Your closet is often the first thing you see in the morning, and its
condition can determine your mood for the day. There is something
about an orderly closet that makes a person feel stylish and in-control.
But digging through a cluttered closet, trying to find a matching
outfit can dampen even the brightest of spirits. Not a very good way
to start the day!
WHAT’S IN YOUR CLOSET?
The road to organization begins with an honest evaluation of your
wardrobe. Is your closet filled with clothes that don’t fit, are out
of style, or haven’t been worn in the last year? They’re out of here!
Are you guilty of owning a garment that you can’t wear because it
doesn’t go with a single thing in your closet? Make a decision right
here and now -- either find something to match that cool paisley shirt
or get rid of it.
Now separate out any pieces that need to be mended or cleaned. You
may want to put a couple of labeled baskets in your closet for regular
laundry, dry cleaning, and alterations. Try not to hang anything in
your closet that is not CURRENTLY WEARABLE. And if you want to keep
your closet under control, plan to purge your wardrobe every few months.
Now that you have pared down, let’s set up your closet so that you
know where everything is:
BY SEASON
Start by separating your clothes into “fall / winter” and “spring
/ summer” items. Make sure to do the same with your accessories, lingerie,
and outerwear, as well. How does your wardrobe balance out? Do you
have a closet full of summer clothes, but only 3 winter outfits? That’s
okay for someone who lives in South Florida -- but if your home is
above the Mason-Dixon line, it’s time to go shopping! If you find
that you are short on space in your bedroom closet, consider storing
the off-season in another part of the house. A spare bedroom closet
or portable armoire in the attic might be the perfect answer. Just
be aware of climatic concerns and guard against insect infestations
-- especially when storing wool clothing.
BY CLOTHING TYPE
Now, you will want to sort through the current season’s clothes, creating
logical categories based on the way that you normally think about
your wardrobe. You can arrange your clothes according to PURPOSE,
breaking out formal, work, and casual outfits. Or, you could organize
by TYPE -- grouping jackets separate from blouses separate from pants.
And in either situation, it’s always good to create different categories
for each STYLE of clothing -- such as storing short-sleeve shirts
in one place and long-sleeve in another. Whichever method you choose,
clearly delineate your categories -- either put labeled divider discs
on your rod (like the ones used in department stores) or assign each
section to a different part of the closet.
BY OUTFIT
I am an inherently lazy person. I don’t want to spend time deciding
what blouse goes with which pants, so I hang entire outfits together.
What a time-saver! Of course, if you like to mix and match, this system
may not be the best choice. If you do go this route, consider labeling
each hanger with a list of accessories that accompany that particular
garment. Feel free to include any small items, such as scarves or
belts, right on the hanger with the outfit. One client of mine (who
loves hanging her clothes in outfits) came up with a creative organizing
idea -- she has a pair of earrings that only go with her navy suit,
so she clips them right on the lapel!
BY COLOR
The final step is to organize each section of clothing by color. Going
from light to dark, group items of the same hue together. You don’t
have to create a scientifically accurate color spectrum -- just generally
group reds and pinks in one place, blues all together, etc. Now, when
you need a black blouse, they will all be hanging in the same place.
This will also allow you to see excesses and deficiencies in your
wardrobe. One woman I worked with told me that organizing by color
was the dumbest thing she had ever heard of -- until she tried it!
She never knew she owned 12 different red T-shirts until re-arranging
her closet. She also swears this technique saves her 20 minutes getting
ready each morning!
Ramona
Creel is the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com
--
offering "a world of organizing solutions!"
Visit OnlineOrganizing.com
for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau -- and even
get a referral for a Professional Organizer near you. And if you
are interested in becoming a Professional Organizer, we have all
the tools you need to succeed. (Copyright 2000, Ramona Creel)
(This
article is from an outside source that is not affiliated with Theblufish.com
and is provide as a service from Theblufish.com. We like to notify
our guests that though we find much of the information helpful,
we do not constitute an endorsement of any outside sources, their
views, or any material or activity that may take place on their
website. The Blufish, Inc. assumes no repsonsibility for any actions,
services or material provided by these companies.)
