Tidiness is a habit, but to keep your closet at it’s cleanest, you’ll need a great foundation to work with. After organizing and renovating closet, there’s a few weak points that hinder most when working on their closet. Below are a few tips plus a checklist to help as you tackle the project. Before you get started, expect to spend $50-$300, and be prepared to spend 1 day to 2 weeks depending on the severity of the cleanup. The average closet cleanout and organize takes me around 7 hours.
- Toss/Giveaway: This step will take some time. Before it gets better, it will get worse. Remove everything and by hand choose what you would like to toss and keep. Immediately giveaway items that do not fit. Toss items with stains and holes. If you find yourself saying “Maybe I could wear it to. . . ” or “It could be cute if . . .” make a heavy consideration whether you need it, or if you would like to pass it along to someone else. Anything that you have 15+ items of, you may have too many of something which can create visual pollution, making it harder to decide what to wear. If you have trouble letting go, or if you have a nice selection of upper end brands to giveaway, create a local Facebook group, friend get together, or even an office party for everyone to join and have a clothing swap. Everything that is left can be donated to your favorite organization.
- Order matching hangers. The ones I have in my closet are from Amazon. I like black felt hangers because their fabric decreases the amount of clothes slipping off the hanger, their slim build creates more room, and their aesthetic is simple and gives uniformity.
- Order baskets and bins. If you have limited storage space, be prepared to store infrequently used items in other areas. Ski clothing, bathing suits, tacky Christmas sweaters, costume clothing are a few things that I separate and store in bins. A good rule of thumb is anything used less than 2x per year can be stored away.
- Clean. Your closet should be empty, which is a rare moment. Use the time to dust, vacuum and wipe down all flat surfaces. Any clothes that need to be taken to the dry cleaner, put in a separate laundry basket. Iron clothes that are wrinkled.
- Organize! I separate my clothes in the following: Top bar for tops, blouses, sweaters then blazers. Bottom bar for jeans, slacks, and scrubs. Last bar for dresses, and all coats in the coat closet. Each section is color coded White + ROYGBV + Black. Since each closet is unique, you’ll need to decide where and how to separate your clothing.
- Put away drawer items. You’ll want to store in drawers or baskets undergarments, socks, T shirts, nightwear, athleisure, etc. These items usually need a second filter through, so as you put away take note of any items that need to be tossed and replaced. Drawers get messy quick, so do yourself a favor to set the foundation correctly and take the time to fold and store correctly.
Cleaning and organizing a closet can be tricky and time consuming. If you’re a gal on the go, don’t hesitate to ask a friend or hire a professional to assist with the task. Getting dressed is the first thing you do each day and can set the tone for how you feel.
Here is a checklist to help you power through the project!
CLOSET CHECKLIST
⃞ Purchase matching hangers + Storage Bins and Baskets + Laundry Basket
⃞ Purchase missing maintenance items : Steamer, Iron, Ironing Board, Small Sewing Kit
⃞ Take hanging items out 1×1. Filter in piles “Keep” “Toss” “Give”.
⃞ Remove drawer items out 1×1. Filter in piles “Keep” “Toss” “Give”.
⃞ Remove any debris left in closet to completely empty
⃞ Vacuum closet
⃞ Dust and Wipe down all surfaces
⃞ Put Give and Toss items out of room, or in car to be taken to appropriate people/places
⃞ Put all items that need to be dry cleaned in a pile (winter coats, dresses, blazers, etc.)
⃞ Put all items that need to be ironed in a pile, or include in dry cleaning for “press only”
⃞ Exchange clothing hangers, and hang hanging clothes in sections:
-Tops/Blouses
-Blazers/Sweaters/Jackets/Coats
-Pants/Slacks
-Dresses/Gowns
⃞ Color coordinate sections White, Grey, Black, Red, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, Multicolor
⃞ Match and fold items then put back into drawers/baskets
⃞ Take small use items, such as ski clothes and costumes, and store in bins.
* List Missing/Defective items to replace here*