Because closet contents are out of sight, we often keep them out of mind--we cram the door shut and try to forget about what's inside. It's worth taking the time and effort, however, to organize your clothes closet. You may find some things you forgot you had. Does this Spark an idea?
Where Are You Going?
First, decide what the purpose of the particular closet is. Is it for day-to-day clothes, or perhaps coats, boots and outdoor clothes? Then, remove everything that doesn't belong in that closet. There will be room to store everything when you've removed unnecessary and wrongly located items.
Next, remove everything from the closet and spread it out on your bed or floor. Look at each article of clothing and keep only the live pieces--the stuff you actually use, and that affirms your life's direction. Think, "Where am I going?" and when you have that picture clearly in mind, ask, "Are you going with me?" Any piece that doesn't fit your current game plan for your life should be removed from an active closet. You may want to keep one or two items for nostalgia (a favorite dress, for example), but store them with your mementoes, not your everyday belongings. Think of your clothes as tools for your current life path.
Redesign
Looking at what's left, figure out the best places to store things. First, add lighting to the closet, if there is none (if there are no electric outlets, you can hang up a flashlight or install a battery-powered light). Being able to see your clothing clearly will instantly make your life better.
Try to store the most frequently worn clothing at eye level or just above or below, with less-often-used items on the highest and lowest shelves. Suspend a second hanging rod from the main bar to double up hanging space for short items. Or, put a small chest of drawers or a pile of storage bins in the space under your short hanging items.
Use the back of the closet door as storage space. You can suspend a shoe bag over the door to hold shoes or other small items. Or, you can install hooks for robes, bags, purses, belts or scarves, or hammer a row of nails to hang your necklaces and a mirror.
Keep like items together, for example, all tops (blouses, jackets) in one section, bottoms (skirts, pants) in another, dresses somewhere else. Within each category, sort by degree of formality, then by color.
If you have room, store an ironing board in the closet. This makes it easy to touch up your clothes when you get dressed in the morning.
Tips and Tricks
Be creative with storage ideas. You can buy all kinds of boxes and bins for storage, but cardboard boxes work just as well (cover them with wrapping paper or fabric if you like). Try rolling up T-shirts and storing them on end in a shoebox--this makes it easy to find the one you want without disturbing the others.
Try not to stack more than three or four sweaters or pairs of pants in a pile, because then it's harder to retrieve lower items without toppling the stack. Instead, put a rack on legs over a small stack to start a new pile. Or, stack cardboard boxes on their sides and start a new pile in each box. Boxes keep piles from falling sideways and making a mess.
Put small items, such as earrings or pins, in egg cartons or ice-cube trays. Use silverware trays to hold socks and underwear, or construct your own dividers from cardboard boxes of all sorts.
You can't have too many hooks. They can hold individual items, such as bathrobes or belts, or drawstring bags to hold laundry, stockings or other items.
Finally, always try to leave some empty space in your closet. Why? Because it calms you to see it, and because it signals that you have your storage under control. Space is precious, too. Don't rush to fill it up!
Tags: cardboard boxes, your clothes, your life, items such, makes easy, remove everything
