There are two types of people in this world. Individuals who maintain a closet that is a mess at all times, with multiple pieces of clothing layered on the same hanger, shirts lining the floor, shoes heaped in a pile and no sense of organization, whatsoever. Then there are those rare creatures who keep their clothing pristinely hung on matching hangers and organized by silhouette, all of which is facing one direction. I am (regretfully) the former of such human beings.
That is, until Sunday afternoon, when my closet was redone by Fitz, an in-home wardrobe organizing service. I wouldn’t call what they did a facelift, as they didn’t install any shelving or storage offerings during my three hour appointment (save for a few boxes of matching hangers). It was more of a Botox treatment, something that noticeably improved what was already in place. Plus, it was a relatively painless process for me, and it only cost $300.
After I filled out a brief survey on what I was looking for and the brands that I wear most often, a stylist and her assistant rolled up to my apartment, equipped with a portable clothing rack and got to work dissecting my closet. The duo, who are part of Fitz’s highly-vetted team of stylists with backgrounds in media, retail and fashion houses, painstakingly removed every single piece of clothing from my wardrobe and asked me if I wanted to keep it or get rid of it. The items that I decided to discard were split into two piles: One would be donated through Give Back Box and the rest would be sent to Linda’s Stuff, an eBay consignment destination. Both are partners of Fitz; the company also works with Leather Spa on shoe repairs.
There was no judgement from my stylist when I decided to hold onto a flannel button down shirt, because it was “sentimental” to me, or when she came across a stained dress that needed to be dry cleaned. She did ask me why I wanted to give away an unworn bright orange silk blouse, that still had the tags attached (it was because the color was just too bold). I also had a few specific activities I wanted my stylist to tackle, like going through my obscenely large collection of shoes and helping with the organization of my scarves.
By the time that was done, I still had an hour left with my organizing duo, so they were able to arrange my drawers of t-shirts, jeans and sweaters—all of which are now perfectly folded, but in a way that leaves each piece visible and easily accessible.
Fitz is the brainchild of Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, the co-founder of Gilt and GlamSquad, and J. Michael Cline, the founder of Fandango.
“In my time at Gilt, I learned so much about impulse shopping behavior that is often based on making purchase decisions based on price, rather than on what is needed or what actually looks good. At GlamSquad, I learned about scaling a talented, creative freelance workforce to deliver reliable, excellent quality services to consumers in their homes,” Wilkis Wilson explained, pointing out how her previous jobs prepared her for this one.
Once my appointment was through, I was left with a pristine closet that was perfectly Instagrammable. During my appointment, my stylist transferred all of my clothing onto matching velvet hangers, to save space and add a touch of charm to the closet. She also offered some suggestions for shoe storage; a day later I received an email with direct links to her suggestions, along with a few other space saving organizational tools. One of the best parts about Fitz is that the initial appointment is just a starting point. Customers who would like help with styling their existing clothing can take advantage of that and follow up appointments can be easily booked.
“We also offer specific two hour appointments, including in-home styling visits to help clients build outfits for any occasion, packing appointments for professional or personal travel, or sessions to switch out seasonal wardrobes,” Wilkis Wilson told the Observer. She explained that spring cleaning appointments are now being booked frequently with Fitz, with clients requesting help with closet transitions and styling tips for the warmer seasons to come.
Aside from just providing a neater living space, Fitz’s organizational practices will help getting dressed in the morning much easier. After all, a messy closet is not worth losing sleep over.
