I Just Overhauled My Entire Closet—5 Key Items I Added and 5 I Donated

There comes a point in every New Yorker's life that they have to move out of the first apartment they lived in. For some, it's a nostalgic, heartstring-pulling experience. For others, the breath of new change and opportunity is exciting. For neat freaks like myself, it's chaos. 

Now that I'm leveling up my apartment and moving into something that doesn't resemble a ballet-slipper shoebox with my partner, my wardrobe is taking a hit. No longer is my closet all my own, and now that I'm sharing it, it's the perfect opportunity to downsize. 

While some friends take a smarter approach to organizing, like selling or donating items every four months, I haven't touched my closet in over two years. Naturally, the ordeal of packing up all of my clothing as a bona fide fashion editor was terrifying, but with a lot of thoughtful thinking and elbow grease, I reduced the 194 items in my closet to just under 80, including the new investment pieces I bought that I know will last me the next 10 years. How did I do it? With the help of Marie Kondo and Spotify's Christmas Jazz playlist. 

Below are the items I kept and donated to friends, family, and local organizations while completely overhauling my closet. 

Buy It: Wool CoatsDonate It: Ultra-Cropped Puffer Jackets

You can never go wrong with a wool coat. Although I'm a self-professed puffer extraordinaire, I've cut my collection in half—especially the brightly colored ones I can only wear with a few pieces of clothing—in lieu of longer wool coats in neutral hues that elevate my wardrobe as a young professional. 

Buy It: Cashmere SweatersDonate It: Synthetic-Material Sweaters

Now that I have less closet space to work with, I've been thinking about the function and material of my clothing more than ever. I want to make sure everything in my wardrobe is fully being used and is of the best quality, meaning the materials have to be top-notch. Now that winter is settling in, I've traded my itchy synthetic-fiber sweaters for cashmere cardigans and knitwear that'll keep me warmer for longer. Plus, they're even softer than I thought. 

Buy It: Genuine Leather BootsDonate It: Faux Fur– or Feather-Adorned Footwear

I'll admit I'm a sucker for trends. Statement shoes are my Achilles heel, but in all honesty, they're not extremely practical. Every time I fall in love with a neon-hued, feathered footwear option, I end up getting buyer's remorse a few weeks later. Instead of spending precious space on shoes I only wear once or twice, I've swapped out my head-turning heels for riding boots—a fall staple. Most of the riding boots I've owned in the past were faux leather and fell apart after a year or two, so investing in high-quality riding boots is one of the smarter choices I've made this year. Buy it once and never again.

Buy It: High-Quality Button-Down ShirtsDonate It: Silk Tops

As much as I love the silk tops in my closet, I have far more than the average person needs. Rather than keep more than I need, I'd rather swap out my tops for basic, timeless button-downs that will grow with my evolving style. Case in point, these crisp, slightly oversize shirts. If you want to be sustainable, I've found a ton at the thrift market. (Also, stealing your partner's shirts works wonders!)

Buy It: Well-Fitting DenimDonate It: Oversize, Baggy Pants

As a plus-size fashion editor, I've written about my dysfunctional love-hate relationship with denim. Over the years, I've collected tons of ill-fitting jeans that don't cater to me or my body type. They're either too small or too large. After totally cleaning out my closet, I've only kept the pairs I loved and, as a result, made room for denim that works at my size. 

Next, I Let a Stylist Overhaul My Closet—Here Are 10 Mistakes I'll Never Make Again