Putting Off Cleaning Your Closet? Start Today!
Is opening your closet overwhelming? Is it filled to overflowing with more clothing than you need? Are there items hanging in there that have been around for decades? Maybe it’s time to get organized and clean out that closet!
The thought of cleaning out a closet can be so daunting that it feels better to just go on ignoring the situation. But organizing a closet doesn’t have to be an overwhelming project. With the right attitude, it can even turn out to be surprisingly enjoyable. And just think how great it will feel to have your closet under control once you’ve finished!
Remember, the goal is to get rid of as many items as possible while holding on to the things you wear regularly or love. You can keep all your favorites and jettison only those items that are simply taking up space. We’ve compiled some suggestions you may find helpful.
A few helpful tips…
- Empty the closet. Remove clothing, shoes, fashion accessories, and anything else you’ve been storing in the closet. Take your clothes off their hangers. Place items in piles depending on categories, such as pants, shirts, belts, shoes, purses, etc. Of course, it’s possible you may very well end up completely covering your bed, bureau, and anything else that will hold a pile.
- Evaluate your stockpile. Think of the project as a game. Go through each pile and ask yourself the following questions about each item.
- Do I like it?
- Do I wear it?
- When was the last time I wore it?
- Does it fit?
- Is it out of fashion?
- Do I have multiple versions of it?
- Decide what’s out and what’s in. You may have to make some difficult decisions ahead of you. But, if you answer the questions above honestly, some of those decisions will be made for you. If you haven’t worn something in a year, it makes sense to get rid of it. Likewise with items you don’t really like all that much. Items no longer in fashion can go to the top of the list of things to ditch. There can be some gray area when it comes to items that no longer fit. Be realistic about whether or not an item will fit again in the near future.
- Pass along whatever you can. You can donate items you don’t want or need as long as they are still in good condition. You may want to check with family and friends first to see if someone else would like any of your discarded items. Do not donate items that look old or are damaged.
- Organize the keepers. Taking time now to establish some kind of system in your closet will make it easier to keep the closet organized. There are many different ways to arrange a closet. Come up with something that works well for you. For example, you may want to organize your clothing by color or by season of the year. You may want to keep items you wear more often together in the same area of the closet and those rarely worn in another spot.
- Use all space. Closets tend to have more storage space than we utilize. Don’t waste empty areas of your closet. In some closets, you can add an additional pole below the current pole. Some have an empty wall where you can add hooks for hanging accessories or even put up shelves. Make sure to use any available overhead space as well.
- Find another spot for nostalgic items. We all have pieces of clothing and accessories that have sentimental meaning to us. But we can hold on to the most important of these things without using up space in the closet. Pack them away in a plastic bin you can store in the attic or basement. If you don’t have an attic or basement, you may have a different spot in your home where can stow items away instead of in the closet.
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