A Quick Guide to Organising Your Closet
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Time to get the closet a good clearout…
With this glorious weather that we’ve had over the weekend, I’ve been motivated to give the closet a good old clearout and make way for my Spring/ Summer clothing. I do this twice a year with my clothing and it’s always one of my favourite things to do. I love giving my wardrobe a good clean and making way for the new. Organising your closet can be a daunting process. But it’s one of the best organising projects you can do for yourself and your home. Not only do you feel much calmer, but I also find that it makes your home look more ‘put together’. You feel ready to take on the world when your home looks amazing.
If you’re looking for a little organisation project to do this weekend, why not give organising your closet ago. Here are my tops tips on how to do it painless and seamless…
GET INTO THE ZONE.
Before you even begin you need to get prepared and be in the right frame of mind. Firstly, get a playlist ready to motivate you through the task. I also like to put on some long vlogs on YouTube to have something playing in the background so I’m not doing this task in complete silence. Next, get your boxes or bags ready for the items you’re going to donate, are beyond repair and what you want to put into storage. Have them labelled or zoned so you know once you’ve made a decision on the item you know which direction it is going.
START CLEANING, ORGANISING AND SORTING.
Once I’ve organised my props, the next thing I like to do is get everything out and onto the bed. This is so I can give the wardrobe a deep clean. I usually wipe down my closet once a week but I like to do a deep clean at least twice a year. Put some elbow grease behind it and give it a good deep clean.
Once you’ve got it smelling like it’s brand new, now is time to get going with organising your closet. I like to work in categories from bottom to top- literally. I have two rails in my wardrobe and they are organised the following way (from left to right):
Top Rail: cardigans, jumpers, shirts, blouses, tees and vests
Bottom Rail: blazers, dresses, skirts, smart trousers, jeans, leggings and smart scarves.
And yes, I am that person that does it in colour order and sleeve length. I like everything looking nice and neat. So when going through each item, I like to start from the bottom top as I put each item back into my wardrobe.
I’m a big believer in the Kon Mari method of taking each item in my hand and really assessing it. If I’m no longer loving it, it’s time to donate. Items that are not seasonally appropriate are going into storage until the end of the year. There’s not normally items that need chucking as I asses my clothes as I’m washing them. But every now and then there’s one that slips through the cracks. If I’m too embarrassed to give it to a friend, it’s time to throw away.
I’d also ensure you have some form of reward to treat yourself after you do each category, Sorting in manageable chunks allows you to keep your motivation up and feel like you’re actually achieving something.
STORING YOUR SEASONAL ITEMS CORRECTLY.
If you are needing to put some items into storage, make sure you’re storing them correctly. There’s nothing worse than pulling out items that haven’t been given some TLC from your past self. At the moment, I’m using a large suitcase to store my Winter items, but I’m looking to invest in some boxes and finally take advantage of the space at the top of my wardrobe.
If you’re like me and only like organising your closet twice a year, it’s worth considering leaving a few pieces for those transitional months. I’m sick of jumpers, but I’ve left some lighter knitwear to carry me over through those transitional months. Keep a few things out that will keep you going and you’ll never be caught short.
ORGANISE THE THINGS YOUR KEEPING IN YOUR WARDROBE.
Everyone’s method as to how they like their closets is different. My method as I mentioned above is not going to work for everyone. The most important thing is to consider how you ‘shop your closet’ when you’re getting ready in the morning. I’ve seen people who organise their wardrobe in tones and colour. Find a method that works for you. Just make sure you don’t just chuck the items back into your wardrobe and hope for the best. You’ll just ruin the hard work that you’ve put in for the last couple of hours.
One thing I’d recommend is to get some thin velvet hangers. They are a game-changer. Not only will having hangers of the same colour look gorgeous but the size of them will allow you to put more items into your closet. Really, it’s a win-win situation.
SORT OUT YOUR DONATION PILE STRAIGHT AWAY.
It’s tempting to keep your donation pile of a bit. Absolutely do not do this. Not only will you start picking through it. Items you had convinced yourself you didn’t need will work their way back into your wardrobe. Right now, the possibility of getting the items out of your home and to a charity shop or to your friends is not possible. So place the donation bag into a spare room until it is possible. Out of sight, out of mind and all that.
FILL IN THE GAPS.
Now is the fun part. In the process of organising your wardrobe, you’ll have found gaps of items that you need to replace or need to add. Be thoughtful with your list and only add what you need- for now. Are you lacking some basic tees or do you need some more jeans? Make a list and get internet shopping. I told you that you needed rewards after sorting through everything. This is your reward.
SHOP THE POST.
Looks lovely. I always enjoy your posts, Ellenor.