Carson Kressley's break-out television moment came when he took his discerning queer eye into a straight guy's closet and began heaving frumpy sweatshirts, sports-themed T-shirts and other regrettable clothing choices out a bedroom window.

Was that for real or just some good television dreamed up by the producers of Bravo's "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"? "Honey, it was real," says Kressley, who adds that many of the closets he raided during four seasons as the show's resident stylist were deserving of such wardrobe histrionics. "But I don't recommend doing it at home. When I do it, I have a whole production crew on the lawn waiting with barrels. It's too much mess to do yourself."

Straight from New York's Fashion Week, where Kressley is making the rounds of couture shows in fur-lined Prada boots, the style insider gives some tips for cleaning up your closet. He offers the advice in his new role as a spokesman for All detergent, whose recent marketing survey found the average woman hangs onto her favorite clothing item for 12 years. "That's longer than the average relationship, which is, like, 11 years."

That devotion is a little hard for Kressley to fathom. "I'm all for replacing your entire wardrobe every season," says Kressley, a self-described "fashion week slut," who has spent this week running between shows at Carolina Herrera, LaCoste, John Varvatos, Zegna and Heatherette.

Still, he agrees, most of us can't and won't part with our wardrobe every time there's a hot runway show.

Kressley's tips for making your own closet neater and keeping your favorite outfits fresher:

* No wire hangers. Kressley is fond of channeling Joan Crawford's infamous "Mommy Dearest" hanger tirade on "Queer Eye." When he lectures his makeover candidates on the pitfalls of wire hangers, he's not being dramatic. "Wire hangers literally drag the shape out of clothes. If you can afford wood hangers, they are absolutely the best." Plastic ones are OK. If your budget is really tight, wire hangers from the cleaners, "with a tad of padding or foam," are superior to unprotected wire. Satin padded "Mommy Dearest" hangers are another good option, "but you need room for those. I live in New York and we don't have room in our closets for such luxuries."

* Store seasonal items in canvas or linen boxes. These materials are preferable to plastic containers, which "harbor moisture, and moisture is not a friend to your clothes. Moisture can break down the fibers in fabric and cause mold." Can't splurge on canvas and linen? "I prefer cardboard to plastic." Want to keep things smelling fresh? "Tuck in some cedar or lavender. I love doing both."

* Where you stash is almost as important as how you stash. Kressley's favorite spot for out-of-season items is in a linen sweater box tucked under the bed. "Don't ever put things in the basement," says Kressley, who warns you leave your wardrobe vulnerable to mold if you do. "I prefer the attic to the basement."

* Some "dry clean only" items can be safely hand washed. "I find this is especially true with good sweaters, like my cashmere cable ones." He notes that many "dry clean" items are labeled by manufacturers as a cautionary note rather than a necessity. "Understandably, they want to prevent damage. But in some cases, the chemicals from dry cleaning can do more harm than good. They can sap the moisture out of a fine fiber like cashmere." He finds a capful of detergent tossed in the sink with a sweater, gently hand-washing and drying flat, works better than dry cleaning. "The exception to this rule is your suiting. That needs the cleaners to be fresh."

* The old rule - "If you haven't worn it in a year, toss it or give it away" - is a good one, says Kressley. "Give it to charity or be enviro chic - which is a trend I love - and recycle it."

*Women must toss: "Anything 'Dynasty' and white sneakers that are being worn anywhere but to the gym." The exception? Retro chic sneakers such as vintage Converse high tops. "Those are cute. Otherwise, white athletic sneakers are awful."

* Men must toss: "Team jerseys. I mean you are not Peyton Manning unless you are Peyton Manning. Stop pretending you just won the Super Bowl. It's a very childish wardrobe choice." Also: Toss all cheesy slogan T-shirts. Read Kressley's sneaker rules for women and apply them here.

* Have a stylish friend help you edit. "You do need an objective eye." Since Bravo recently canceled "Queer Eye," you won't be able to tune into Kressley.

* Sort according to item (skirts, pants, etc.), then sort according to color. "I find it helpful to have all my pinks together. I think it's easier to choose an outfit when things are sorted well."

* Get rid of things that don't fit. "This definitely applies to me right now as I am sporting a little winter weight."

* Build your closet around classic staples. Kressley, who once worked as a menswear designer for Ralph Lauren and now designs his signature Perfect line for the QVC shopping network, is a fan of preppy items such as flat-front corduroys and cable knit cashmere for men and women. They are on trend for the upcoming fashion season. "A girl can jazz them up with accessories, like an arm full of bangles or a great bag. I just think you can never go wrong with those things."

* If you are space challenged, tack a canvas shoe bag on your closet door and tuck footwear inside. This is preferable, Kressley says, to storing shoes in boxes. "I think it's easier when things are right in front of you to choose. If they stay in boxes, you forget what you have and miss out on lots of accessory opportunities." The exception, he says, is to mimic "Legally Blonde," and tack photos of your shoes to their boxes.

Kressley has 200 pairs of shoes. "My one, true New York city apartment luxury is a walk-in closet for my shoes, which I have laid out on shelves. I sacrificed the size of my bathroom to go bigger in my shoe closet. It's my weakness. You know, I can smell the leather just talking about it."

Having his closet in order, he says, is a bit like having his checkbook balanced. "I know what I have. I know what I need or want. And I find when my life is crazy busy, it is very easy to go in and pull together an outfit that suits my vibe for the day." His personal rule: "Never, wear a single designer from head to toe." Hence his choice of brown leather pants, a Ralph Lauren suit jacket, slim cashmere sweater and the fur-lined Prada boots for a recent day of fashion shows.

"I wasn't trying to make a statement," he says of his over-the-top boots. "I was just very (expletive) cold."