Oh, to have all the money in the world. It’s easy to wistfully covet the extravagant room-sized custom closets of the rich and famous, but it’s not going to make our own closets any more organized. But don’t get hung up on budget. Just because you’re broke doesn’t mean your closet has to be. With a little effort and these simple tips, you’ll soon find out that you don’t have to be a millionaire to have a beautifully organized closet.
Downsize
If you’re like a lot of people, your closet is probably overflowing with items, many of which you don’t even wear. The first step in achieving a streamlined closet is to assess the pieces you own and keep only what you wear. This works best if you first take everything out of your closet. Just pile it all up on your bed, give your closet a good wipe-down, then put items back one by one. Keep only items that:
- You have worn in the past 6 months. This is a no-brainer. Even if you thought you loved it when you bought it, if it hasn’t made the rotation at least once in the last half a year, it’s just dead weight clogging up the arteries of your soon-to-be healthy closet.
- Fit your body. Bodies change over time and that’s just the way it is. Don’t waste time feeling like you should fit into things you wore 5 years ago. Let these items go emotionally AND physically.
- Really do have sentimental value. And this doesn’t mean you bought it on a good day at Forever 21. We’re talking it was your grandma’s favorite sweater sentimental.
If an item doesn’t fit one of these three categories you can either donate it to charity or sell it on consignment. There are several on-line apps that allow you to sell your better used clothes easily. Use that extra money to upgrade your closet’s accessories.
Stay in the Zone!
When you put your clothes back, sort them into zones. Put like with like; casual clothes in one area, dressier items in another. Keep the things you wear most often near the front and relegate blue moon pieces like formal wear to the back. Inside of each of those categories:
Color Code
There’s a reason why all your favorite boutiques group their clothes by color. It’s visually appealing, makes it easy to see what’s available and helps you to coordinate outfits. Apply this logic to your own closet, grouping clothes by color and then arranging them light to dark or, for those who really wear a lot of color, in a rainbow’s array: ROY G BIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet). You’ll be pleased with the soothing, chaos-reducing visual effect and your boss will be pleased when you arrive early to work because finding that navy jacket was such a breeze and got you out the door with time to spare.
Cheap & Easy Accessories
Now’s the time to splurge on a few upgrades. A few simple accessories can really take your closet to the next level. Choose matching hangers (velvet ones to keep clothes from slipping off) to really keep things streamlined. If you’re looking to carve out some additional space try hanger doublers. A hanging boot rack can corral multiple pairs of boots in a slim vertical space. Add some shelves up high and accessorize with some clear storage boxes to keep out-of-season gear tucked away. Some low-hung shelves or a standard shoe rack will keeps things tidy and up off the floor. A back-of-the-door storage system or even just a few hooks will make the most of unused space. Then add a mirror and a battery-powered light to give you an at-home boutique feel.
