1. If you haven’t worn it in the last year or absolutely do not love it; send it on its way.
This wardrobe consultant’s rule of thumb supports Fashion Feng Shui’s basic premise of dressing in the NOW. If you have not worn something for more than a year, you intuitively recognize that it is no longer aligned with you and your intentions. To hasten its departure from your life, walk from closet to closet and make a mental note of any excess clothing that you would like to clear and what you could do with it. Designate garments for hand-me-down, thrift shop or trash.

2. Never keep anything for just in case
Abundance thinking belongs in your closet, too. To avoid overwhelm, clear unworn or excess clothes in small segments. Do more if the Spirit moves you. Affirm that it is safe to let go. Trust the process of life to bring you what you need.

3. When new comes in, old goes out.
Exchange old clothes for new ones to avoid belongings buildup. The more clothes you have, the more your energy is tied up in mundane matters. Release what no longer serves you. Keep the Ch’i flowing by turning over your clothes on a regular basis. In Fashion Feng Shui, investment dressing means investing in something you absolutely love and will wear over and over again not something basic that you will have in my closet for ever and ever.

4. Avoid autobiographical wardrobe syndrome.
Many wardrobes look like conglomerates of their owners¡ past lives. Seventies¡ leisure suits hang side-by-side Eighties¡ power suits. Hippie frocks abut designer duds. Skirt lengths, lapel shapes and style lines run the gamut of fashion history. Clothing that aligns with who you were need no longer be in your closet, or your life. These garments anchor you to your past because of the energy of the memories and associations attached them. Keep your wardrobe in the NOW. Present tense clothes, ones that your honor intentions, essence, and physique, as they are today, are the only clothes that belong in your closet.

5. Discard expired garments.
Clean out your closet the same way you do your refrigerator, by checking for expiration dates. Clothes expire just like food does! Clothes lose their Chi when they are worn-out, ill-fitting or irrelevant to you, your lifestyle and goals. If it does not fit you, flatter you, fulfill you, function for your current way of life or fortify you to realize your dreams it’s time to donate it to someone whose life is more aligned with its energies. Discard any garments that have outlived their usefulness. From a Fashion Feng Shui perspective, stale clothes create stale lives.

6. Just say NO, thank you.
Return or exchange undesirable or unwearable gifts of clothing or accessories. If you do not love them and wear them, you are not fully honoring the giver. Better to fess up and ask for the receipt. Explain your intention to replace it with something more befitting to your taste, physique, or age, etc. Similarly, say No, thank you to well meaning souls, who are cleaning out their own wardrobes. Prevent your closet from becoming a catch-basin for their cast-offs by accepting only hand-me-downs that mirror your personal energies and communicate your intentions.

7. When you think you can’t afford NOT to buy something, DON’T!
If more people had this attitude about shopping, they could trim hundreds of dollars a year off their clothing budgets. Price should be the least deciding factor of your purchase. Color, styling, fit and functionality count more. Is your closet full of unworn bargains? If so, say good-bye to good buys that don’t align with your personal clothing criteria.

8. Don’t buy to buy.
Shopping has become a recreational sport. If filling your closets is your favorite pastime, ask yourself, how many clothes do I really need. Do you buy because you are lured by off-prices, peer pressure or just plain boredom? A well thought out wardrobe plan can save you hours of mall-hopping and keep your savings account intact. Investing in focused, quality goods will attract focused, quality energy into your life.

9. Change of mind, body or spirit calls for change of clothes.
Change is good! It indicates that Chi is circulating. As the circumstances of your life evolve, so should your personal style. Allow your appearance to go with the flow, by keeping your closet current with the times. Stay abreast of, but do not allow yourself to be dictated to by, seasonal fashion trends. Adapt them to YOUR personal style requirements to steer clear of fashion victim status.