When left up to our own devices, most of our closets become overstuffed, chaotic jumbles—and if your closet is immaculate, I tip my hat to you! But for the rest of us, we could likely use a little help from a professional. And just in case hiring an organizer isn’t quite in your budget, we figured we’d share some sage advice from our favorite celebrity closet organizer and owner of Clutter Healing, Lili Pettit. We asked Pettit for the first thing she does to help organize a closet (a.k.a. the first major closet mistake she often corrects for her clients).
Scroll down to see her unexpected response—we bet it just might inspire your next closet cleanout!
The first problem Pettit tackles? Getting rid of duplicates.
“I know it’s important to have a great white T-shirt, but I see people keeping 20 white shirts, and then saying, ‘I can’t get organized,' and 'It’s so hard for me to get dressed.’ I think having a lot of the same kinds of things makes it hard for people to stay organized because they feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff they have in their closet.” –Lili Pettit, Clutter Healing
How she does it:
“I like to ask people, 'If you were to go shopping today, would you buy this T-shirt off of the sales floor?' Most likely the answer is no.” –Lili Pettit, Clutter Healing
The Perfect T-Shirt
Madewell Slub V-Neck Pocket Tee ($20)
Cropped Jeans
Acne Studios Pop Jeans ($270)
Ankle Boots
Topshop Marr Pointed Mid-Heel Ankle Boots ($140)
Trench Coat
Zara Trench Coat ($169)
Black Blazer
T By Alexander Wang Cady Blazer ($170)
Classic Bag
Everlane The Petra Crossbody Bag ($365)
Button-Down Shirt
Equipment Margaux Striped Cotton Shirt ($190)
Leather Jacket
Rider Leather Jacket ($630)
Menswear-Inspired Watch
Nixon ($175)
Suede Pumps
J.Crew Elsie Suede Pumps ($245)
Little Black Dress
Byron Lars Carissima Sheath Dress ($258)
Pencil Skirt
A.L.C Delia Lace Overlay Striped Pencil Skirt ($725)
Next up, check out 11 Oraganization Ideas From Pinterest.
-
Don't Make Me Say I Told You So—42 Zara Studio F/W 25 Items That'll Be Sold Out by Next WeekYou've had fair warning.
-
If You Want Your Clothes Mistaken for Designer, Try These 7 Zara OutfitsExpensive-looking styles ahead.
-
30 Things I'm Buying From Zara to Dress Like Ayo Edebiri This FallShe's my style inspiration.
-
Live From Madrid: 31 Zara and Mango Finds That I Guarantee Will Soon Sell Out StatesideStraight from the motherland.
-
Nothing Humbles Your Closet More Than the Zara New Arrivals Section—25 Pieces to Instantly Elevate Your Fall OutfitsDid I mention they're modeled by Alexa Chung?
-
Hello, 5-Star Wardrobe: Meet 30 Stylish New Zara ItemsFrom stunning jackets to cool knits.
-
I Love the Sweaters at J.Crew, COS, and Zara RN—40 Worth Adding to Your CartThese will elevate your fall outfits.
-
I Officially Have a Zordy Closet—31 Zara and Nordstrom Standouts That I'm Living In Straight Through FallPlus, chic fall 2025 outfit ideas that I plan on re-creating ASAP.
