How to Organize Your Closet

One system does not fit all when it comes to closets and the only way one system would work for everyone is if we all had the same closet with the exact same clothes. Which is not the case.

Organizing your closet is a personal adventure that takes time and patience. You are a unique individual and you are different from every other person ; just like your closet is different from every other person's. Everyone has different space and contents. We all have different needs and tastes. But one thing most people agree on is that a closet's organization needs to be simple and easy to maintain.

Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly.  ~Epictetus

Things you need:

• A plan
• Some containers for things like shoes and accessories
• Additional Shelving *this may depend on your needs and if your even allowed to put them up, like if you rent, but you can substitute with small self-standing shelves or even stacked milk crates in fun colors.
• Maybe a friend to help you separate
• A trash can 
• Box to keep your donation goods.
• Good lighting. If you don't have enough, get some lamps. 
• A full length mirror.

Step 1: Take it all out.
EVERYTHING needs to come out of your closet. You won't know how much space you actually have to deal with if you can't see it all. Plus this step comes in handy later and you may even discover a few forgotten gems.

Step 2: Clean all surfaces. Sweep the floor and wipe down the shelves. This is also a good time to repair any damages like holes, nails sticking out or scraped paint on the wall.

Step 3: Plan and once you've decided on a system write it down. Try to draw out your closet so you can plan where everything needs to go. And don't go exactly off of someone else's plan. It's your closet plan it to fit your life.

Always have a plan. Where would putting your sweaters make the most sense? In your closet or in a drawer or on a shelf? Should you keep your flats in front, or your heels? Do you need to make space for your winter boots or pull your basket of sandals and flip flops forward?

Organizing your closet to your needs allows you to keep it organized much better and gets you dressed quicker. I keep my tops together, my layering pieces together,sweaters and jackets together, my bottoms together and all of my dresses together. This way once I decide what to wear I can find it much faster and easier. This system also allows me to pull outfits together more efficiently. I know I'm not going to need pants if I wear a dress. And I know where my cardigans are if it's chilly out.
 








I'll show you!

All of my tops are together on one side, organized by color . Then each color section is organized by sleeve length from strappy to long.

Dresses on the left. Bottoms on the right

My purses in the basket on the right. 

                                                                  All of my bottoms are together on                                                                     the other side, as well as my                                                                     dresses. I keep my purses in a                                                                     basket on the floor.

If you're a busy mom on the go, you know that you'll need comfortable pieces that easily go together. Keep your flats forward and put your heels towards the back. Look for clothes that stand up to multiple washing, are soft against you and baby's skin, and don't have details, like stones or large embroidered areas that can get caught on things. Keep these together and your dressy grown up clothes together in a different area. If your a student keep your jeans handy and put your dressy things to the back.If your a professional keep your work clothes forward and move causal things to the back.

• Know where you want things to go, what you need to keep handy. Fit your closet to your life. 

• Keep all of your accessories together in one place. And keep them visible. If you can't see it, you won't wear it. 

                                                     

• If you have a closet that has hidden pockets, put items that are not in season here. Like my winter coats. These are tucked away in an area I don't get to every day. 

It's all a secret sshhhhh

Step 4: Separate clothes into piles. Put all bottoms in one, jeans in another, shirts and tops together, and layering pieces somewhere else.

Step 5: Separate some more. Pull the short sleeves away from the long sleeves and the tank tops from knit sweater tops. Skirts from pants, and capris from trousers.

Step 6: Go through each pile.
Look at your things individual and ask yourself these questions:
Is it in good repair? If not set it into a fix-it pile to be mended later.
Is it beyond repair? If not. Throw. It. OUT. If you can see things underneath that aren't supposed to be              
                              seen, fix it or pitch it. Period. Do not dress like a hobo.

I don't care how good Ke$ha looks, you're not
allowed to dress like a dirty hobo. Leave that to the pop stars

 Figure out what you have, what you don't need and what you're missing. Have you ever gone shopping and thought to yourself "Wow. I love this top. It's so cute! I have to get it" and then you get home and put it away only to discover you have something just like it. This is bad. And if you have two things that are exactly alike, donate one. If you can't think of a good reason to keep something, get rid of it.
Sad-sack excuses that will not fly sweet-cheeks.

• "But I like it"
•  "But it's comfy"
•  "But I've had it forever"
•  "But I'll wear when I lose more weight". 

These are excuses that are eating away at your space and time. If you can't remember the last time you wore it or if it's so holy and worn that there is no rescuing it, it has to go.

These are no-nos.
And just because something fits, doesn't mean it's right for you.

Uh-Uh. People. This look has got to go.

                                                     

Step 7:  Don't forget to organize your hangers Wire ones with wire ones and plastic with plastic.  I'm one of the lucky few who have all matching hangers. Luckily I worked in a retail store so I took a few home every-now-and-then but only because I was allowed. It's not necessary but it does make everything look so nice. (Just a side note, you *could* spray paint all of your hangers the same color, like white or black with a good quality spray paint, but don't hang your clothes up until the hangers are completely dry and this would probably take a really long time to do.)

Step 8: Put it all back in. Do this carefully and logically. Follow your plan. If part of the way through you realize your plan needs tweaking that's ok. Use your judgment and let your closet organicly form. If after a few days of getting dressed you figure out that it would be better to keep your pants somewhere else, then move them. It's a process and it takes time. But the important thing is that you're figuring out what works best for you.

Step 9: Additions.

I like to add things to my closet to give it a more personal touch. A pretty photo frame on a shelf of me looking super fly. Or an inspiration board. Make sure to add in your accessories and what not, or keep them handy. 

Step 10: Maintain and enjoy.
Make sure that once you've gotten everything cleaned out and organized, you keep it that way. Don't be lazy and do not undress in front of your closet. If you take it off put it in a hamper. Don't let clothes pile up in the bottom of your closet. When you do your laundry put it away, right away. Don't leave baskets of clean clothes laying around everywhere.


Getting dressed everyday is fun and should be enjoyable. If not, then why bother right? ;)