6 Steps to Create More Space: How to Organize Your Closet
Is your closet a hot mess? You’re not alone. For some reason, even the biggest walk-in closets tend to be a magnet for clutter and disorganization. Even celebrities who have entire rooms as their closets get covered up in piles of clothes, mismatched shoes, and old coats. You may be tempted just to shut the door and forget it. But an organized closet will make every morning run more smoothly, because you can actually find what you are looking for. Check out these tips to clear the clutter, and learn how to organize your closet.
1. Assess Your Space
Before you dive in, take a step back and consider the state of your closet. What are your main sources of clutter? Do you have too many shoes? Messy piles of sweaters? Are there mounds of dirty clothes, collections of random objects, or not enough hangers? Only by determining the cause of the problem can you figure out how to organize your closet. Invest in the organizational structures that you need: a shoe rack, sweater cubes, more hangers or a bigger laundry basket.
2. Agree to One Hour
Organizing your entire closet in a day can be such an overwhelming task that you might not ever get started. Instead, set a timer and commit to decluttering for one hour. Start at the usual time of day that you feel energized, and see how much you can get done in 60 minutes. Once the timer rings – there’s a good chance that you’ll be rolling along and ready for more.
3. Identify & Banish Foreign Objects
Stray items from around the house always make their way into the bedroom closet. But they don’t belong there – they’re taking up valuable space that you need for other things! Look for non-closet items that don’t belong, like stacks of old documents, seasonal décor, cleaning supplies, and sports gear. Find a new and more appropriate home for these foreign objects.
4. Curate Your Clothes
Now that you have made a little room, start going through your clothes – one stack, pile, or group of hangers at a time. Separate out anything that is ill-fitting, worn out, or just plain ugly. Add to this pile anything that you haven’t worn in a year, and donate it to a local charity. If you need help deciding what should go and what should stay, enlist an honest friend to help you out.
5. Categorize Everything
After you’ve gotten rid of all your crappy clothes that you never wear, it’s time to put the keepers back inside your closet. Group them together in categories: tank tops, dresses, jackets, pants, skirts, etc. Give accessories their own space too, including scarves, purses, belts and shoes.
6. Commit to a Clutter-Free Closet
Once you’ve figured out how to organize your closet, you can keep it that way by dedicating just 15 minutes a week for cleaning and decluttering. Pick a day of the week to quickly sort out stray clothes and other items. Make it a new habit, and you’ll always keep your closet clutter-free!
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Closet hangers image via Shutterstock
