No one likes to start their day off looking at piles of clutter.  Start off on the right foot with a clean closet.  The first step to getting your closet organized is to get rid of everything you don’t use and wear.  For those of you who have watched Marie Kondo, ask yourself “Does it spark joy?” Seriously though, you know there are things in there you haven’t worn in over a year and probably won’t wear again.  We also tend to store things in the closet that don’t actually belong there.  Are there better options- like a bookcase for books, an office for important files, a garage storage bin for boots and galoshes that rarely get used, etc?  Clean out what you can so you are only left with the necessities.

Now that your space is simplified, how do you get it organized?  The best option is to build out your closet with a variety of spaces – hanging rods, drawers, shelves, and more.  In the drawers, you store the things you don’t want to be on display and the things that can easily be folded. Inside the drawers, you can take it a step further with dividers.  In the top drawer, you may want the space divided into small squares so that you can separate and organize your underwear.  The next drawer can be divided into two so you have two rows of bras or dress socks and sport socks or ties and belts.  You get the picture.  Drawers can also be used to store t-shirts, shorts, yoga pants, bathing suits, etc.  If possible, it’s a great idea to add a locking drawer to store jewelry and watches or other important items.

Shelves are also useful for storage. A series of smaller shelves can help put your shoes on display.  Higher shelves can tuck away the things you don’t use often or year round.  For example, you don’t need both your winter clothes and summer clothes hung all year.  Get some plastic bins and space saver bags and put away the seasonal items you won’t need until next year.  You can also have a storage bin for all those things you think don’t really belong in your closet but you can’t find a better space for them.  At least having them put away makes the space look better.  Shelves are also where you may want to store your hat boxes, purses, gym bags, etc.

Lastly, you need several clothes rods.  You may want to double up in one section to maximize the space, while you leave a single rod in another section to hang your longer items, like dresses and slacks.  The best way to make your rods look organized is to use the same hangers.  It may cost a couple hundred dollars to order all the hangers you need but it is definitely worth it when you instantly see your closet look cleaner.  There are several ways to organize your clothes.  You may wish to simply organize by color, or you can arrange in genres- dress shirts, casual shirts, sweaters, polos, button ups, etc.  In it’s simplest form, you can even use – worn the most, worn sometimes, worn the least. There is no right or wrong system as long as you choose something more than just throwing everything in there.  Being organized helps you to utilize more of what you own because you can actually see what you have and you can find what you’re looking for.

People often neglect the closet because you can typically close a door and it’s out of sight, out of mind.  However, we find there are few things as truly satisfying as a clean, organized closet.  If you need some more ideas about organizing and maximizing your specific space, feel free to reach out to us!