Organizing A Closet

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Closet Organizers

Organizing a closet, especially if the closet belongs to you personally, is one of the best ways to treat yourself to something special.  My tips and strategies are free.

When you walk into your closet it should make you feel like a kid in a candy store.  Enticing you through your beautiful clothes that are among the attractive organizers, pretty boxes, and everything neatly displayed.

Personally, organizing a closet, for most women can be an emotional  project, as well as an  overwhelming  one. We tend to want to hold on to old clothing for various reasons; such as smaller sizes, in hopes that we will fit back into them, or out of date items.  For whatever the reason, it’s not working for you. Your closet is jammed with things that you never wear, and you can’t find the ones you want to wear.  

Organizing A Closet Is Easy If You Have The Right Tools And Motivation.

Many of you know the basics of organizing a closet, you  just lack the tools or encouragement.  That’s why I’m here!  I want to encourage you. However, many of you do not have a clue where to start organizing a closet or how to use closet organizers.  Don’t quit reading, I am going to walk you through, step by step on organizing a closet.   

This picture is a good example of how adding colorful paint on the walls gives your closet a fresh new look!

Don’t know anything about organizing a closet?  Don’t know where to start when it comes to organizing a closet?  Everyone appreciates an organized closet, just not everyone thinks they can do it.

One of my favorite things, when I would be organizing  a closet professionally, was after a day of organizing a closet,  when the client saw it for the first time.  For some of them organizing a closet was a foreign concept but most of them were able to kept it up after I left.  However, most of my clients were working professionals, (many of which were single men)  that just didn’t have time for organizing a closet but loved the rewards of me organizing a closet for them.  It was very rewarding  organizing a closet for clients, especially when they recommend me to their friends.

Strategies For Organizing A Closet:

The first thing that you need to do when organizing a closet:  See ORGANIZING BASICS  so you will have a basic understanding.   Let’s get started with the lovely term of “purging your closet.”  No one likes the idea of purging anything, much less their clothes.  But seriously there is a lot crammed in there that you never use, so you have to purge when organizing a closet.  There is no way around it.  

You will need your 3 large sorting containers again.  “Keep”, “Throw Away” & “Donate/Sell”

Remove everything from your closet! As you are removing items, you will begin to see the major items that you know you do not want to keep. Start utilizing your 3 containers accordingly. Obviously, at first this will be easy because you will find things that you forgot you owned, but as you get deeper in, it will get harder and more emotional.
During the sorting process that comes with organizing a closet, ask yourself when was the last time I wore this? I know it was expensive but, does it fit? If you haven’t worn the piece in over 8 months, get rid of it! You can actually make money on the nicer items by selling them on e-bay or take them to a consignment shop.  Bet you didn’t know you could make money organizing a closet!!! 

One good tip if you are not sure about an item,  hang it on the rod backwards.  In six months or so, if it is still turned around backwards get rid of it.

For your out of season clothing, store it away. I like to use the large clear containers so I can see what’s inside. However I still label the outside for easy reference such as coats, sweaters, shoes, winter scarves & gloves, swimming suits, etc.  These can be neatly stored in the attic (if they are tightly sealed) or an extra closet. I like to place a dryer sheet inside each container to keep them smelling fresh.

For nice dresses, suits and coats that are seasonal but you don’t want to fold them into  containers, I have a huge selection of garment storage.  Some you can actually store  in the garage and still stay clean.  Rolling covered wardrobes

Your closet it getting lighter and lighter!!!

Once your closet is empty ask yourself if it needs a fresh coat of paint. This would be a good time to do this. Otherwise, wash down the shelves, walls, baseboards and clean the floor.

Now that the closet is clean, you can begin the organizing process.  The best way to start organizing a closet is to sort the items that you are keeping into categories such as pants, shirts, jackets, etc.

You want to put the larger items towards the back such as dresses and jackets, so the front of your closet will have the smaller and lighter items closest to the door. This will make your closet feel bigger when you open it up. As you place the items in the closet, match them up by item and color. For example: Your shirts should be sorted according to color, and short and long sleeve. You want all of your white collared shirts together, blue collared shirts together, casual tops together etc. When hanging the “keep” items, make sure you have the proper hangers. You want all the hangers to be hanging in the same direction with the front of the shirt facing towards your closet door. Do the same with your pants. Personally, I like to hang my pants upside down length wise on the hangers with clips on them.  This way I don’t risk the wrinkles of putting them over a hanger.  This is a “To Each Her Own” preference.

While organizing a closet, having the proper hangers can save you a ton of space. I especially like the cascading hangers for the same colored shirts and pants. Personally I like my hangers to match because I believe closet organization should be pretty.  So while you are organizing your closet, think about it as an art project.

If you are short on shelving  see Wooden closet systems or Wire closet systems , you can try the hanging shelves for your sweaters,  t-shirts, jeans, etc.  sweater organizers   Make sure you fold them neatly and stack according to color and item.   Avoid stacking sweaters and jeans together.

For your shoes, there are all kinds of space savers for your shoes. I like the stackable and expandable racks that sit on the floor. I keep mine at the back of my closet. For your expensive shoes, try a clear container to keep on the top shelf. You will be able to see them clearly. Keep in mind that shoes can be seasonal as well. If its winter, you don’t want to have your sandal’s and flip flops taking up valuable real estate.

There is also some really cute organizers for your belts and scarves and your purses.  For smaller items like gloves & stuff, try an over the door shoe bag with pockets.  

Organizing a closet can be fun as well as therapeutic!

If you like the collection in this picture, check it out along with the two other collections that I love as well: COLORFUL CLOSET ORGANIZERS

When you see what beautiful closet organizers can do to transform your closet, you will be excited to open that door!!!!  And getting ready in the mornings will actually get your day started off on the right foot. The right closet organizers are key to pulling it all together.

Now you are the expert at organizing a closet!

These links take you directly to the products you need for organizing a closet!

Shoe boxes	Wooden Closet Systems	Hanging garment bags	Closet trolleys
Scarf and belt organizers	Wire closet systems	Clothes hangers	Rolling garment racks
Shoe racks	Over the door shoe bags	Slack hangers	Rolling covered wardrobe
Purse storage	Hanging shoe bags	Lined storage baskets	Wardrobes
Purse organizers	Hanging sweater organizers	Decorative storage boxes	Girly chandeliers
Hanging jewelry organizers	Open bin closet storage	Under the bed storage

It’s amazing how organizing a closet

can be fun if you have the closet organizers!

Organizing a closet on a budget? 

Cover shoe boxes with pretty wrapping paper, spray paint boxes and baskets to match, paint one accent wall a matching color, add an old bookshelf that you paint to coordinate.  Think outside the box and look around your house, you never know what you could use that is cool and attractive!

Are you organizing a closet that is single, double or walk in?

For organizing a closet or any organizing project, a label maker in a must have!

 For help organizing and cleaning your “bedroom” s  see: MASTER BEDROOM

Organizing a closet other than yours?  see:

• PANTRY
• LINEN CLOSET
• YOUR CLOSET