FOURTH – Try on each item… this is most important step! Make sure it still fits well, with no pulls, tears, or unseemly tucks or threads. If it’s too tight, too bright, or just plain outdated, even if it’s in mint condition, get rid of it! Make notes of what you no longer have in your wardrobe and need to purchase. For example, if you’ve gotten rid of every old pair of chinos you had, put it on your list of new purchases. If you had one black sweater (a staple item that goes with everything) that was completely worn out, make sure you replace it. Put aside items you want to keep that need to be mended or cleaned, and make an agreement with yourself to have that done within one week of your personal closet overhaul.

FIFTH – put everything back in your closet and dresser. Renu’s rule of thumb is to hang pants, skirts, shirts, thicker sweaters and jackets. Fold very heavy items like jeans, and very delicate items like undergarments and cashmere or other loose knits, which will lose their shape if hung. Hang your clothes according to business, casual and evening wear. Within those categories, you can further hang all pants together, all shirts together, all skirts together, etc. Hang pants and skirts on clip hangers; folding them over a wire hanger will cause them to wrinkle and become prone to tearing at bend.

Don’t worry if your closet suddenly looks empty to you. You are just creating space to build type of wardrobe you’ve always dreamed of having. Now you can make knowledgeable purchases by understanding what you already have, what your comfort zones are, and what items you really need.

A bonus: feel good while you organize – donate your clothes to any of many great organizations in your area. In Philadelphia area, some organizations include:

City Team Ministries - http://www.cityteam.org/philadelphia/ Career Wardrobe - http://www.careerwardrobe.org/ Junior League of Philadelphia - http://www.juniorleaguephila.org/fund.html Philadelphia Cares - http://www.philacares.com/donate.htm

Renu Dalal-Jain, a certified image consultant and the owner of Flair Consulting in Philadelphia, PA, works with men and women to help them put their best personal face forward in social or corporate settings.

Copyright © 2004 Renu Dalal-Jain, MS, CIC Flair Consulting ~ Philadelphia, PA http://www.flairconsulting.com

Hey, it still counts as being full! You're a vessel, and you should be continually filled, but not necessarily consistently filled with same stuff. It's emptying and filling that keeps things interesting.

"A full cup must be carried steadily."--English proverb

Getting spilled is part of life. What are you doing to spill yourself...and what are you doing to get filled up again?

Spend time contemplating concept of fullness. Be mindful of opportunities to notice when you are feeling depleted or overflowing.

Concentrate on paying attention to thoughts, emotions, stories, people, places and activities that make you feel full, and practice saying, "This is full" whenever you notice it.

Good full or bad full--don't judge that. Just be mindful of that sense of fullness wherever you feel it.

Taco Bell entices people to "get full" and this is good advice. But skip "full-on value meal" and concentrate instead on your own fullness whenever you see an ad or drive by a Taco Bell.

Ask this: Am I full? What is filling me right now?

Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. Stir things up and start again. That's a recipe for full-on living.