After a month of holiday-related gluttony, I feel the urge to pare down. If you know my mother, you’re aware I am genetically predisposed to this way of thinking. The idea of starting fresh in the New Year isn’t a new one, but my take on it is a little different this year.

Lately, I’ve been telling myself to let go of the things that don’t make me happy, and removing house clutter is a simple way to start. My strategy is to keep only the items I love or need. 

This method was inspired by the recent reorganization of my wardrobe. I separated my clothes into three categories: things I love, things I tolerate and items I can’t stand. By wearing only the pieces I love, I’ve had fewer options to choose from, but like the outfits I’m putting together a lot better. (Yes, I’m wearing outfits again. Not just a top meets a pair of dress pants. It’s a very nice change.) Due to the success of this little experiment, I’ll be ridding myself of quite a few clothes this week….along with a number of other things (i.e. random book, dishes and tablecloths).

With a new year right around the corner, I wanted to start 2011 with a clean, more beautiful slate and am hoping this will do the trick. I’m starting with the hall closets and working my way through most of the rooms in the house.

Here are the before and after shots of my hall closet makeover. They’re not the most glamorous spaces, but whenever I open the doors and can easily reach items I need, I experience a little delight. If you see them in person, please feel free to “ooh” and “aah” over them or comment on my clever usage of a label maker.

Before:

After: