Our closets best serve us when they are organized, practical and functional, but some of us would like this space to look like a magazine cover or Pinterest Pin. We want to walk into a beautiful closet that inspires us. Here are some tricks and tips to achieve this new and improved closet. Aim to implement the ideas that matter to you!
A Clean Slate
To begin with a blank canvas, empty the closet of all the contents and sort and purge unwanted items, toss, donation, and trash. With the space clear you now have a good opportunity to throw a fresh coat of paint on the walls. If you choose a color it will skew how you see the colors of your clothes, so I suggest a creamy white (not stark white). Invest in bright lighting. I am not suggesting fluorescent hospital lighting, but enough light to see all your clothes and the floors.
The Plan
With the closet space empty and clean you are now ready to make your plan for reloading. As you prepare to put your items away keep these important strategies in mind:
- Define your wardrobe categories and how often you wear your pieces:
Dressy tops, pants, jeans, dresses, skirts, t-shirts, etc. - Determine how each category will be stored:
Hanging, in containers, in drawers, etc. - If your shoes are housed in your closet, how will you organize them?
Shoe boxes, shoe rack, open on a shelf - If they belong in the closet, decide where undergarments, accessories, jewelry, hosiery, sleepwear, and socks will live.
Supplies
With your plan in mind take stock of the storage items you already own and the ones you need to purchase:
Hangers
Invest in all the same hangers. Wooden hangers are classy but take up a lot of space. If you are skipping wooden to save space, I like the space saver hangers. They come in several colors. Another name for them is Huggable Hangers. They can be found here on the Home Shopping Network. Huggable Hangers
Containers
If you are using containers in plain sight on the shelves, they should match. Spring for pretty containers like suede, fabric, or wicker. Skip the plastic if you can.
Shoe Storage- Corral your shoes on shoe shelves (if lined up on the floor, make sure they have a backing so that the shoes will not slip to the back or slip through) or in shoe boxes on your closet shelves (quick tip, a great way to keep track of your shoes when they are stored in boxes is to attach a photo of each pair to the front of the box, that way you can find the pair you want without having to rummage through each box).
Organizing
Floors
Keep the floors clear, however, if you must use the floor space, make sure bins are lidded and labeled, otherwise, everything will get dusty and piles will quickly be rebuilt.
Categories and Zones
With your wardrobe categories in mind, sort like items together, being mindful of the pieces that you wear most often being most easily accessible.
Color-Coded
Hanging clothes within a category by color give the closet a finished look. Lining up articles of clothing by hues is visually appealing. It can also help you decide if you need another white blouse.
Tidy & Uniform
Hang clothes in the same direction. This makes a huge visual difference. Zip or button tops, and jackets and they will hang neater. Use the same type of hangers for pants and skirts. This will ensure all pants will hang at the same height. Skirts will be different lengths, but they will all start hanging at the same height. If anything is being folded on shelves, fold everything the same way in the same direction. This uniformity makes it look extra organized.
Maintenance
You may be thinking that several of these tips will be impossible to maintain on a long-term basis. Do what you can and spend the time on what matters most to you.
- Put a laundry hamper in your closet and use it. This will keep dirty clothes off the floor.
- Stick to the one in one out rule. If space is limited, edit your wardrobe accordingly before bringing in new items.
- Hang clothes right out of the dryer (if possible) before bringing them to the closet. This will allow you to immediately hang items up.
- Make it a habit to put all clean clothes away as soon as possible. This routine will make laundry less of a chore and will keep your closet inspiring!
I would love to see your closet when you are finished. Email or text me a picture!
