Courtesy of Ryan Torris

CLEANING OUT YOUR WARDROBE

Organizing your wardrobe can be fun when you find pieces you haven’t seen in a while and decide to incorporate them back into your regular rotation. However, some of those long-lost pieces were lost for a reason and are taking up unnecessary space and should really be donated. There are a few tricks you can try as you cycle through your wardrobe if devoting an extended period of time to go through your wardrobe isn’t realistic. The most popular method is to turn all your hangers backwards so the open part of the hanger is facing you. Then, as you wear and return your clothes back to the closet, put the hanger on the other way. After a few months, you will be able to visually spot the pieces you don’t wear frequently and can easily pull them from your closet. For items that aren’t hung in the closet, you can try designating a “worn” and “unworn” side of your drawers. As you wear things, move them from one side to the other and as time passes, you’ll be able to see what you keep bypassing. If space in your drawers is limited, put a piece of low-tack tape (painter’s tape or washi tape) on everything, as you wear and replace pieces in the drawer remove the tape. Again, over time you’ll see what is taking up space and what you regularly wear. Finally, organizers suggest for every new item you bring into your wardrobe, remove a piece that no longer suits you. Going through your wardrobe can be done at any point throughout the year, but is often more effective at the end of a season like when summer transitions into fall.

PAINT FINISHES EXPLAINED Walking down the paint aisle can be confusing when you look at not only all the colour choices, but the paint finishes too. Finding the paint you need will depend on where you’re painting, how many coats you want to apply and how durable you need the paint to be. Take a look at these popular finishes to help you find your perfect paint. • Flat or Matte - Non-reflective with a low sheen. Easy to touch up and hides minor wall imperfections but shows scuffs and wear and tear. Great in no or low-traffic areas like ceilings. • Eggshell - One of the most popular paint finishes with a low sheen. Washable and resistant to scuffing but more difficult to touch up. Use in low- to mid-traffic areas like living rooms, hallways, entrances, etc. • Satin - Most versatile paint finish with a soft sheen. Easy to clean and durable. Use in busy areas like bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, etc. • Semigloss - Durable and shiny, will show most imperfections, but easy to clean and works well in high humidity rooms like bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms. • High Gloss - Very reflective, durable and stain resistant. This finish is great for doors, cabinets, trim and other smaller surfaces.