This simple rule will help you manage clutter: When in doubt, throw it out. (Or give it away.)
If you're serious about organizing your bedroom closet in one weekend, you will need to be swift, decisive and prepared. Get ready ahead of time by clearing out as many obligations and distractions as you can for one weekend. You may want to pick up some hangers, clear plastic bins and under-bed storage ahead of time. It also never hurts to have a friend to help you stay focused, have fun and honestly judge whether it's really worth keeping that old Christmas sweater. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Plan out your weekend by charting about where in the process you want to be by what times, and when you'll need to stop for a break or previous obligations. In broad strokes, you will need to empty your closet, sort the contents, store what you're keeping and purge what you're not. The plan is not a hard rule; instead it amounts to few red flags to keep you on track. If it's mid-morning Sunday and you're still emptying the closet, for example, it's a sign that you need to pick up the pace.
2. Empty your closet. Resist the urge to get distracted by cleaning projects, reminiscences or even sorting and storage until the whole closet is empty. Stay fast and focused; this step is incredibly simple. Once everything is off the shelves, hanging bar and floor, give the surfaces a quick dusting and sweep or vacuum the floor. Depending on the size of your closet, this step may take anywhere from a few minutes to a little under an hour.
3. Sort the contents of the closet into piles to keep, store and purge. The "keep" pile is for clothes you'll wear regularly. "Store" is for items you want to keep but won't wear until a different season. "Purge" is for things you're willing to discard, donate or give to friends. If you have a friend helping, try on clothes for a second opinion if you're not sure. Remember that anything you purge will free up storage space and reduce clutter. This step can take weeks if you let it, so remember to make swift, decisive choices and move on to the next piece.
4. Set up drawers, bins or hanging storage units to maximize the available storage space (both current and long-term) in your closet. You may want to use the top shelf or the space below your bed for long-term storage to free up space for your active wardrobe. Store away seasonal clothes in long-term storage, purging as necessary to make your clothes fit in the available storage space. Donate the items you're purging to a charity or give some to deserving friends.
5. Arrange your "keep" items in the most accessible spaces and containers in your closet. If everything doesn't fit comfortably, pick a few more items to give away until it does. To track how much you actually use each item, turn all your hangers backwards (hook facing out). When you wear an item, turn its hanger back around. Next time you switch out seasonal clothes, consider purging the items whose hangers are still backwards.
Tags: your closet, storage space, ahead time, available storage, available storage space, give away, have friend
