Fall’s crisp air and colorful leaves indicate the change of season is upon us. This means it’s time to rotate wardrobes, trading out light weight t-shirts and shorts for warm button-down flannel and jeans. If you struggle with changing out your wardrobe due to closet disorganization, this article is for you. Read on to learn top-tips and working methods for organizing your clothes and closet!
Getting started:
Like any project, things tend to go better when you focus on goals and have a plan in place.
Popular goals for an organized closet:
- Creating a visually pleasing space
- Providing easy access to frequently worn items
- Using space efficiently
- Eliminating clutter/keeping only what you need and use
- Grouping like items together for easy retrieval
- Discovering/using creative storage solutions
Ask yourself…
- Am I willing to put in the time and energy to organize my closet?
- Should I do it all in one day or is it better to work in stages?
- Do I have the physical ability to handle the job myself? Or will I need help?
- Can I use closet features I already have? Or does my closet require a redesign?
- What is my organizing budget?
- Should I make time to research and/or purchase organizing products before starting?
- How is my mental attitude? Do I have a positive mindset?
- How can I improve my experience?
Note: Focus your method based on your preferences. To maximize storage, consider using some practical organizing products to contain your things. Visit www.containerstore.com for inspiration, ideas, and useful products. Don’t be afraid to comparison shop for the best value/price/quality.
Popular product suggestions for organizing clothes and accessories:
- Adjustable closet rods
- Belt/tie hooks
- Baskets/bins
- Cap/hat holders
- Drawers
- Hamper
- Hangers (space saving & accessory)
- Hanging organizers
- Jewelry storage
- Over-the-door storage units
- Purse organizers
- Shelving/Shelf dividers
- Shoe racks
- Space saving hanger hooks (to hang/cascade clothes vertically)
- Storage boxes
Before purchasing closet organization products, do the following:
- Measure your space carefully.
- Be prepared to shop around for the best products and prices.
- Only buy what you’ll need and use.
- To save money, use what you already own, such as bins and baskets.
Setting a plan in motion & following through:
Before starting:
- Decide what space you want to tackle first.
- Line up helpers if needed.
- Visualize your space organized.
- Start early in the day when you have the most time and energy to tackle the project.
- Think positive!
Initial steps to clean/declutter:
- Empty the closet completely. This sounds counterintuitive as it creates a mess, but it is the best way to sort through and try on items.
- Thoroughly vacuum and dust the interior of the empty closet, including baseboards.
- Try on every single article of clothing in front of a mirror to decide what to keep or “release.”
This is the best method to edit your clothes.
- Avoid keeping items that are out of style, that don’t fit, or that you haven’t worn in years.
- Donate items that you no longer want, need, or use.
- Toss items that are soiled or ripped.
- Relocate items that don’t belong in your clothes closet to appropriate places.
- As you try on clothes, sort and group together items that you are keeping. Make neat piles but do not return anything to the closet until you are done trying on everything.
- To learn new techniques, watch tutorials featuring the best ways to fold/roll/store clothes.
Now that you’ve sorted your clothes, here’s the next step to arranging what you’re keeping in your closet:
- Take inventory of the items you are keeping by counting how many t-shirts/dress shirts/jeans/pants/jackets/handbags/etc.
- Decide what needs to be hung vs. folded. (Tip: Hang clothes like blouses/dresses/suits. Fold clothes like sweaters and jeans).
- Adjust shelving/rods based on your inventory.
- Once your shelves, rods, and storage products are in place, it’s time to restock your closet with the clothes you are keeping.
Use this basic technique to reintroduce your wardrobe and accessories to your closet:
- As you reintroduce clothing to the closet, keep items together by type – shirts, pants, shorts, etc.
- Hang formal wear. Use matching space-saving hangers to make everything look neat.
- Fold less formal wear such as t-shirts and neatly stack them on a shelf.
- To add visual appeal, further sort by color or length – going from light to dark or shorter to longer.
- Keep items you frequently use easily accessible. Strive to streamline your space to create a functional closet.
- To get the most out of your closet, take advantage of corner space or closet height.
- Keep the floor clear and leave a neat pathway in and out of the closet.
- Use storage bins or specialty hangers to organize/contain small items like scarves or gloves.
- Use see-through bins whenever possible. If not, label your containers with the contents.
In the future:
- To maintain your space, periodically sort through your closet.
- Avoid overbuying goods in the future.
Find this easy closet organizing article helpful? Looking for more organizing resources? Check out our sister articles featuring Benefits of an organized home and Tips to donating clothes.
