Do you love clothes?
Is your idea of a fun afternoon strolling the mall or browsing the web for the latest designer looks?
If you pride yourself on being one of the best-dressed trendsetters among your friends, you probably always look amazing. But you may also be suffering from a common side effect of the fashion-savvy shopper: a packed, messy closet.
If you have way too many outfits to fit in your closet, or if you find yourself regularly unable to find that cute shirt you wanted to wear, it’s time for an intervention. You don’t have to cut back on your clothing acquisitions, but you do have to get them organized.
Luckily, we’ve got just the tips you need to add some method to your closet madness. Take a weekend to empty and reorganize using these tips from the experts at California Closets, and by Monday morning, you’ll be able to find everything you need for work with ease. You may even get to sleep in instead of spending your morning hunting down that cardigan. Try these organization ideas to make the most out of your space:
Show Off Your Shoes
One of the best ways to find the perfect pair of shoes for your outfit – store them in plain sight. If your shoes are piled up in a sloppy stack on the floor of your closet, you can definitely do better. Try storing your shoes where you can see them for a quick decision about which ones will be the perfect finishing touch:
Shoe Hangers: One way to corral your shoes is with a shoe hanger that uses the vertical space inside your closet door. If you have sliding closet doors, you can try hanging one on the side walls of your closet, or choose a shoe rack designed to be placed on the hanging bar instead.
Shoe Cubbies: One of the most under-utilized spaces in your closet is beneath your hanging bar — especially if you hang mostly blouses and jackets. Make good use of the area by adding some small cubbies to keep your shoes organized. Add several of these organizers, and you’ll never worry about a lost shoe again.
Shoe Shelves: If you’re willing to make a more permanent change to your closet, you can add a shelf or two to display your shoes. This solution requires a some basic tools and a little more skill, but it’s worthwhile if you have have tall boots and high heels that won’t easily fit into the smaller compartments of shoes hangers and cubbies. Shelves also allow you to keep your most precious pairs on full display.
It’s Better With Baskets
If you have accessories like scarves, belts, handbags and jewelry all mixed together, it’s time to sort them out. Baskets make this a breeze because you can easily see inside to find what you’re looking for. Try these solutions to get your accessories under control:
Shelf And Drawer Dividers: Baskets work just as well on closet shelves and cubbies as they do inside dresser drawers. Invest in several sizes for an easy storage solution. Use small baskets to hold little items like underwear and socks — you can even arrange the items so that you can see them all at once. Small baskets for accessories can help declutter the top of your dresser, and you can keep off-season items labeled and stored on that hard-to-reach shelf above your hanging bar.
Wire Baskets: California Closets recommends sturdy wire baskets to store bulky items like sweaters and jeans. You can keep them folded, which will keep your sweaters from stretching out and getting hanger marks on the shoulders. Wire baskets can be attached to pull out like miniature drawers or tip out in a specialty cabinet.
Harness Your Hanging Bar
Most traditional closets come with just a single hanging bar and shelf, which might not be enough storage space for all of your stuff. You don’t have to gut your closet and add new fittings to get more out of your existing space. Try these tips to turn that hanging bar into a hardworking feature:
Specialized Hangers: Maximize your hanging space with a Wonder Hanger. These special hangers work with your existing clothes hangers to use some vertical space — you’ll be able to hang six shirts where you used to only be able to fit one or two! There are also all kinds of specialty hangers designed to hold belts, scarves and even jewelry neatly in your closet.
Double Hanging Bars: Remember all that extra space under your hanging bar? If you have tons of tops to organize, double your space by adding a second hanging bar below the original one. If you’re feeling handy, you can go for a permanent solution, but it’s even faster to add a temporary one that hangs from chrome hooks. Be sure to adjust the height so that none of your items drag along the floor.
Feeling inspired to tame your closet? Before you rush out to buy new organizers and accessories, take the time to consider what you want your closet to look like — and how you want it to function — when you’re finished.
The best way to do this is to — brace yourself! — empty the whole thing and start sorting out what you have. If this feels overwhelming, there’s a bright side. You’ll probably find clothing you forgot you had, and you’ll feel like you just took a free shopping trip that plumped up your wardrobe with items you haven’t worn in ages. It also gives you a chance to get rid of things you don’t wear any more.
Once you’ve emptied and sorted your closet, put your new organizers of choice in first; then re-fill your closet. You can group items by season or color to make your closet even more functional. It may take a couple of days to finish, but the results will be oh-so-worth it. Once you can see all of your clothes and accessories, you’ll be able to pull together fresh outfits for any occasion, making you the undisputed champ of both closet organization and savvy dressing.
