For some of us, me included, a new home is soon approaching and there is the dreaded move, in front of us. For the rest, reorganizing our homes is always on the to do list for the end of the year. The new year is now upon us and so many things could be said about having resolutions. This year I am all about organizing. My closet, my schedule, my kitchen, my “junk-room/junk-stuff,” and finally a refresh for the living and den areas. Many people resolve to get better organized and say they want to maximize the space they have. But, rarely is there an actionable plan to do so. I’m definitely guilty of that and so the guilt ends this new year. I have created an actionable organizational plan, here. I resolve to actually put this plan into action, and be done by my birthday… January 31st! Can we hold each other accountable? Will you get organized with me? I’m starting with the closet this week so we can start this new year with an organized wardrobe… Let’s begin!
Long hanging- Place long hanging dresses and/or jumpsuits at the edge of the closet. If you have a walk-in or reach-in, you should have a bar in the closet that has uninterrupted space from the rack to the ground. Having a bar below long hanging items makes the closet junkie and seem over stuffed. We want a streamlined look for visual appeal and easy access to save time in hunting for outfits before the day begins. Start with Summer looks that are long hanging and then go to the longer sleeves. The rest of the closet will be this way, from short to long.
Long pants- Most of us fold our long pants over the bottom half of a hanger and that’s fine. Keep the clunkier items at the end of the rod and the slimmer items at the front. This will also give the illusion of short to long even though most of the items will be the same length in the closet. If I had the space, I’d try the “S” hooks and also let them hang long ways after the long sleeved long hanging items. Still with me?
Skirts/Shorts- This year I am actually going to try those hanger clips that are so underused in my opinion. I rarely use them, and my husband either, but I think this is an efficient and visually appealing way to hang shorts and skirts. These will go after the folded pants and/or directly under the short sleeve tops, depending on your closet. Hang skirts two at a time to save space. Men, hang the slimmer shorts the same way.
Tops (Short and Long Sleeve)- The short sleeve tops should go first on this rack and the longer sleeves should be at the end. You could attempt to color code but if you’re anything like me, a mom of two, a wife and a professional procrastinator, skip it and aim to keep the darks together and the lights together. Again, hanging the shorter sleeved items first and the sleeve length in order from left to right.
Blazers/ Cardigans- These items in the closet seem to be the quickest to get mixed and matched with other clothes. Ever seen hoodies ending up next to blazers? My current closet is this way. My general rule of thumb with this is to save the work blazers/cardigans to hang next to the tops and the casual ones next to the hoodies and pull-overs. It may seem complicated but once the repetition kicks in then it’s a seamless way to keep the closet organized all year long. It’s easier to rehang work things next to blazers that are used often.
Outerwear/ Sweaters/ Hoodies/ Pull-Overs- This is a bit of a junk rack as the times we use these items are random and at the last minute. This is the rack that should be last in the closet and can be kept orderly only with practice. I rarely hang my hoodies and jackets and then they end up everywhere. Hall closets, kitchens, mudrooms etc. are usually the drop off spot. This year, I aim to actually take my coats off and hang them in the closet… but at the back of the closet of course. Hang the clunkier items last on whatever rack you find or simply grab a plastic bin slim enough to sit at the bottom of the closet or slide under your bed. Fill it with the winter items that rarely get used and the treasures from the childhood/teenage days that we simply can’t part with, store them here.
Winter Coats- I’m debating on the winter coats making it into my closet for this year. I’m feeling more and more like this will be a basement closet item. My husband and I lived in Denver, Colorado for four years and I have accumulated quite a few coats that are unnecessary for Georgia weather. I will use my extra space in the new basement to create a basement closet and these winter items will make it in the storage right next to the Christmas decorations. If you’re typically in colder weather throughout the year, then the hall closet may be your best bet to keep your closet clean and simple. The hall closet space is a great steal of a closet as it’s the last place our guests look as they’re walking out of the door. No one thinks, “wow, they’re messy for keeping winter coats next to mine.” So, hang the winter bulky coats out of site of your work suits and coveted shoes that are summer-time favorites. Organization at it’s best.
Accessories (Scarves, Hats, Purses/Wallets, Belts, Jewelry)- In our soon to come new home, I have to reorganize our accessories. I say our because unlike many men, my husband has more of everything than I do. His accessories and his shoes are a huge part of our closet. In the new space and for all shoe lovers out there, there are several DIY shoe hacks that you can try. For us, I’m going to add a wall of shoe storage for my husband and keep the accessories close to that. Any extra wall space will be used for scarves and any left over pockets will house the bags and purses. Inside the purses will house our sunglasses, wallets, and belts. The jewelry I will separate into one drawer or get a lucite storage for the dresser top. I’m not super accessory girl so I can keep my accessories storage to a minimum. What are your favorite jewelry storage hacks? I’ve heard of shoe boxes and makeup storage boxes but I will save a drawer for these items this year and keep it simple… I may even dash for an insert! Here are a few organization articles that I plan on implementing for the new year. Happy Organizing!
Here are a few sites to check out and piece together your actionable plan of execution for a better flowing and visually appealing wardrobe!
- http://www.mydomaine.com/amp/closet-organization-hacks
- http://www.mydomaine.com/closet-makeover/slide12
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