ask you everything from your height and weight to how many drinks you consume and what your social life is like. After completing the quiz, you’re “health” age will be determined. I really like the concept of this site because either way, it’s a beneficial site. If you are coming in over your actual calendar age, the site will give you recommendations on what you can do to improve your overall health. If your “health” age is younger than your calendar age well- that’s a good incentive to continue whatever it is that you’re doing to stay healthy.

And again, after the quiz, you’ll get personalized tips and action plans made specifically for you. The site also tells you what it is that is causing your “health” age to be what it is.

For example, I came in at 20.1 (Wait, what? I guess I’m healthier than I thought!)

Here is the site’s reasoning:  Not taking daily aspirin, not having any major stressors in my life, having a dog, doing cardio activity and enjoying nuts… among other things.

However you look at it, I definitely recommend trying this out. It’s worth your time and good for your health. Win win!

Sometimes it can be challenging to find the right clothes that will flatter your figure. I mean, there are a lot of cute stylish clothing options out there…but not everything is perfect for your specific body type.

That’s where it’s nice to have sites such as mystylerules.com to help you find what styles work for you and even suggestions on what NOT to wear.

This site is pretty cool. You first sign up for a free account and enter your age. You are then prompted to enter your height, body type, skin color, what size you normally wear. You can even get more specific by entering in your exact measurements. Once this step is completed, the site gives you a 3-D model of your body type.

From there, you can “try on” different outfits from bathing suits to coats that are geared to flatter your specific body type. The idea is that you buy the items right there that are suggested for you, but if you’re like me, it’s fun to just play around on the site. And as mentioned earlier, you can even get advice on what NOT to wear. And every type of outfit they choose for you is explained by an automated voice.

Here’s an example of one of the types of dresses I should wear, based on my size:

Anyway, the site is a lot of fun and you can get an idea of the types of clothing that will flatter you most. Again, you can check it out at mystylerules.com

Have you heard of the book “ I Have Nothing to Wear!: A Painless 12-Step Program to Declutter Your Life So You Never Have to Say This Again!” by Jill Martin? It’s a nice read and had some really insightful tips to making sure you always have something to wear.

Just recently I also happened to catch an interview where the author Jill spoke about clearing out your closet in just two steps and here’s some of my favorite tips I took from both her book and interview that I’d like to share with you.

First things first, you have to admit you have a problem. Realizing that you have too much in your closet is the first step to decluttering. Consider removing all the things that may be taking up precious room or that’s causing you to be overwhelmed.

Here are a few examples:

• Clothing that you haven’t worn in years.
• Clothing from high school that  or any clothing you are holding onto because of sentimental value.
• Clothing and accessories you bought just to lift your mood.
• Clothing with tags still attached that you may not have even purchased this day, month or dare I say, year.

All of the above are things that are taking up room and need to go to make way for the clothing you will actually wear. Here’s a perfect example: If you have twenty favorite t-shirts from over five years ago, I would suggest keeping only a few and putting the shirts you do decide to keep in a keep sake box to free them of your closet.

This also goes for the changing of the seasons. If you have your winter coats mixed in with  your tank tops, now’s the time to remove the winter coats from  your closet, at least for another 6 months or so and store them in a different place- whether it be a coat closet or in air-tight containers.

So step one — purge your closet. Get all of the above out of your closet and from there you can store it elsewhere, donate it, sell it on consignment; you can be the judge of that.

Step two of this process is to then organize what you do have remaining in your closet. Speaking from experience during my college years, having your socks mixed with underwear that are mixed with belts next to mis-matched shoes just doesn’t work well.

Having a place for everything is beneficial when it comes to putting laundry away or better yet, keeping your clothing off the floor. Also it can greatly reduce the time it takes you to get ready in the morning, because you’ll know exactly where everything is.

So there you have it.  Only two steps and you are on your way to a clutter-free and manageable closet!

I highly recommend checking out I Have Nothing To Wear!: A Painless 12-Step Program to Declutter Your Life So You Never Have to Say This Again! You can purchase it for around $10 on Amazon by clicking the title above or click here to reserve your copy at the Cincinnati Library.