How to Get Organized- Starting with Your Closet!

Ever feel as if you are downing in disorder? Is your closet a compilation of every article of clothing you have had since the 80’s? Do you have a hard time figuring out what to wear each day due to your messy wardrobe? Don’t wait for spring-cleaning to get organized, do it now! Here are some ways to combat your cluttered closet and de-stress your life at the same time.

1. First, decide which section of your closet to battle first. For example, start with either all of your shirts, or all of your pants, etc. Then take those sections out one by one, and put them all in a pile. It even helps to separate clothes by the seasons you would wear them in. You can put all of your long sleeve (fall/winter) tops in one pile while the short sleeve (spring/summer) blouses in another. Do the same with shorts and pants, dresses, lighter jackets and heavy coats.
2. Second, go through each pile one by one. If you have not worn a piece of clothing for a year or longer, it is definitely time to get rid of it. If it is in good condition, fold it up and put it in an empty garbage bag to donate it to good will. If the article of clothing is over worn, ripped, or not wearable, just throw it away.
3. The next step is optional but highly recommended. Organize each pile of clothing by color, starting with the rainbow colors and then moving on to neutrals. For example, place all the reds together, then pinks, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, and purples. Then put together all whites, grays, tans/beiges, and of course, blacks. Your jeans can even be organized from light to dark or vice versa. This will create optimum organization and make it much easier for you to get dressed in the morning.
4. Next, you will want to decide how to arrange your clothes when putting them back in your closet. It is best to put your pants and dresses on the tallest rack because they are the longest articles of clothing. Shirts normally fit best on the shortest rack. If you do not have different shelves in your closet, it would be very worthwhile to go to the nearest home store and purchase a closet organizer kit that comes with several easy to install shelves. New shelving will provide a lot more space for your clothing. Put all of your clothes back in you closet, each pile having its own place and remaining in color order.
5. The last step is organizing all of your accessories. All belts, bags, shoes or any other things that are in your closet need to have a space as well. A hook for belts is ideal, a shelf for all your purses, and of course placing all of your shoes in their rightful pair and faced forward in your closet. If you have any shoes in boxes, labeling them with a permanent marker will help you identity them.

Now that your closet is clean and neat, you should feel less stressed and empowered to take on the world! Or at least to take on that untidy dresser of yours.