First things first, I need to introduce myself! My name is Jen and I run a boutique called The Parlor in KC. We recently relocated to the Zona Rosa shopping center, and have been resetting our entire store for the new space. I've always had an eye for making something visually appealing. I would like to say that there is a rhyme or reason to it, a specific formula, but there really isn't. My brain has all these ideas just bopping around in there and sometimes I don't know what is going to come out. Sometimes it's great, other times we go back to the drawing board!
The most difficult thing about owning a very visually based boutique is having to entrust others to capture the vibe. Each person that helps me has a completely different eye. The thing the makes The Parlor unique is that each display is a direct reflection of an individual's style. One person may be more monochromatic, while another loves mixing prints. This is what makes fashion so fun and entertaining.
There are certain things we try to consistently do in the boutique to keep organized that can directly translate into your closet. Here are a few ideas for you to try if you want a closet revamp.

Number 1- Separate by Color, or some form of it.
In the boutique we try to separate things to make them more shoppable. This also makes things easier when I need to buy new stock. I can readily see if we need more white tees, or more denim bottoms. You can also expand on this to divide by pattern or season.
In my personal closet, which is still a work in progress, I am opting for multiple categories. I keep all of my long dresses together (so many maxis). Then I go from light to dark ROY G. BIV. In case you weren't paying attention in art class, that is the rainbow of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. This creates a nice flow, while also letting you see what you have in one swoop. I am really enjoying how it's turning out because it makes it easier for me to see, but it still has the boutique vibe.
Number 2- Hang everything you can!
This may not always be the case, but my folded things go everywhere. I don't even know how many piles I have created for myself by trying to keep up with folding. A few weeks ago I times how long it would take for my staff to fold all of the shirts in the store that were folded into cubbies. It started out as a fun speed test while we were bored, but it got us thinking. How much time are we spending board folding every day? Plus it's more difficult to see for the customer. Then we spent the afternoon hanging every top in the store. The awesome thing was that our tshirt sales went up, because they always look organized and can be seen.
I also like hanging skirts to keep them looking fresh, and any pants that aren't denim, just so I don't have to steam them to wear them.
Number 3- Have a staging area.
Back when we were young, we had a really long closet in an apartment that we lived in. It was just one long bar with a shelf down one side, but I was in heaven! I had a job at Charming Charlie (hence where my color obsession comes from). We had to wear all black every day with tons of accessories. I found it so overwhelming getting ready every day. I was pregnent and would get overwhelmed by pretty much everything! So my amazing husband built me a "staging area" to make things less stressful. It was just a long board with 5 hooks on it, one for every work day. I would plan out my outfits early and it made me not dig through my closet every morning. Just a thought!
Number 4- Accessories in rotating baskets.
This one has been a life saver at the boutique. Keeping like items with like items makes it easier to search through. I like the little fabric bins that you can label. At The Parlor we like to do the same thing with vintage bowls to separate everything. We have SO MANY ACCESSORIES so this makes it simple to shift things around as needed.
I like to be pretty broad in my closet with this and do cold weather accessories all together and so on. The bins keep things contained, but you don't neccessarily have to keep things tidy in them. My ADHD brain loves sorting this way, and you can rotate them out to save space as needed.
Number 5- Jewelry by color.
With my background, it's no suprise that I sort my jewelry by color. I am also bad about keeping it organized. I tend to pull all of it off in a pile on my kitchen counter, but I have been getting better at keeping it all in line. I have a hanging jewelry organizer with a lock on it that I love. I hang all of my dangling earrings in there, along with necklaces. My studs and smaller pieces go into flexible bins in a drawer. I have to dig a little for them, but I can't say that I sort my studs lol.

I hope this post will inspire you a little bit. The team at The Parlor works hard to keep things fresh, and part of that is making sure that we are using our time wisely (sometimes), and that we are always working smarter to make everyday tasks more efficiant. The initial closet revamp takes time. Purging is always hard, and then you're exhausted after. This is the fun part after the purge. Getting yourself a wardrobe that you love, that is easy to maintain and that you enjoy looking at.
My next post is going to be a hard one for me. We recently decided to make our basement into a master. It started out as us having to tear it apart due to water damage, then me talking him into letting me turn it into a bedroom with a full room as a closet. It has been a long process, but it's really coming together! We live in a 1940s saltbox house, so every inch of space has been reworked multiple times in the 10 years we've lived here. So excited to share our new space, and that you took your own time to read this. I hope you have fun with your closet!!!
XOXO- Jen
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