It's inspiring to think about organizing your clothes, shoes, and accessories perfectly in your closet when watching home design shows. But in real life, it takes a bit of planning and preparation to declutter, clean, and reorganize a closet to make sure it's more functional after you finish. Show How you organize your closet will differ slightly based on the size of your space, the size of your wardrobe, and the kind of life you lead. Follow these tips to learn how to best organize your clothes closet, similar to how the organization experts do it on TV. Watch Now: How to Easily Organize Your ClosetBefore You BeginGather tools and supplies that will help make the job easier. Here's your quick closet organization toolkit:
The Spruce / Michelle Becker Empty Your ClosetRemove all the items from your closet, giving you a bare closet to reset your closet space. If you’re used to shoving clothes into your closet, this will be weird because you’re about to take everything out and probably find some stuff shoved in a back corner that you forgot about. The easiest way to organize your clothes is to remove everything from the closet, including hangers, baskets, bins, and anything else on the floor or shelves. The Spruce / Michelle Becker Clean Every CornerYou need a clear, clean space to plan and visualize how you will re-organize your closet. First, dust the shelving and hanging rods. Next, run the vacuum or sweep and mop the floor. Finally, wipe the shelving, hanging rods, walls, and baseboards down with a good all-purpose cleaner. Don’t forget any baskets or bins that could be collecting dirt and dust. The Spruce / Sarah Lee Sort and Declutter Your ThingsWhat often happens with closets is people stow their items away in a dark, back corner, sometimes forgetting what they have. The best way to start decluttering your clothes is to take it all out; sort it by separating all items into piles by item: shoes, outerwear, evening wear, and more. Figure out what you have and how many you have. Now, make some decisions. If you have 22 "little black dresses" and only go to dinner parties as frequently as the ball drops in Times Square, it's time to pare down. Sort again into piles: "must keep," "donate, toss, or pass along," or "not sure." Some people fear decluttering because they love to hold onto things they “may need one day” or “used to fit/be in style.” To make this process easier and organize your closet like a pro, you can follow the KonMari Method of organization by focusing on what you want to keep instead of what you're getting rid of. Following Marie Kondo's advice, ask yourself these questions:
If the answer is "yes" to all three, you can confidently place that item into the keeper pile. However, if you haven't worn something in years, it doesn't fit you anymore, or you don't like the cut, color, or style of it, let it go. If you’re having difficulty deciding, create a "maybe" bin and revisit it in one, three, or six months. If you forgot about these items or never thought about wearing them once during that time, you can confidently donate or consign them. The Spruce / Margot Cavin Assess Your Storage SystemFiguring out the right closet storage solutions for your particular space can be challenging. Luckily, there are tons of great options for closet organizers, including closet system kits, but most people can get away with installing a few budget-friendly closet organizers. If your closet system does not meet your needs by providing a space for your things (shelves, hanging racks, dividers, drawers), then look for a new organizing system. If your things don't fit, consider getting a different storage space for some things or re-evaluate whether you should keep an item. Put Things Back in an Organized WayHow you organize your clothes closet and drawers depends on your storage plan. Think about where it makes sense to store each clothing category and which are the most accessible spots to reach in your closet. Everything should fit easily; it should not look overstuffed or continue to be overflowing. Fit your "keeper" items back in the space with like things; put least-used items in the back.
The Spruce / Michelle Becker Closet Organization Methods
Closet Storage TipsCloset storage solutions won't create more space in your closet; however, closet organizers, storage solutions, and closet systems can help you maximize your space. Here are some tips for making more with less space:
You might be tempted to throw your hands up, pull out your credit card, and buy an expensive closet system. This urge might not be necessary if you measure the space, assess what you already have, and make a storage plan. Buy only what you need to store your clothes and re-purpose what you already own. Small bookcases, cubbies, and baskets are great for storing handbags, shoes, accessories, and gym clothes. Finally, don't forget to measure a space three times before buying a new storage item. Nothing is worse than carting something home and finding it's too big or small. The Spruce / Michelle Becker The Spruce / Leticia Almeida Maintaining Your Newly Organized ClosetThe more you work on closet maintenance, the less time it will take. Go through your closet, complete a quick tidying once a month, and tackle the full re-organization process twice a year. Make it easy on
yourself by following a cleaning schedule, either by season, by date (such as your birthday or New Year's), or by an event. The next time you can't find an important piece of clothing, that's a good sign you need to re-organize your closet. Take the QuizHow organized are you? Take our short personality quiz to find out how organized you really are plus get tips for better organization. |