There are two extremes for the fashionista:

1. The stylish individual who has clothes strewn about her bedroom with extras shoved into her closet.
2. The stylish individual who has everything methodically organized by size and color with off season items stored away in the appropriate containers.

Most of us fall somewhere in between. And, like having your very own personal stylist, many of us have always secretly yearned for a professional organizer in our lives. 

Enter Annie.

With styling, I find that people are often concerned that they'll feel judged and told what to do. It isn't until someone meets me, reads the blog or meets another client that he or she understand that my approach is to make you feel better, not worse. I'd like to offer the same comfort when choosing to work with Annie Traurig, owner of Live Simply By Annie. (Of course, her blog and website will help you feel at ease, as well.)

Annie came to organizing after her mother's long battle with MS. She found that keeping things simple and organized made the experience easier for her and her family and now applies that learning to helping others simplify their lives. We had an instant connection and I'm confident that you'll have one, too. So, I've asked Annie to share a few tips with you, Dear Reader, because, let's face it, we love that sort of thing. And, this helps you prepare for the July 19th Clothing Swap to Benefit YouthCare. Remember to get your tickets at Vixen Day Spa & Boutique or Finn's Bakery in Magnolia.

So with no further ado, I'll hand things over to Annie. Enjoy!

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The Seasonal Swap by Annie.

The summer season is officially upon us. That means that in addition to hefty doses of Molly Moon’s, now is also the perfect opportunity to implement a seasonal divide in your wardrobe. It’s the lone hero who pronounces they have more closet space than they need. Most people, probably you included, spend a good amount of time lamenting their lack of closet space.

The most effective way to remedy this dilemma is to divide your wardrobe between seasons. That way, in-season clothing can get priority placement and maximum closet space, while off-season goods—pieces that are of little or no use to you for a number of months—get tucked away carefully in lesser-accessed areas.

At any given time, the clothing currently being worn most frequently remains easiest to get to. Smart.

Another bonus of the seasonal swap: a regular, prime chance to edit your wardrobe. It’s one thing for clutter garments to just hang there for eternity without your ever having to touch them. When you’re consciously packing things away for the next season, you more easily realize how silly it is sacrifice precious storage container space on pieces you longer love.

And there’s even more editing potential in the reinstatement process; imagine yourself starting from scratch, shopping, if you will, your seasonal wardrobe. Anything you won’t realistically wear tomorrow or next week can be let go of. Why bring something back into play that you never intend to play, you know?

When it comes to packing away your off-season clothing (currently, that’d be heavy-knit sweaters, bulky coats, winter hats, et al) the golden rule is this:

Clean it before you store it.

I wish that rhymed for you, please know I do, but that’s the rule anyhow.

Cleaning prior to storage will help an item maintain its condition over time, and will deter various creatures from taking an interest in it. I’m sorry to have to tell you that moths and other insects prefer to pick on clothes that still have the lingering effects of wear like food, drink, sweat, and blood.

Those quality pieces that Mellicia skillfully helps you choose will serve you as long as she says they will—if you care for them properly (that last part is my contribution). Treat yourself and your clothing to proper garment bags or boxes. Read: dry cleaning plastic doesn’t cut it, and actually traps moisture, encouraging the growth of mold, mildew and bacteria. Layer on the love by adding lavender or cedar to keep winter items fresh to death.

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