How to Organize Your Closet

Do you look like this every time you go to your closet to find that perfect blouse you know has to be in there somewhere or cringe every time you open the door because things fall over and out? Does the state of your closet make you feel inadequate and guilty? Then keep on reading sister because this ones for you!   

Step 1 - Getting in the right mindset

Organization is a skill set that can be learned, so don't worry. Take a deep breathe, tell yourself positive thoughts of learning a new skill and conquering that closet that's driving you mad. You Can Do This! God has empowered us to do amazing things and for those willing to take it on themselves, this gets you there. Give yourself grace in the process. If you don't have the time, patience, or desire to do it alone, then you can hire me as an Organizer for a Day and I'll help you through it! 

There are a million right ways to accomplish an organized closet and yours doesn't have to look anything like mine or your neighbors or The Edit for it to be well done for you. 

There are a few simple steps I'll outline on how to organize your closet, but there's some prep work you need to do before even opening the closet doors. 

Now, put on your favorite music, lock the kids, pets, and husbands out, put up your hair and take a sip of your favorite beverage, because there is where the leg work begins. 

Step 2 - Donate or Recycle till you’re left with what you love and need

Grab two boxes or bags and label one Donate and the other Recycle.  

One category at a time, shoes, shirts, pants, purses, etc., you'll want to pull all the items you have in each category out onto your bed or clear floor space.  

The first thing you'll check is the condition of it. Is it still usable and in good condition? Does it still fit now? If your answers are yes, then you keep them on the bed. If no, then put them either to donate because they're still in good condition for someone else or in the recycle box because you can send all fabric items into various companies that will reuse every bit of fabric you give them. Sadly, I haven't found a company to recycle shoes so those you'll have to ditch. 

Once you've sorted that singular category based upon those first two questions, you ask the next round of questions. Are you currently losing/gaining weight? If so, do you have space to store these items that don't currently fit until you need them again? If so, then grab a space saver bag, shrink down your clothes and pack them under the bed or set them aside to go in the closet. If no, then I highly recommend letting go of the clutter that is making you feel guilty and donate it. If it truly motivates you, then put one item in the to keep pile on your bed and save the rest away in the space saver bags.  

The last question to ask yourself about the pile remaining on your bed is the most important one. Do you love it? If yes, then keep it. If not, do you enjoy it enough to keep for the times it's a necessary part of your wardrobe? If yes, keep it. If no to either of those questions, donate it. Take a deep breath and let it all go! 

Step 3 - Organizing your hanging items to your heart’s desire

Now that you have piles of items to keep on your bed/floor, it's time to put it all back in and we're going to start with the large items first. 

Hopefully you have a long hang section for dresses, long skirts, robes, long coats. You'll have a section for short hang and maybe even a midi-hang as well. Short hang is where your shirts and pants go. Midi-hang is for those in between short and long as suggested by its name.  

Next put all like items together, long sleeve with long sleeve, short sleeve with short, long dress with long, you get the idea. 

From here, you have a couple ways to sort it out further should you desire to. 

My personal preference is to organize by function. So, all my work shirts are together and separated by sleeve style. All my casual shirts are together and again sorted by sleeve style. Another popular method is the color sort, make a rainbow and smile at all the pretty colors lined up beautifully. Honestly, whatever works for your brain and aesthetics is the right choice. There are no wrong choices here, so relax. 

Once all the hanging is up, it's time for those oversized bags you've got. Depending on your closet set-up and the frequency of your use will make what's best for you different from another. You can stash all the oversized bags at the top of your closet if it's in reach or you don't use them frequently. If you need, put them on a shelf within easier reach. Again, some people hang these, but I find that takes up a lot of space. 

Step 4 - Focus on the small things

Now that you've got your biggest items in place, we'll focus on the small things like accessories, tank tops, belts, shoes and small bags. 

Find a drawer organizer that works for you. It can either be divided bins like pictured above or simple wood dividers that split your drawer in two or three sections. Fold the clothing as tight as possible and slide it in.  

For belts you can hang them vertically on a side wall, on a belt hanger near your pants or roll them into skinny drawers. 

For shoes you can line them up on a shelf under your short hanging items, slide them into clear boxes on the floor or into cubbies. You can also hang boots, but that can take up a lot of space you may not have. 

For accessories, find a jewelry box or a felt drawer organizer you like to fit on a surface near eye level and place them carefully by category or set. 

For hats, I like to put hooks on the side wall of the closet to hang or you can get a back of the door system or make an accent wall out of it like the Boho chic's do.  

Do what makes sense to you and remember you can always move it around. 

Conclusion

At the end you should be able to breathe easy with a smile on your face when you think about and look at your closet 

Once you've got everything put back together, and you may have had to rearrange a bit in this process, I want you to step back and look at it. What's your initial reaction? Instantly positive? Or are you questioning a few decisions? Give yourself a couple days to live with it and see how well it functions for you. 

If something isn't working, pull out that specific item and see where else it might fit. Maybe you need to add a few extra shelves or get another hanging rod. Maybe you need to store some off-season clothes in a space saver bag or bin and only pull it out when the time is right. Work with it until it's right.  

And if you find yourself at your wit's end, then don't worry. Book yourself an Organization for a Day with me and we'll get you sorted out in no time at all. I'm here to help you love your home and feel at peace in it.