Happy Friday!! I hope you have all had a wonderful week! I was on vacation last week so {of course!} the weather decided to turn cool and cloudy. Since I didn’t have any opportunities for some “fun in the sun” I decided that it would be a good opportunity to get some organizing done around here.
Project No. 1 – The Bedroom Closets!
I think that it is safe to say that most of us do not have a closet that looks anything like this but with a little purging and some great organization, it does not take much effort to get it tidied and spruced up. Do not let the size of your space be an excuse! Follow these closet organization tips to create an organized and functional closet in no time!
I’m going to start today with some general tips on how to organize your clothes closets. Check back on Thursday for our master closet organization and next Monday for some tips on how to organize kids’ closets.
Top 6 Closet Organizing Tips
1. Purge
As with most organization projects, you must start with a good purge! Empty out everything and sort your items into categories {clothing, shoes, bags, keepsakes, jewelery, etc.} Now is the time to get rid of everything that you have not used in the past 12 months. If you don’t love it, wear it, or look good in it, it is time for it to go! I realize that, for most of us, this is much easier said than done but you must be RUTHLESS here!
Place items that you are not going to keep into a DONATE, SELL, or TRASH pile. Remember that unless your items are in high demand, vintage or designer, it is unlikely that you will be able to get a lot of money for it and it is probably not worth your time to sell it. Donating to Goodwill is often the way to go and your clothes can often make a big difference in other people’s lives.
If there is a specific reason that you are not fitting into some of your clothing {such as a pregnancy or illness or if you are currently on a diet}, try putting the items that you do not fit into into a storage bin and commit to getting rid of it after a determined amount of time if the items are still not fitting.
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2. Replace Your Items Systematically
Now that you have decluttered, it is time to put everything back into the closet. Before you start, think about how you would like things organized. Your aim is to design a system that you can maintain easily on a daily basis. You can group everything by
- item {i.e. all jeans together, all sweaters together, all handbags, etc.}
- season
- color
- function {i.e. work clothes, gym clothes, etc.}
- or any other method {or combination of the above!} that works for you.
Keeping the design of your space in mind, decide which items you want to hang, what items can be folded on shelves, and what items would work best in a bins or baskets. Use coordinated hangers for those items that you are hanging. Place items that are used most often in the front and middle sections. If you have a small closet space, consider storing out of season or rarely used items elsewhere.
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Especially if you have a smaller closet, make sure that you are getting the best use out of your space. Build up as high as you can in your closet and store out of season or less used items on the higher shelves and towards the sides. Utilize every space in the closet – every wall, the floors, the backs of doors. Here are a few space savers that may work for you:
- The place between the floor and where your clothes hang is the perfect place to store some extra shoes or clear plastic bins on wheels for your accessories.
- If you have a solid door, add some hooks or an over the door pocket organizer to the back.
- If you do not have double rod hangers, move a dresser into the closet below your shorter hanging clothes for extra drawer space.
- Remove the closet doors and hang curtains.
- Add hooks to the walls or sides of storage units {the Command hooks work well and can easily be changed around as your needs change}
There is definitely not a shortage of closet organizational products out there. You can find some great options almost anywhere – from Ikea, to The Container Store, to your local dollar store. Figure out what items you need to store, and then look for products {or create your own} that would work for you in your space. Here are some great ideas from Real Simple…
- Short on shelf space? Purchase one of these hanging shelving units to store your sweaters or jeans.
- Hang your purses from shower curtain hooks. {I love this idea!}
- Hang a pegboard on the back of the door or a wall to hold your accessories or jewelry.
- Use these shelf dividers to prevent your clothing stacks from tumbling over {they also work well for separating larger accessories such as handbags}
Don’t be afraid to think “outside the box” and be creative with how you use them! The easier the item is to see and to access, the more likely you are to wear or use it. Love this organization system from Lookie What I Did.
Since it is just a closet, you probably do not really want to be spending much money {or any money?}on decor, but pick some of your favorite items and put them on display. Grab some of your favorite shoes or purses, or some colorful scarves and show them off! Hang a favorite picture or two on the wall. Line the back of the closet or your shelves with wall paper or paint it a fun color. I always find that the prettier the space, the more motivated I am to keep it clean.
If your closet is just not working for you, consider looking at a new closet organizing system. Custom closets can be pricey but store bought systems from Ikea, Martha Stewart, or Rubbermaid {which can be found at Canadian Tire or Home Depot} can offer cheaper options that can look just as nice. If you are handy {or know someone who is!}, try building your own. Anna White has some great design plans! Even if you have to hire someone to complete the plans it can still be the cheapest option.
- DIY closet from Pink Toes and Power Tools.
- Design plans from Anna White.
Remember…
The ultimate goal when organizing your closet is to come up with a system that can be easily maintained on a daily basis. A quick update every couple of months and a small decluttering every 6 months to get rid of items that you did not use through the season, should be all that is needed to keep things tidy and organized.
carol jane says
Wow. Seriously. Is that last photo someones home? Looks like a stylish boutique. All you ideas are awesome. I have a lot to do!
pinktoesandpowertools.com says
Thanks for the shout out in your post! The closet I built in the picture was for my daughter…I might need the second story one to get my stuff under control, however!! I dread cleaning out closets, so I can use the tips in your post.
Amanda says
I am your newest follower! I loved all of your tips! Since having my 2nd baby I have been desperately trying to kick my organization skills up a notch.
Feel free to drop by my blog and say hello!
http://mysweetlittlesteinerfamily.blogspot.com/
Have a great week!
-Amanda
Lookiewhatidid says
Thank you so much for featuring my closet organizer. I just made a bigger one since we moved and will be sharing it on the blog soon!!! Thanks again..
Hilary says
These are seriously amazing. Talk about a dream come true!
I’m your newest follower from the Mingle With Us Blog Hop. Please stop by and say hi if you have a chance 🙂
Renea (cupcake-n-bake) says
These are some of the best closets I’ve ever seen!
Kristen says
I could never imagine having a two story closet! But you have given some awesome ideas that I am going to have to try on my own overstuffed closet! Would love for you to come link up to Handmade Tuesdays @ http://www.ladybug-blessings.com
Debi Bolocofsky says
Amazing. I love all of these closets. I have a link party on Wednesdays, and I would love it if you would link this and any other posts. It is called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Link Party. It runs from Wednesday to Sundays.
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/09/simple-anti-aging-moisturizer-and.html
I hope to see you there. I am your newest follower, and I would love for your to follow me also. Have a great Day.
Debi Bolocofsky
Adorned From Above
http://www.adornedfromabove.com
Casandra says
Thanks for the great closet organization ideas. Setting up master closet in new home and looking forward to your next post Thursday. I’ll be checking back!
Alain Joseph says
Thanks for the post. I have been searching for blogs about closet organizing and will be following these steps. Keep posting more.
Calvin T says
Very nice and helpful information has been given in this post. I like the way you explain the things. Keep posting. Thanks!
Closet Organizer