When you’re in the midst of your AM rush, you need to know where to find your clothing quickly. Some of you may be thinking that a few quick steps to the closet will do the trick. That is, indeed, the first step.

Add garment dividers and your closet becomes more clear, particularly on those days that you barely have time to shower. And, they make it easy for you put things back where they belong. It’s a great labeling system for your clothes if you categorize them by type (e.g., pants, blouses, T-shirts, etc.) and/or color…or some other system that works for you.

Get pre-printed labels in English and Spanish.

Get your kiddos organized with their own garment dividers, too. You can use the Clutter Diet brand or a more kid-friendly version, like this one from SugarBooger. They come in a variety of designs, so you can choose a different one for each child.

Organize clothing by type, size, or day of the week.

Have you ever wondered what to with bras that no longer fit you or that you don’t like any more but are still in good shape? Unlike your skivvies, you can actually donate your bras. Yeah, I know it’s hard to part with bras that you shelled out a lot of money for, but if you’re not wearing them, what good are they doing you? They’re really just taking up much needed space.

So, if you’re a gal or a guy who likes women’s undergarments and you have some bras you’d like to part with, check out your recycling options below. Don’t worry, that boob holder that you used to love will now be loved by someone else…or help with breast cancer research (October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month)…or help victims of human trafficking.

• The Bra Recyclers

• Athena’s Cup

• Free The Girls

• Soma Intimates *Donations accepted twice/year – Next donation scheduled for January 2012

• Support1000

• Breast Talk (UK)

Learn More

• Japan Recycles Used Bras Into Fuel

• Your bra can make a difference

• Ladies, let your girls hang free for a good cause

Kids and parents have their own idea about what “organized” means. Usually, I tell parents to relax if their children can find what they need with relative ease, even if mom or dad hates how “messy” the room looks.

On the other hand, when children start to complain that their stuff is lost or that they can’t tell the clean clothing from the dirty ones, then it’s time to take action. These pics from a recent client project really showcase the dramatic change that can be made…and maintained!

Goals: See more floor + decide what to keep and what to discard. Both parent and child were open to repositioning a few items. Notice that the green & pink cubes are now…

…stacked vertically and being used as a night stand. Why not repurpose something you already have instead of buying something new?

Children’s clothing & shoes can be color coordinated, too. For younger kids, this will be easier on mom or dad and older kids will be able to find what they want when they want it (read: leave on time for school).

Sarah Beckman is back to share a few tips on how to get the best bang for your buck when shopping for fall clothing.

As August ends and September begins, it’s time to start thinking about your fall wardrobe. Many use this time of year to evaluate what they have in their closet and decide what they need to get through the chillier months.

Follow these 5 tips as you build your fall wardrobe.

1. As you put away your summer clothes, make sure they are all clean before storing them. Clothes that haven’t been washed have deodorant, sweat, and other residue that attracts bugs. You’ll want to store your clothes folded up in containers with lids. If you leave clothes hanging for an extended period of time, they could become stretched out. Under-the-bed cardboard boxes and plastic tubs are great for storing clothes between seasons.

2. Now that you have space in your closet, you can start shopping for your new fall clothes! Keep in mind this fall’s trends as you go shopping for your new clothes: Plaid, lace, mod retro, mustard yellow, jade green, polka dots, plaid, and menswear are all wearable trends for this fall.

3. Trends in mind, remember to not buy items that are too trendy. The goal is to buy pieces that you can get a lot of use out of. So, for example, a pretty Oxford blouse fits into the menswear trend, but it’s also a classic piece that you can wear for years. Cardigans with touches of lace or polka dots fit into the trends, but these versatile pieces can be mixed and matched – and carried into future seasons.

4. As you shop, calculate the cost per wear for pieces you’re considering. To figure out the cost per wear use this formula:

Total price of item ÷ Estimated number of days you’ll wear it = Cost per wear

So, if you’re considering buying a really great, classic blazer that costs $200 and you see yourself wearing it 100 days per year for 5 years, it costs you $.40 per wear.  The initial investment in the jacket is expensive, but if it’s a classic you’ll wear a lot, the cost per wear is low.

In the same vein, if you’re considering buying a super trendy top that costs $20 and you see yourself wearing it twice, that’s a $10 cost per wear. So, even though the coat initially costs more, the inexpensive top isn’t as economic of a choice.

