Spring Clean Your Life in 10 Steps: Step 4 – Cleanse Your Closet

Source: Decoist

Pretty sweet closet set up, isn’t it? If only mine looked that way. Ahhhh, some day perhaps.

It’s been a little while since I posted anything substantial, and I’m sorry for that! I wanted to, but this week was total chaos and I couldn’t find the time before now. My job has been keeping me insanely busy, I’ve been trying to move forward on a lot of wedding planning, and life has just been generally demanding!

Moving on to Step 4 in the “Spring Clean Your Life” series, this next post is dedicated to the closet. Follow these steps below and you’ll have your closet ship-shape  in no time.

Take Inventory

Just like my post on spring cleaning your pantry, you need to start with a blank slate. Remove everything from your closet and lay it out in an open area so that you can survey what you have.

Categorize

Separate your clothes into four distinct piles:

Keep: Put whatever you plan to put back in your closet into this pile.

Donate: Items you’re getting rid of go in this pile.

Store: Put seasonal clothes in this pile to place into storage.

Sell: If you have items that you think you might be able to fetch a bit of cash for, set them aside to take to a consignment shop or sell on eBay.

Switch out Seasonal Clothes

Take your spring/summer wardrobe out of storage and put away your heavy winter clothes. Dry clean any winter items that need it before storing so they’re ready to wear again when the cold weather rolls back around.

Purge

Be honest with yourself and discard any clothes that you haven’t worn for a long time. If you’re like me, you probably feel guilty that you spent money on something you’re not wearing and you keep telling yourself, “I’ll wear it soon”. The bottom line is, though, if you aren’t wearing it, it’s not getting any use and it’s only taking up valuable real estate in your closet. Give it to someone who will use it. Haul it off to Goodwill or give it to a friend who’s similar in size.

Do you have items that are stained? Ripped? Faded? Don’t fit right? Uncomfortable to wear? Just not your style anymore? Out with it!

If you’re having trouble saying goodbye to something, remind yourself that once you’ve rid your closet of underutilized clothing, that will give you room to buy new items you will enjoy!

Make a Plan

Now is the time to assess how your current system is working for you. If you don’t know where your items are half the time, you need a better organizational flow.

I’m sure I’m not telling you anything new, but I do swear by this common tip: start by organizing your clothing according to color. It’s up to you if you also want to organize your items by clothing type–I personally don’t. I  organize all of my clothing by color and then use one side of my walk-in closet for all of my casual items and the other side for my professional attire. I find this works best for me. Now envision what will work best for you.

If you have a hodgepodge collection of plastic, wire, and wooden hangers, I would suggest going with all one type. I like to use wooden ones.  Using identical hangers will create uniformity and cohesiveness in your closet space.

Another tip for keeping track of the clothes you are and aren’t wearing moving forward: turn the hanger backward every time you wear an article of clothing. It will become readily apparent which items you’re not wearing.

Make the Best Use of Your Space

If you have shelving in your closet, store items that you use less frequently in baskets or boxes. Short on floor space? Hang a cloth shoe organizer from your closet rod. You also might want to install a couple of hooks on the wall or on the back of your closet door to hang belts, scarves, and jewelry. The idea is to get the maximum usage out of your space. Here are a few ideas to get your started.

Shelf dividers for easy stacking of sweaters or to keep handbags upright

Ikea boxes with lids

Another great Ikea item…store rolled up scarves, belts, or other small items in the compartments.

Organize your belts

I love this idea from Better Homes & Gardens to put a dresser in the closet if your bedroom is small.

Use some basket liners like these cute ones from Pottery Barn. They will help you to easily discern what the contents of your baskets are from afar.

Make a “Need” List

While you’re sorting through your closet, you’ll inevitably realize there are certain items you need or lack. Make a list of clothing items to buy later.

Enjoy the Fruits of your Labor!

Once you’ve finished organizing, take a step back and enjoy your handiwork. Job well done!

Do you have any additional tips to share? Please leave a comment!

R

Resource Links

Find a ton of cool DIY closet ideas doityourself.com

An entire site dedicated to closet organization tips: Closet Organization Tips