We’ve all seen it on TV….the beautifully remodeled home with a perfect closet! Honestly, who lives in these houses with three pieces of clothing hanging on a rod in a gigantic closet?! Anyway, even with our smaller closets and imperfect lives, we can have a more organized closet. Why, you ask? I find that when my closet is better organized, I save time and can actually see what clothing I own.
Today, I am sharing 5 tips that have worked for me to get a handle on my closet.
1. Out with the old, ill-fitting and outdated
I know this seems like a no-brainer, but it is probably the most essential part of an organized closet. There are so many worthy organizations that appreciate any and all clothing donations! If you haven’t worn it this year, donate it! If it has a style you know belongs in another era, donate it! If it doesn’t fit your current shape and size, donate it! You get the drift! Take time to try items on and be honest with yourself. Apply this same rule to shoes also. If you no longer wear 4″ heels, why are you holding on to them?
2. Separate your clothing by season
I separate my clothes into current season and other. For example, I use two categories…. spring/summer and fall/winter. The main reason I do this is my closet is only large enough to hold one season of those at a time. I am fortunate enough to have a spare closet in another room that holds my out of season clothing. If you don’t have another closet, try using a rolling rack you can stash away somewhere. Out of season shoes can be stored in containers under a bed. If you have a larger closet, I still recommend separating your clothing by season.
3. Sort your items
I sort my clothing into basic categories – tanks/tees, blouses, sweaters, blazers/short jackets, long jackets/long sweaters, pants/jeans, skirts, dresses, scarves, workout clothes, shoes, boots, handbags, belts. Odd items, such as ponchos, get inserted wherever it works.
4. Colorize every item
I find this to be the most helpful part of having my closed organized. Colorize within each category of clothing. I know this seems extreme, but it is so helpful. It saves time when putting outfits together on a daily basis. It also allows you to assess what you don’t need more of in your wardrobe, and what is missing. I think I am good on black turtlenecks for about ten years. The picture above shows sweaters in my closet organized by color. Don’t get hung up (haha… like the pun?) on what order to put the colors in. The key is just to have like colors hanging with like colors. Printed pieces are worked in based on the dominant color of the print. I even group my shoes and boots by color. I now see I do not need one more pair of black booties!
5. Hang, Fold, Store
Now everything is ready to go back into your closet! Make sure you have the proper hangers, shelves, and containers to hold your newly organized wardrobe.
Place your hanging items according to category and color. Proper hangers are a must! They then fit properly in your closet as well as assure garments are hung correctly. These non-slip velvet hangers available at Amazon are my favorite. I use them for almost everything! They are thin so they don’t take up valuable closet space, the non-slip velvet holds clothing in place, and they work for most items, including pants.
Fold items for shelves. I keep all of my tees and tanks folded by color on a shelf. Similarly, I have my workout items folded. I am fortunate to have a professionally organized closet. However, don’t let that stop you from setting yours up in a similar manner. Lots of options are available that include shelves for folded items. Pictured above is the Rubbermaid Deluxe Custom Closet Organizer, one of the myriad of closet systems available.
Don’t forget about shoes and handbags! Simple cube storage works to store both. Try this stackable shoe organizer to customize your shoe and handbag storage.
The 5 tips I share above are certainly not the only way to organize a closet, but I hope they provide some inspiration for your closet!
XO,
Linda
SixtywithStyle 