Closet Storage Basics

Now let’s move on to the closets in your house. We have to think about what should be stored there and what is actually stored there, and we have to bridge that gap. We have to think about how to organize that space so that finding that blue blouse is a cinch and returning that white hat to its proper place is a no-brainer.

Here are some great tips that will get your closet functioning more effectively for you:

• Make sure the closet space is well-lit with ample bright lights.
• Use quality low-profile hangers, preferably of the same size and shape for uniformity.
• Install spacious wooden shelves that don’t bow under heavy weights.
• Use containers, baskets and bins for small, odd-shaped items.
• Items should be sorted first by type – all pants together, all shirts together, etc. Items should next be sorted by color and style – all short sleeve shirts together, all tank tops together, etc. and next by colors.
• All matching multiple-piece outfits should be hung together and stay together.
• Robes should be hung on hooks close to the closet door or the back of the master bathroom door.
• Put bags and accessories on shelves, grouped together.
• If room allows, store a hamper in your closet. This way, when you are taking clothes off that need to be laundered, you can drop them right into the hamper. Likewise, when you are finished doing laundry, bring the hamper full of clean clothes back to your closet. Your hamper lives there, and you can now return all the clean clothes back into their proper space.

Sometimes we get into the habit of keeping old clothes for one reason or another. Here are some of the most popular reasons that we do it.

• We find a bargain at the store and something is on a steep sale. It’s such a good deal we can’t pass it up. However, the size, style, or color is not quite right for us.
• We hold onto items that used to fit us, but we cannot currently wear that item, because it is too big / too small.
• We hold onto items that once used to be fashionable/trendy, like a pair of bright retro bellbottoms, but are now no longer in style. Unfortunately, we will probably never wear them again, but can’t bring ourselves to throw them out.
• We keep our bridesmaid dresses usually because they’re somewhat sentimental to us or maybe because they were expensive to begin with.
• We may hold onto some outfits that are disgusting with stains and holes, just so we have an outfit to wear when we are doing dirty work, like gardening, painting, renovating, etc.

If any of the above sound familiar to you, you need to throw away these items. You shouldn’t hold onto clothes that no longer fit, or aren’t your style, or that you won’t generally wear. If you haven’t found an occasion to wear it in the past year or so, you probably won’t in the future – throw it out!

Once you have gotten your wardrobe to a point of equilibrium, where you have everything you need and everything you need you have, then it is time to rethink what you do when shopping. Do not buy something you do not want/need. If you do want to buy it, consider replacing something similar in your current closet so that you are not constantly adding to your closet. In this way, you can always enjoy new things, without creating an ever-growing closet that is difficult to maintain.

To view the rest of the posts in the Home Organization Series, please click here.

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