How to Organize a Closet
Most closets look alike at first glance, but beneath those attractive cupboard doors, you may find some serious differences in the way people use their closets. The different ways people use closets depend on their lifestyles. Here’s how to organize a closet for all preferences and lifestyle needs.
It can be surprising how quickly you can fill up a closet, whether it is in your bedroom, laundry, lounge or bathroom. Maybe your closet first started with everything having a proper place, but now it is a mess. Opening the doors to your closet every morning may fill you with dread. Maybe you cannot find what you are looking for or things fall out as you search for items.
When you are a working person, time is at a premium and a neat, streamlined closet will keep you from pulling out your hair each morning. It may also prevent being late for work. Everything needs to be organized and reachable, and these simple tips will help ensure an organized closet and a less cluttered life and mind.
Schedule Time
Set out some time to clean your closet and make a goal of it. Write down a date and stick to it. Think about the quietest time in your week or weekend and then block off that time to get some cleaning and organizing done. Be sure to limit any distractions. Try not having the television on and maybe put your phone in a separate room.
Organizing Hard-to-Reach Places
Some closets have high, unreachable shelves at the top, which can be quite hard to access for most people. If you want to use your closet space with purpose, you will want to use the higher shelves, but how do you reach them?
If you do not have the finances to redesign your closet, the best alternative is to have a stepstool handy in your closet. Simply tuck it under a shelf and pull it out when you need it. This saves time from taking a kitchen chair and standing on it to reach things.
Shelves, Bins and Hanging Systems
An optimized storage system is the best way to guarantee your closet stays organized. This can include rods with hangers, racks and bins.
It’s a good idea is to keep all your similar items hanging together in the same direction. Hang the shirts together, coats and jackets together, skirts, dresses, jeans and other pants together. A sturdy metal hanging rack will allow you to hang all your coats and jackets with ease.
If you want to get seriously organized, you can even group colors. Color coordinating your clothes can help and you can even organize your clothes by keeping long sleeves together and short sleeves together.
For scarves, a door hanger can be convenient. It’s a clean way to hang up your scarves and they are still in sight for you to choose from. Pocket shoe organizers are also a great tool to use. You can easily tuck these inside your closet under racks and shelves.
Get Rid of Anything You Do Not Need
To make a clean sweep of your closet, pull out everything. You may find stuff that you had forgotten about. Make a pile of clothes and other items you no longer want. Downsizing is good as it will open the way for everything you still use to have a place. It is much easier to get dressed each day when you love all the items in your closet.
Then, find local charities or second-hand stores to donate the clothes too. Any clothes you still want, put them in your laundry basket and clean them to start fresh.
Another great tip on how to clean a closet is to make the clothes or supplies you use the most accessible compared to what you do not use. For instance, if you have a favorite sweater, put it in the front of your closet. If you have a pair of jeans you do not normally wear, you can tuck them on the top shelf.
Keep Your Closet Smelling Clean
Remember to wash and wipe down your closet so that your freshly washed clothes do not become dirty all over again. You’ll have drawers, shelves and floor space in your closet for your shoes, hats, belts, shirts, underwear, pants, jackets, skirts and dresses and all of them need to have their own special space in your wardrobe. Of the clothes you have decided to keep, check for buttons that have come off, unraveled hems and broken zippers.
Use Potpourri Bags
If you have discovered old products to keep moths and insects away that is more than six months old, refill them if possible or buy new ones. If you have got some nice-smelling oils in your home, you can always add a few drops of lemon or lavender oil to cotton wool balls and place them in your drawers.
There’s no need to use manufactured insect repellants in your cupboard. Get creative, buy some handkerchiefs, and fill them with rosemary and thyme. They will naturally keep moths at bay for several months.
Upkeeping Your Closet
Just because you have successfully set aside the time to organize your closet does not mean it is done and dusted for another year or two. You should make it a new habit of yours to assess your closet now and then and take stock of what is in use and what is not.
When it comes to how to organize a closet, good habits like this are the key to a smooth lifestyle, especially when you say goodbye to junk and clutter. Don’t forget to also give your wardrobe a quick wipe down too to keep things free of dust.