How to Organize your Closet in 6 Simple Steps
Organizing is easy when you make it easy.
Confused?
Let me explain.
There are two ways to approach organizing, in my opinion. The first is to create a storage system. This is where you create the perfect put away system. All of your stacks are beautifully organized by color. All of your bins are stacked and organized. Seems like a perfectly organized closet, right? Well, until you have to get something out to wear the next morning.
Enter the retrieval system. This is a system built around how you USE your closet on a daily basis. It makes keeping your closet clean so much easier. And, in my opinion, the best way to organize clothes in a closet.
Needless to say, the retrieval system is a GAMECHANGER! These are the steps you can follow to get your closet into tip-top shape!
Pro-Tip: Depending on how big and unorganized your closet is will change how long this process takes. I used this on a long walk-in closet and it took me about one day, but you have a lot of stuff or an extra large closet, you might need the weekend.
Let’s get started!
1. Go through your closet
This is the “it’s going to get worse before it gets better” moment.
Now, take everything out of your closet. And try not to use your bed as a surface for organizing if you are using the weekend to get this done.
Is it all out? Good.
Now, let’s create 5 piles. A keep pile, donate pile and a not quite sure yet pile. Plus, a trash bin and recycle bin.
This is going to be really easy for some of you. I’m not a terribly sentimental person toward things in my life, so determining what to get rid of in my closet during this process was pretty painless for me. But, if you tell anyone else in my family to get rid of things, it’s going to be a much longer process!
Here’s what I ask myself: Is there someone else that can love this more than me? Is there someone that needs this more than me? Do I still get joy from this? (The KonMari method is perfect here!)
Typically, the answer is pretty clear to me… and I stick it in the donate pile.
And remember, the less there is to organize the easier it is to keep it organized.
If these questions aren’t helpful, here are a few things that can get you can take out of your closet now:
Clothes and shoes that you don’t wear anymore. Excluding dress shoes and clothes.
Clothes and shoes that are worn out, in disrepair or don’t fit anymore.
Items that could be stored in another place in your home like cleaning supplies, craft supplies and technology.
Lastly, literally anything that hasn’t been used or touch in years that should/could be used on a regular basis.
Be generous. Think about what you buy when you go to shop at a thrift store. Do you buy the things that are in disrepair or do you buy the things that look and feel brand new?
I look for the brand new stuff 100% of the time. What if you donated your things before your not using BEFORE they get into disrepair?
2. Clean your closet.
This is for even the smallest closets. Even for the "I can barely get one shirt in this space" closets.
Get the dust out and grime out. Vacuum the floor. Wipe down the shelves and baseboards. Whatever you have to do to get that sucker nice and fresh. Your clothes will thank you later!
3. Take a look at your current organization habits.
I hate the act of hanging things on to coat hangers. I’m not a fan and I will avoid it like the plague.
Folding? Much more relaxing. I’m 100% more likely to fold clothes than hang them in my closet.
So take a moment and think about what you prefer to do with your clothes. Hanging? Folded in dresser? Folded and on shelves?
Your probably going to have a combination of a few.
Choose wisely. If putting things away is even just a little fun or relaxing, you are more likely to make it happen!
4. Build your base.
At this point, you might realize that your closet isn’t set up in a way that will work best for you.
There are plenty of options available fo doing this. For example:
Wire shelving units from the hardware store
Bookshelves and other shelves from Ikea or Target
Plastic tubs, large and small
Assemble your furniture or shelves and get it into your closet! Then head on to the next step!
5. Put the pieces of the puzzle back together.
This seems like the easiest part, right? It can be, but make sure that when you are putting your closet back in a way that makes it EASY to keep organized. Everything should be easy to retrieve and easy to put away. I’ll give you a few examples that have been awesome solutions for me:
I could line my shoes neatly underneath my clothes but I’ll honestly just toss them underneath the shelf and hide them instead. So, I have a skinny bookshelf that I use to keep my shoes organized and in view. It makes it so much easier to find the shoes I'm looking for!
I could hang all of my clothes in my closet, but if I did that all of my clothes would sit folded on my dresser and never reach my closet again. True story. So, I opted for a cube shelf system from IKEA!
Hanging jewelry storage. This is personal preference, I know. But hanging jewelry storage has changed the way I keep it all together. Now all of my jewelry has a pocket on the hanger and the chains don’t get tangled anymore and I can easily pack it all when I travel. Game changer.
Organizing doesn't have to be a nightmare. And when your closet is just as easy to put things away in as it is to retrieve things from, it is much easier to keep it organized! Remember: when choosing between retrieval and storage always opt for retrieval! And the best way to organize a closet is the way that keeps it organized.