You may have overdosed on Star Wars over the Christmas holidays but now New Year is upon us and I give you the War of the Wardrobes! The beginning of every year is a time to take stock and clear out the clutter. In my work we work on uncluttering peoples minds, schedules, lives and fast tracking them forward to what really matters.

I was therefore very interested to meet Soude Booth whose talent is uncluttering peoples’ closets or wardrobes. There is nothing more therapeutic than to start off the New Year throwing out the old so that you can make space for the new in every sense of the word. Updating your closet may inspire you to update other areas of your life and what’s even better is that with Soude’s help, you will be able to look the part too and save yourself some money into the bargain. You will find yourself making some money as she takes care of selling on what you no longer need, finding a new home for your pre-owned articles of clothing and accessories. I decided to interview Soude to find out a little more about the process of closet clearing and her new business ClosetconfidentialMc.

JC) What inspired you to set up CCMC?

SB) After I decided to stop designing resort wear in September 2016 I was offered fashion consultancy for an online fashion company based in Monaco. I decided to review my closet, my main focus was to de-clutter and make space and also to save time every morning going to work, to prepare outfits for the week… that made it easier to manage time to get to work and also walking my dog each morning.

I enjoyed going through my closet and getting rid of things that I thought had no purpose for me and also creating new looks from my existing pieces…the whole experience was very liberating; so much so I thought I can make this into a business and that’s how ClosetConfidentialMC was born..

JC) What services do you provide?

SB) The first initial meeting with the client and the closet is a one hour free consultation, then depending on the size of the closet and the life style of the client I offer from two hours up to six hours of organizing the closet(s) if pieces need to be altered or donated. I may suggest selling the items that I think can be sold as well as creating new looks from the existing pieces in the closet. More often than not the client doesn’t need to purchase a whole new wardrobe to get a new look or to feel ten times better, they just need someone with an objective eye to point out what’s working and what is not in their wardrobe. I also offer personal shopping with or without the client and getting the client ready for special events, job interviews as well as weddings and finally I can help them pack for their holidays.

JC) If you are shopping with the client, will you go to one store or many?

SB) Depending on what we are aiming to get…normally it is good to go to the one department store if we are limited for time, otherwise is nice to explore high end boutiques to get unique pieces even in different cities.

JC) Why do I need to hire a closet stylist?

SB) The problem with many closets is that they are aimless, without a goal or an overall vision behind them; eventually they become storage units instead of a gallery of options. My job is to make sure that only the right pieces that work well for you and your lifestyle will make it into your closet.

JC) How often do I need to rethink my closet?

SB) I highly recommend every three months, again depending on the size of the closet and the client’s life style.

JC) How can ClosetConfidentialMc help me save money?

SB) As I mentioned above, a client doesn’t always need to purchase a whole new wardrobe, someone with an objective eye and fresh ideas can help the client save money. Also having your pieces altered can make the piece look like a new piece. Finally a stylist normally has a good idea of where to go shopping with the clients to get bargains. By rethinking your closet with a stylist every three months, you will not be tempted to rush out and refill your closet after the initial clear out as you know you have to be accountable to the stylist in three months time. This is a great way to restrict useless spending, save money and ensure your closet remains nice and uncluttered.

JC) What is your styling philosophy?

SB) I like to style because I genuinely believe that clothing gives people power. Men or women should be able to succeed in life and their clothing is one of many tools to get them there. This is something I learned working for Mr Ralph Lauren in New York and one that I am happy to pass on to my clients.

If you would like to receive life coaching, business training or language tutoring from Judy, you can contact her on: judy.churchill@orange.fr, via Facebook messenger and www.judychurchill.com

If you would like to talk to Soude about clearing and updating your closet, Soude can be contacted on: Soude.closetconfidential@gmail.com