If you’ve read my previous posts, you know I got my colors done with House of Colour — a little road trip north to St. Petersburg with my mom and sister, and a weekend that turned out to be more eye-opening than I expected. And you know I’m part of the Winter color season.

We left that appointment buzzing, not just from caffeine, but from how clearly we could see the difference the right colors made on each of us. On the drive home, we couldn’t stop talking about it. Our faces, our skin tone, our eyes. Everything looked better in the right shades.

By the time we pulled into the driveway, we already had a plan: Operation Closet Clean-Out.

As a refresher, the Winter color season is described as cool, clear, and saturated colors, with a high contrast between light and dark. It includes bold and bright colors like icy lights to very dark shades, with black and white being prominent neutrals.   

My Ruthless Closet Edit

I didn’t even take my shoes off. I headed straight to my closet and got to work.

Priority #1: remove every single item that wasn’t in my Winter color season palette.

And I mean everything. That dusty rose dress I always thought was flattering? Gone. The olive green sweater I wore every fall? Also gone. It seemed that everything I previously chose to wear, was the wrong color.

Exhibit 1: Family photo (yes, I chose these outfits)

Exhibit 2: Another photo of Dave and I in Italy.

Even if something had been a longtime favorite, if it didn’t flatter me in the way my color fan said it should, it didn’t make the cut.

That might sound extreme, but I meant it when I said: I’m not willingly looking dull again just because of the colors I’m wearing.

Why The Winter Color Season Is Easier Than You Think

The good news? I had a decent base to start from. Winters get to keep pure white, black, and cool neutrals like gray — which meant my usual rotation of black tees and white tanks actually fit my color season. I didn’t have to start from scratch, which felt like a small miracle. The Winter color season also had some of my favorite colors!

(Confession: I did hang on to my ripped jean shorts. I know they’re not the height of elegance, but let’s be honest — some things are non-negotiable.)

How I Did It: Step-by-Step Closet Edit

If you’re ready to do your own closet edit after a personal color analysis, here’s how I tackled mine:

Step 1: Take Everything Out

Yep, everything. Lay it all out where you can see it.

What you’ll need:

• A full-length mirror
• 4 boxes or bags labeled: Keep, Maybe, Donate, Sell

Step 2: Sort & Try On

Ask yourself:

• Is this in my color season? (Use natural light and your fan deck)
• Does this reflect the style of who I’m becoming?

📌 Keep: Color AND style match

📌 Maybe: Out of season, sentimental, or unsure?

📌 Donate/Sell: Wrong season, wrong fit, wrong vibe

Step 3: Edit Accessories

Remember your jewelry tone! As a Winter color season palette, I stick to silver and avoid gold or rose gold. Scarves, bags, belts – same rule: color season first.

Step 4: Re-hang & Re-organize

Put everything back in by category, then by color (light to dark). I swear this makes getting dressed easier — and yes, matching hangers do make it feel more polished.

Step 5: Curate a Shopping List

Once your closet is edited, you’ll see what’s missing. A few staples, a hero piece or two, and colors that build a cohesive capsule wardrobe. Full transparency here, I’m still working on this. I find I gravitate to the same 4 or 5 colors out of my 15+ winter season color palette!

📌 Pro tip: Just because it’s in your season doesn’t mean you need to buy it. Not every winter color belongs in your cart.

Step 6: Re-home What Doesn’t Work

Keep sentimental pieces if you must, but don’t let them crowd your closet. Sell or gift anything valuable. (My sister lucked out — she’s an Autumn, and now has half my old wardrobe. No hard feelings… mostly.)

What’s Next: Building a Color-Smart Wardrobe

Even though my closet had a solid neutral base, I didn’t own many colorful pieces that actually worked for my Winter color season. I needed a little more vibrancy — especially with a trip to Bali coming up in a couple months.

Of course, I had dreams of redoing my entire wardrobe in one glorious shopping day, but reality (and my budget) said: nice try.

So I started slowly building a color-smart wardrobe. My upcoming Bali trip became the perfect test run — the first time I’d ever pack with a color strategy in mind.

Coming Soon: Color Smart Packing

That’s what I’m calling this next phase — and possibly a digital product I’m dreaming up. Think: a printable packing sheet with curated Winter palette combos, outfit formulas, and shopping suggestions. Because vacation prep should feel exciting, not overwhelming. And packing in your right colors? Game-changer.

Stay tuned — I’ll be sharing my full Bali packing list, plus what worked, what didn’t, and how it felt to travel with only clothes that actually looked good on me.