5. When shopping, also be sure to pay attention to washing instructions. Paying $15 for a top that needs to be dry cleaned once a month makes an inexpensive piece of clothing costly. If you purchase clothes that are hand wash only, will you be able to keep up with the maintenance of these? Ruining a piece of clothing due to not following washing instructions is a waste of an investment.

Are you going shopping for new fall clothes this season? What shopping tips can you share?

About the Author

Sarah Beckman is a writer and editor at Affordable Scarves where she develops content on celebrity style. As a lover of fashion, she must keep her closet organized at all times!

Connect with Sarah: Web |  Twitter | Tumblr

This might be the time of year when many people start thinking about giving, but, really, you can give at any time during the year. And, you don’t have to go shopping to do it.

There are many people in your neighborhood and around the world who are in great need. So, go through your closets, bookshelves, garages, attics, supply closets, and any other place where you stash stuff you (1) never use, (2) don’t fit or flatter you or (3) that you forgot you had!

Don’t worry, collecting donations doesn’t have to clutter your home or office, and it can be very easy. Simply keep a basket or re-usable bag in your closet (or next to your bookcase or at the top of the stairs or on a shelf in the garage…you get the picture).  Every time you put something on that doesn’t fit, you don’t like anymore, or just isn’t flattering – even if you still like it – throw it in your basket or bag.

Take a few minutes and go look for things that no longer bring joy to your life or serve the purpose you thought they would. You’ll feel good about clearing out your space and actually be doing something good for someone else…maybe even an entire family.

Got shoes? My friend and colleague, Scott Roewer, is making a trip to Haiti in January 2011 to donate lots of them with Soles for Souls. He’s also collecting shoes throughout the year for a huge DC event. To find a drop off location, click here.

Washington, DC Image Consultant, Ketura Persellin, has a few budget-friendly ways that can help you look fabulous during the holidays.

You know you’re going to be getting greeting cards. And gifts for family and friends. But have you taken a few minutes to plan what you’ll be wearing for the holiday-related events you’ll face over the next six weeks?

Here are a few guidelines to get you ready to celebrate in style — without breaking the bank:

1.  Use what you have. You likely have some treasures hiding in your closet: a gorgeous ruby-red cashmere cardigan, a flirty velvet skirt or a beautiful charmeuse blouse. These are a great as a jumping-off point for your holiday outfits.

2.  Add sparkle. Those basics can form the foundation for not one, but possibly several holiday outfits. With a velvet skirt, you could wear boots and a turtleneck for a low-key family gathering. Then swap those out to up your glam quotient for a more dressy affair, a sequined or beaded top and some embellished shoes would be perfect. One of my current examples of very versatile clothes that can be styled many ways is J. Crew.

3.  Accessorize for interest and polish. Most of my clients, even those with closets full of gorgeous clothes, don’t have enough accessories. And you don’t need to spend a fortune to get them, but it’s quite possible you could benefit from some a few strategic, on-trend purchases.

Consider these ideas: restyle what’s already in your jewelry box (wear a few strands of pearls and chains rather than just one, or pile on the bangles); scour the bins at your local consignment and thrift stores; and visit affordable, trend-friendly stores like H&M and Forever 21 for items that will add a modern twist to the classics you own. These are good sources for a smaller, dressy, fun bag.

4.  Invest in one special piece — or one great basic. You may have some lovely basics in your closet but no stand-out special piece — a sequined shawl or sweater, a shoe in a great texture or color, or a skirt with really special details. Those are the things that will give you the unique style many women crave.

Or, you may have those, so you just need some up-to-date quality basics, like go-anywhere dark-wash denim trousers or an A-line neutral-color wool-gabardine skirt — versatile pieces that will take you through a variety of social situations.

5.  Plan ahead. Finding a quiet half-hour to play in your closet to see what’s there to make holiday outfits with — and what gaps you may need to fill. Then you’ll be ready for whatever the holidays send your way.

About the Author

Need help putting together a few dazzling holiday outfits? Ketura Persellin is an image consultant in Washington, DC, and surrounding suburbs, and she’ll help you find three to four holiday outfits using mostly what’s in your closet. Visit The Wardrobe Workshop for details.

Thursdays at OTR are usually reserved  a guest author.  We’re taking a slightly different spin today by sharing a recent article by past guest blogger, Naomi Seldin.   Find Naomi’s other posts on OTR here and here.

“Out of sight, out of mind.” When it comes to clutter, that can be a real problem.

