Mary Jordan is the first to acknowlege she has lived life to its fullest.
“As a female boomer, I’ve had it all,” she wrote when entering The Denver Post’s makeover contest. “Education, career, marriage, children, divorce, my own business, remarriage, success.”
But along the way, she picked up some excess baggage. “Every moment crammed and overflowing, I’ve hoarded every piece of professional information I might need some day – taking the same approach with my wardrobe and accessories.”
The photograph she sent underscored her message: It showed her sitting on the floor amid a jumble of clothes, shoes and accessories that spilled out of the closet in her Morrison home. She was smiling, but clearly in need of professional help.
Add to that a couple of major milestones she has already passed this year. She celebrated her 60th birthday Feb. 20 and a month later, retired from the association for which she served as executive director for 22 years.
Retirement meant she could lose some of her business wardrobe and wear the jeans, jewelry and Southwestern- influenced clothes she had been collecting through the years. “My year for dramatic change and transformation,” is how she defined 2006, and we decided to help her out with a wardrobe consultation and organization. Debra Lindquist, an image consultant, would assist Jordan in paring down the contents of her closet, decide what she needs in her new life and suggest sample outfits using items she already owned.
And to make the most of the space, the Container Store stepped in to reorganize the closet with its Elfa modular shelving and basket storage system, and other products.
Dressing for the next chapter
The first step was for Lindquist to interview Jordan about her needs and have her do an initial weeding of clothes and accessories.
Next, Lindquist visited Jordan at her Morrison home and they spent more than two hours going through the closet and deciding what to keep, what to discard and how to use favorite items in new ways, accessories included.
“The days when business suits were needed have vanished,” Lindquist says. “She plans to enjoy her casual mountain lifestyle and is looking forward to traveling.”
Jordan likes artsy jackets, Southwestern-inspired clothes and beaded jewelry, so Lindquist wanted to maximize her use of those elements in the new retiree’s wardrobe.
The consultant made more than a dozen outfits from pieces Jordan had in her closet. “Many people have some of the pieces, but are missing parts that really make an outfit sizzle,” she says. Belts, shoes, scarves and jewelry are the finishing touches that add polish and snap, she says.
Lindquist’s three hours of consulting with Jordan totaled about $350.
Remodeling the closet
Space planners from the Container Store don’t typically make house calls because they can assist customers in the store and send them home with the shelving and materials they need to do a project themselves. But for this closet makeover, they wanted to be hands-on, so organization specialists Judy Hake and Patty Zarlengo Strouse met Jordan at her home just a stone’s throw from Red Rocks one morning in March to assess her closet and needs. They took measurements of the space and made notes on how many garments Jordan kept on hangers and stored folded on shelves. They counted the pairs of shoes and boots she had lined up on the floor so they’d know how many plastic boxes she would need for storing them on shelves. Handbags, belts, and jewelry items were also inventoried.
“By doubling her hanging space, we can maximize the space and give her drawers to put a lot of the sweaters and jeans in,” Hake says. And shoes could come off of the floor and be stored in boxes on shelves above the hanging racks.
While most homeowners can easily install the shelving, rod and drawer system, the Container Store will arrange installation for an additional fee (about 30 percent of the retail cost of the equipment), which is what they did for Jordan’s closet.
Hake also came back to help Jordan customize her space and find a spot for everything from her workout wear to accessories. Completer products such as a 32-compartment drawer organizer that can hold her many jewelry items was a welcome addition.
The store also supplied Jordan with dozens of wooden hangers for her tops, jackets and skirts. The tab for their products was $1,155.
“I’ve spent the past few years clearing out my mental clutter, and now I’m clearing the physical clutter,” says Jordan. The success she had with the closet project has spurred her to tackle other projects around her house. She says she’s never felt more in control, and is looking forward to traveling, writing and working on volunteer efforts like retreats for caregivers.
At long last, she says, “I’m pursuing my personal journey and passions.”
Staff writer Suzanne S. Brown can be reached at 303-820-1697 or sbrown@denverpost.com.
Wardrobe organizing advice
Image consultant Debra Lindquist said her mission for Mary Jordan was to “rework, reinvent and rejuvenate” her wardrobe. Here are some of her suggestions for analyzing your clothing and putting it to use:
Wear colors that repeat and accent personal coloring. For dark-haired women, that means a range of browns and black. For those with light-colored hair and fair skin, that means clothing in shades of beige, sand or other light neutrals. Pull out a group of clothes in those colors and hang them on a rack. Use them as a base for creating outfits, and they will bring harmony to your overall look.
Create a column of color by using matching or blending wardrobe pieces in fabrics that are compatible. A top plus pants or skirt will form the column.
Assess your jackets. Do they match a skirt or pants? Do you like the way they fit? Are they formal or informal? Do they match the column of color, or blend with the column?
Which shoes and accessories complete the look? Make sure there is harmony between all parts of the outfit.
Photograph outfits that you like so you’ll have a visual reference later when you need an idea of what to wear.
Be creative in putting outfits together. Add jewelry and shoes to basic wardrobe pieces to make ensembles that you haven’t tried before.
Consider changing something about a garment to update it. For example, new buttons could make a blouse or jacket look fresh.
Eliminate items that are outdated, no longer needed, unflattering or just taking up space.
Organize clothes by color in your closet.
Tips from the Container Store
After weeding out items from your closet, analyze how much space in your closet you need for hanging garments, as well as for shelf space and storing items flat, as in drawers.
Use a tool like the Elfa planning guide by visiting a Container Store or go online at
containerstore.com, to measure your space and decide what kind of room you need for: long hanging items (coats, dresses), short hanging (jackets, tops); drawers for everything from jeans and T-shirts to lingerie, socks and accessories; shoe racks; and accessories, including belts, ties, purses and hats.
Visit the store, phone or go online to have a consultant help create a free customized plan for your closet, specifying what shelves, closet rods, drawers, space dividers and other hardware you’ll need. Decide what completion products you’ll need, including shoe boxes, hangers and such specialty items as belt and scarf hangers.
Remove out-of-season items such as boots, coats and winter jackets. Cotton and clear vinyl garment bags and underbed boxes will keep the items clean and out of the way.
Take everything out of the closet and remove all shelving and hardware. Repaint, if necessary, before installing new shelving and rods.
Replace clothing and accessories based on the plan you worked out.
– Suzanne S. Brown
