The National Association of Professional Organizers has dedicated January to cleaning out those closets, but don’t wait until January, now is the time. This task isn’t exciting, but by spending a couple of afternoons on it this month you can cut down on unnecessary searching time and may even find yourself some extra storage in the process.
Most people have heard of the 80/20 rule: people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. Everyone’s closet would be beautiful and tidy if it only contained 20% of its original content. Do not worry! I’m not suggesting that you throw out those limited-use pieces, but I do suggest that some sorting and storage principles be established in those newly organized closets.
Disclaimer: Now if this task seems too overwhelming, start small; try the hall closet first to boost your confidence. We’ll be reviewing a clothes closet, but many of the steps discussed below can be applied to any storage area.
Step 1: Start by selecting your messiest closet and deleting its contents. During this process, take a good look at what you have and consider donating or throwing away items that haven’t been touched in years. Remember that these items take up valuable storage space. Be honest with yourself and make the effort to purge the old, the size-challenged, and the “what was I thinking?” . If you can’t bring yourself to part with some of these items (even if you know you have to), put them in a box, put the date on the box, and store it in the basement or attic. If you haven’t touched the box in a year, throw it away or donate it without opening it.
Step 2 – Now it’s time to save the items you’ve decided to keep. As you put things away, keep things together (for example, long-sleeved shirts) and remember to store items based on how they are used and how often they are used. Location is important: Store dressings for special occasions in the back, while frequently used items should be in the front and between shoulder-high and knee-high. Don’t forget about floor space under your short hanging items. Buy clear containers and store sweaters and shoes out of season (no, not together); do not forget to label, so that next year there will be no unnecessary discharges. If you’re storing sweaters or shirts that don’t hang on your top shelf, consider shelf dividers; these keep those stacks from falling into each other.
Step 3 – Finally consider ways to maximize the space you have. The back of the cabinet door offers wonderful untouched storage space. Add robe hooks and your comfy sweatshirt or buy one of those nifty door units for extra storage. Another storage option is hat boxes (not just for hats!); They’re great for storing small accessories and look great on your shelf or neatly stacked on the floor.
Step 4: What you hang your clothes on really makes a difference. All of your hangers should be the same type (yes, get rid of those wire hangers from the dry cleaner). Replacing hangers can be as expensive or as inexpensive as your taste and budget dictate. You can purchase a pack of plastic hangers for a few dollars or you can purchase some very good quality wooden or padded hangers. You’ve gone through all this effort to organize things and this last detail can really tie it all together.
Once everything has a place and fits, you are encouraged to keep it organized and clutter free. Maintenance is key and will only require minimal effort if done daily. A few minutes of hanging, folding, and tossing in the designated basket keeps everything in place. I almost forgot: Leave about 10% of your storage free for future purchases. There will be no cluttering or stuffing in this new organized closet!
Copyright 2004 Bridget Messino