One thing I’ve been learning is how to visually organize what I use regularly. It’s easier to take inventory, and to find what I need when I need it, when I can see it.

Not everything I own is immediately visible. Christmas decorations, my skis, photographs and historic newspapers — all are tucked away in boxes and closets. Anything I won’t need this summer, or anything that would be damaged by prolonged air and light exposure, is (and should be) in storage. But I’ve also focused on finding ways to openly organize things I use frequently.

Jewelry is a good example. Last year, I turned a box of chocolates into a sweet storage container.

But I prefer using my walls as storage space for four reasons:

• Jewelry can be arranged artfully. It’s decorative.

• Using vertical space leaves you with one less thing to dust and cleaner-looking surfaces.

• It maximizes your functional living space, which is especially important if you live in a small one.

• Seeing what I have at a glance reinforces how much I have. When I’m reminded every day that I own 14 pairs of beautiful earrings, I’m less tempted to buy new ones.

So I recently used a bulletin board, ribbons and thumbtacks to display my earrings (see top photo).

I also like this earring organizer on Etsy. It’s about $35 more expensive than mine, but prettier:

Birds ‘N Beads earring organizer and jewelry display

(Photo courtesy of Kristie Garafola of KikiBella)

You could also make one from lace and a photo frame (DIY instructions are here).

The only jewelry bulletin boards I’ve seen that I haven’t liked have been overcrowded ones. So before you pile on the earrings and necklaces, consider editing your collection. Minimalism can be beautiful!

How do you store your jewelry?

About the Author

Naomi Seldin is a features content editor at the Times Union of Albany, N.Y.  She writes about how to live well with less at Simpler Living.

Got shoes?  Lots of them? If they hurt, you don’t like them anymore, you haven’t worn them in years, you’ve worn them too much, you’ve been tripping over them, or you just have too many, this is a good time to give them the boot!  Here are six ways you can do that:

• Nike Reuse-a-Shoe Send Nike your sneakers and they will recycle them and turn them into running tracks or even a basketball court. This is a great option if you have children who quickly outgrow their kicks, especially if they’ve been a bit beat up.  Nike really wants your old, worn out athletic shoes.

• Soles4Souls This organization will take new and gently worn shoes and send them to people in need in places like Thailand, Nepal, and even areas here in the U.S.

• One World Running This group sends new and almost new shoes, T-shirts, and shorts to several international locations.

• Sole Responsibility This Ottawa based organization was first started by a group of runners.  They donate gently used running and walking shoes to the needy in Ethiopia.  In the past, they have donated to Chad, Rwanda, Lesotho, and Cameroon.

• The Shoe Bank All types of foot coverings are welcome:  women’s, men’s, children’s, dress, and athletic shoes of any size.  After collecting them, they are sent to several social service agencies (local and overseas) to be distributed.

• RecycledRunners.com This a directory of national and international recycling programs. For serious athletes who tend to beat up their shoes often, this is a good way to choose what will happen to your old shoes and where they will go.

I remember when I was in high school, I hated wearing a uniform.  The same thing, day in and day out…kinda blah.  What happened to be boring for me turned into a crusade for Sheena Matheiken.   She “pledged to wear one dress for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion” for The Uniform Project. Though she wore the same dress (there were seven of them for each day of the week), she did spruce it up and get creative with accessories. Check out her fab hat!

The Uniform Project is also a fundraiser where proceeds will be used to provide uniforms and take care of educational costs for children in India.  A woman with a good heart and good tips, too.  Here’s one of them…

Shop your closet. “There are so many things in your closet that are just sitting there buried and completely forgotten. There are many things you can do in terms of layering — little things you can add to change a silhouette, like a belt, or adding layers underneath a dress or over it — that can completely change a look. And, very often, it’s something that’s already in your wardrobe. You don’t need to buy new things. Just by throwing around a few things in different permutations, you can create a very different look.”

I love this tip, of course, and am sure that wearing the same dress for a whole year would solve the problem of finding something to wear.  Could you do it?  One little, black dress for 365 days?

P.S.  On May 1, 2010, Sheena Matheiken jumped into a *new* dress.

Credit cards in a jumble in your wallet?  Need a compact way to manage them? Check out the Flipside wallet.  It lets you put a little order to your credit cards, cash, and even pictures.  They stay in place and don’t have a chance of falling out.

Visit the Flipside Wallet Website