Closet Organizing

 

Closet Organization

If you’re like me, your closet could be your happy place with the right systems and some decluttering.

Hence this post. Today I’m sharing some basic (and not-so basic) tips to get your closet whipped into the wardrobe wonderland you always knew it could be. 

 

First Things First

You’ll want to have a good idea of how and where you want items stored. Will you be purchasing new hangers? If so, I recommend using all the same color.

Know that until you’ve done your initial edit you won’t know with much certainty how many or what size boxes, bins, baskets, hooks or other products you’ll need, so if you don’t want to keep making trips to the store to purchase or return or keep placing online orders and waiting, it may be easier to plan for this to take a couple days to a week depending on your shopping needs and method. If you prefer to use items you already have stashed away, well, that’s even better!

Before we get to the fun stuff, let’s take a minute to sort through every item in the space. This means every article of clothing, every shoe, every box, tote, hat, scarf, piece of jewelry, EVERYthing. As you’re removing things from the closet, keep like items together.

MEASURE! Get the length & width of the space, as well as measurements of the areas where you want to implement specific storage products and systems.

Have your 3 receptacles, whatever they may be for “Keep”, “Toss” and “Donate or Gift” items then have at it. Also, find new homes for other items that definitely don’t belong here.

Clean, vacuum, and wipe down all areas inside the closet

 

Product and System Placement

In a lot of cases, shoes are the main source of clutter. If there is room in your closet, consider a shoe rack. If there’s not room, you may be well-served to get an over-the-door rack or a hanging shoe organizer. For closets with more space, clear shoe boxes work very well, especially when stored up on the closet shelves or just below the clothes.  

If you have a lot of accessories and “random” items in your closet that aren’t clothes, use hooks, spice racks, or even peg boards. Purses, hats, shawls, scarves, belts, backpacks and jewelry can hang on them, and you can put them just about anywhere. Smaller bags can be stored within bigger bags, and bras can be nested.

Storage systems with drawers and shelves are great for folded or rolled items such as heavy garments, jeans, casual pants, underwear, leggings, tees, sleepwear, and socks. These systems can be designed and purchased from many companies from specialty closet design stores to IKEA. When storing items in drawers, file-folding allows you to see everything.

Add another rod lower for pants, and one higher for dresses, long skirts, and robes.

Label as many things as you can or want to. Reusable labels save you time looking for specific articles and help to reduce the clutter in your closet.

Use Baskets for extra items and store them on shelves. There are collapsible baskets that you can easily store away when you don’t need them.

Put a laundry basket in the closet. If you’re concerned about aesthetics, opt for a wooden tilt-out unit.

 

Pro Tips

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·        Organize your closet by season. In the Summer, transition out Winter pieces and vice versa (If you live in Tennessee like me, this is a bit more of a task, as we tend to have at least three of the four seasons in a week’s time). These things can be stored in vacuum bags or plastic bins under your bed, in vacuum bags in a corner or shelf of the closet, or in another storage area. Sort and purge as you transition your closet every season.

·         Reserve the front and middle of your closet for the clothes you wear the most.

·         Sort by category, color, and length.

·         Keep a folding step stool in a discreet space so that you can utilize higher wall space and reach it when you need to.

·         Install a full-length mirror on the closet door of a small space, or on the wall of a larger one. Also, hanging smaller mirrors in the closet can make it look bigger.

·         Add décor to empty wall space and shelves

·         If you decide to use the top shelf for bags, look into buying clear acrylic dividers to keep them separated and standing

·         Install touch lights. These can be found at the Dollar Tree, or you can look elsewhere for the more high-end remote controlled lights instead.

·         If you’re hanging all of your pants, use tiered hangers to maximize space

·         If you absolutely have to store luggage in your closet, use it to store less used items

·         Keep a donation bin or station somewhere in your closet or nearby so you can easily toss items in it.

 

Let me know if these tips prove useful to you, and remember to follow Orchidz Organizing on the following social networks:

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