- Thursday, April 25, 2024
By: Eastern Eye Staff
Closets are notoriously messy and cluttered, but it doesn’t have to be that way. With these seven essential tips, you can have an organized closet!
Since the contents of our closets are notoriously easy to hide with a closed door, these little spaces often become clutter catchers.
But a disorganized closet can turn a tight schedule into a day full of stresses.
When you can’t find what you’re looking for and you’re already running late, that delay knocks your whole schedule off-kilter.
Getting your closet organized to start your day off right isn’t the hard part. It’s keeping it that way that’s the struggle for most of us.
These seven organizational tactics are essential if you want to straighten your closet out (and keep it that way).
If you follow most of the internet’s closet organization advice, you’ll end up getting rid of almost everything you own.
Of course, hoarding is never a good idea if you want to be in control of your home. But this doesn’t mean you have to live a minimalist life to be organized.
Once you’ve gone through your possessions and you’ve decided what you can’t live without, you might still have a lot of stuff. How you store what’s left after you’ve used your hangers and drawers is important.
A hodge-podge of containers means you’ll have a confusing assortment of boxes to go through when you need to find something. And you probably won’t put everything back nearly as neatly when you’re in a hurry.
Not only that, but using random storage boxes and totes to hold your stuff makes the “organized” method still look messy.
To get and stay organized, be strategic in choosing storage containers. Stackable boxes that line up flush with each other maximize the space you have and keep everything neat and tidy.
You can also tape an index card to the front of the box to list the contents.
Your closet is full of empty space, so why not take advantage of it to help you stay organized?
If you have a regular door that opens in and out instead of sliding, an over-the-door hanger can be used for your shoes or other accessories.
Sliding doors are harder to use for storage, but not impossible. Anything flat that fits between the doors when they are moved can go here. For instance, a corkboard hanger or small hooks make perfect jewelry holders.
Wire hangers are no longer necessary with all the different options available today. Fabric, clip-on, and durable plastic hangers make it easy to put your clothes up neatly.
Choosing a wardrobe-hanging method is important. It looks much nicer when everything is organized. You can go straight for the item you want, and switching seasonal items around is much simpler.
Common methods include sorting by color, hanging whole outfits together, and separating by season. However you decide to organize your clothes, make sure it’s something basic you can keep up with.
Putting your extra stuff, like seasonal items, in containers is a smart organizational tactic. If you can’t remember what’s in each box, though, you’ll make a mess going through them until you find what you’re looking for.
Some people prefer clear plastic organizers for that reason. Those can get pricey, though. It’s just as efficient to label a regular storage container.
The index card method mentioned earlier works. Getting a label-making machine is another possibility, although it can be time-consuming to type out each item’s name.
For the really organized person, there’s another option:
Type your list on the computer and print it. Save it as a file and make changes as you get rid of or add to each box.
Whichever method works for you (and keeps you from digging through every container you have) is a winning technique!
If your closet’s clutter was so bad that you’re looking for ways to stay organized, you need to get real with yourself …
What did you do before to make such a mess?
Bad habits are usually the main cause of a disorganized closet. Try to replace your messy tendencies with new rules that help keep your closet organized.
For example, if you used to use your closet as a catchall, make a list of things that are allowed in the space (clothes, shoes, accessories, storage totes) and only let those items in.
Or, if you have a bad habit of waiting to hand your clothes until every item is in a pile on the floor, you need to fix that, too. Make a rule that you’ll hang up your clothes immediately after washing them.
If you don’t enforce the rules, you are the one who has to deal with the mess. You’ll realize quickly how adjusting a bad habit and replacing it with a good rule will benefit you!
Bulky items are part of every wardrobe and household. Instead of storing your big coats and blankets in the closet, get vacuum-storage bags. You’ll probably need one for each large item.
When you stuff the bulky blanket or jacket in the bag, it’s going to look huge. Follow the directions that come with the bags, and that big, room-consuming thing gets sucked down to an almost-flat, easy-to-store baggie.
Now, what once took up half your closet can fit with a few other baggies in an under-the-bed rolling tote!
The way you hang your clothes is one method of organization. How you store the rest of your stuff is another.
When you store your stuff strategically, everything is easier to access.
There are some things you use daily and others that you haven’t touched in ages. It makes sense to have the things you use most at your fingertips. The rest can go in the nooks and crannies that are hard to get to.
For example, you should store the clothes and accessories you wear most in priority positions at eye-level. Store rarely used items, like your seasonals or fancy dress shoes, on the top or bottom shelves.
You’ve seen the benefits of having an organized closet. You’ve done the heavy lifting by sorting through your stuff and minimizing the mess. Now it’s time to create habits that will help you continue to keep your closet looking great!
With these seven essential tactics, your closet will be orderly by default!
[Client bio]
Angus Flynn, business manager of Arte, has been with Alliance Residential Company for over five years. He has extensive experience with a variety of properties, from large lease-ups to smaller, more urban assets.
