Organize your Closet–and (inadvertently) Your Life

I think most people have a love/ hate relationship with their closets. I love putting new things in my closet, but hate looking at the rest of the disorganized, unruly mess.

Since I think I might have caught the spring cleaning bug, I thought I would dedicate this entire post to tips on how to organize and clean your closet out.
-The first, and most obvious thing to do when you clean out your closet is to take an inventory of your clothes. If you share a closet with somebody, it’s my suggestion to not take an inventory for them (unless of course, it’s one of your children.)

There are so many websites and articles that are completely devoted to identifying closet basics for both men and women. I would suggest to take a look at these and go through your wardrobe and identify what is a “clothing necessity” and what is a “clothing trend.” Don’t throw away anything that’s near and dear to your heart, but don’t be afraid to really do some editing. If you need help, enlist the help of a trusted friend. Ask someone to help that you know and trust their opinions on fashion.

-After you’ve taken an inventory, divide the clothing into three different piles in your room: A. To keep and hang in the closet  B. To keep and store  C. To donate.  Although there are some great consignment stores that give you money for your gently used clothing, I always prefer to donate clothing to the Salvation Army or a shelter.  Once your clothes are organized, wash and dry each pile separately.

-Now, it’s time to actually focus on the rest of the stuff in your closet. If you’re like most people, you store a bunch of old love notes from high school, yearbooks, birthday cards, etc. in your closet. If you can go through and part with any of these things, I say go for it. However, if you just simply can’t part with something, place it in a stylish storage box. The idea is to style and organize at the same time.

-Once the entire closet is completely empty, vacuum or sweep the floor (depending on what type of flooring you have.) This would be an excellent opportunity to schedule a professional carpet cleaning or wood floor cleaning and waxing to freshen your space. If you have shelving that’s gotten dusty, take a cloth and some cleaning solution to it and scrub. The idea is to get the space immaculate before you move everything back in.

-After the closet has been cleaned from top to bottom, start moving your clothes back in, but be organized about it. Separate your dress pants from your jeans. Color coordinate your blouses. Get rid of all your wire hangers and replace them with cedar. Buy a shoe rack and separate your shoes by categories. There are hundreds of ways to organize, depending on your particular tastes and needs.

Now that your clothes, shoes, and accessories are all hung up/ put away, donate your donation pile, and store your out of season clothing in your storage boxes.

To top your closet organization off, get something to freshen the air in your closet. The better your closet smells, the better your clothes smell.

Are you inspired yet?