You need to be a lot more creative, use your limited space more efficiently, and develop a sustainable system (and I never want to harp on things, but I will anyway - SUSTAINABLE means that it will not look great for this weekend and by next weekend look like a tsunami came through and you're right back where you started).
The process of organizing is easier than you think, and having a great system means that you will save time and hassle every single day - you might get to sleep in an extra 10 minutes, or you might just start your day in a state of ease and calm instead of frantically searching for every aspect of your outfit - Imagine the possibilities!!
Get your Closet Checklist from Living Well Spending Less HERE
1) Purge Purge Purge RUTHLESSLY
Take out:
- anything that doesn't belong in that closet, like books, sport equipment, photo albums, etc.
- any items you haven't worn or used in over a year
- any items you just don't like
- any clothing that doesn't fit
- any items that are ripped, stained, or otherwise unwearable
- any items that are out of season (if you have another space to store these, that's the best option, but if not, we'll talk about it later in this blog)
Really commit to being ruthless here. You should be trying to get down to about 40 clothing items on hangers. Calm down. Yes, 40. If you only keep the clothes you really love, you'll look awesome all the time. You deserve no less than looking awesome all the time.
Sort the items into 4 piles
- a Goodwill pile for items to donate (only donate items that are still wearable.)
- a Sell pile for higher value items such as purses or designer clothing.
- a Storage pile for out-of-season items
- a Toss pile for damaged items (you may just want to bring in the trashcan and save a step)
Plan and Follow Through
Box or bag the Goodwill & storage items (place a dryer sheet in the storage box to keep items
fresh), and take care of the toss pile.
Set the “Sell” pile aside for now, but make a concrete plan of HOW you are going to sell them (garage sale, consignment shop, craigslist, ebay, etc). Learn more HERE.
If you have clothes that you would wear once they are mended or skinny clothes that you want to get back into one day soon, you can keep them IF you commit right now to sewing them or starting that new workout routine this week. If not, outa here.
2) Create Your Blank Slate
- Take EVERYTHING out of your closet, putting like items together so that once you purge you'll know exactly how much needs to fit back into your newly organized closet.
- CLEAN the empty space--dust shelves (even wire ones); sweep or vacuum the floor.
- If you don't already have it, now would be a great time to put a light in your closet. Create an environment that abhors dark little corners stuffed with junk. Something simple and cheap could be sufficient.
3) Create YOUR Perfect System
Now comes the fun part! You'll need to think about your process of choosing clothes and getting ready each morning. Here are steps, tips, and some great free and cheap ideas to maximize and organize:
So first assess the empty space. Don’t assume you have to put things back the way they were--consider different options.
Clothes
Think about your process for choosing your outfit each day. Which items will you need to access the most frequently?
You should know:
Fold it: Delicate garments, especially those with beading
Fold it: Cashmere (anything)
Hang it: Dresses
Hang it: Skirts
Hang it: Blouses and dress shirts
Hang it: Pants
Re-hang clothing in a way that makes sense to you.
Put all your dresses together, all your blouses together, all your jeans together.
Within each category, you can further organize by season, color, or type, depending on your space and dressing process.
Here are some ways to maximize your clothing space:
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| Tension Rods are cheap and can be hung almost anywhere |
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| Using old soda tabs can double your hanging space for free! |
You could spend $30 on a set of felt hangers OR: Take a few pipe cleaners; wrap one around each end of a hanger, starting slightly after where the neckline of the clothing would sit. Rubber bands work, as well. But the best option is to use a hot glue gun to make a zigzag pattern along the top of the hanger to create a grip, which is just as effective but the clear glue is less noticeable.
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| Use Rope and a wooden dowel rod to double your hanging space |
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| Space bags are about $4 and a great way to store out-of-season clothes |
OR
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| Attach crown molding onto your wall as a perfect high-heeled shoe rack |
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| Simple metal utility hooks are a great option for purses |
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| Awkward items like suitcases can be stored on wall hooks |
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| Cheap plastic shower curtain rings and a hanger can be a great scarf storage option |
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| This $5 Towel Rack is another great option for your scarves |
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| Hanging a Peg board inside your door creates an inexpensive mini-dressing station |
| An old kitchen utensil rack is a great place to hang belts, ties, necklaces, etc |
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| Plastic drawers are great for undergarments and smaller items and are worth the investment |
