AN ORGANIZED CLOSET

An organized closet does more than just look good. It serves an important function. Yes, it holds all of your clothes. But it does more than that. It keeps you organized. Or it should.

If your closet is organized correctly it will save you time and money. Time – because you will be able to find things easily. And money – because you won’t be buying clothes that you don’t need because they are already in your closet and now you can find them.

But remember, a closet has to work for you. Not me. I designed my closet to fit my wardrobe. I wore only suits so I needed lots of space for skirts and jackets. I never wore pants or dresses to work so I didn’t need any space to hang long things. But that’s me.

In designing your closet space you have to look at what types of clothes you wear. Don’t just accept the closet space that you inherited when you moved into your house or apartment. It’s probably totally inefficient. So why do you think that you should be stuck with it? Even if you are in an apartment and are not allowed to “build out” your closet there are plenty of options that will work to make your space more efficient.

First, take everything out of your closet. Sort your clothes into piles. Don’t analyze each piece at this point. Right now you just want to put everything into the proper pile.

* Keep pile : wear regularly (at least in the last 6 months) and it fits
* Haven’t worn in the past year
* Doesn’t fit
* Needs to be repaired
* Donate
* Garbage

Next, go through each pile and make the next decision.

Keep pile : wear regularly (at least in the last 6 months) and it fits
* It’s still in style > keep
* It’s out of style > put into the Donate pile

Haven’t worn in the past year
* Haven’t worn it because you didn’t know you had it > put it back into the Keep pile
* Haven’t worn it because you don’t like it > put it into the Donate pile

Doesn’t fit
* If in good condition put it into the Donate pile
* If you have a tendency to go up and down in weight frequently you might want to keep a few basic items in another location should you have another weight change (but only a few items). Please do not torture yourself and think that you will go back down to a size 2 “one of these days” – donate the item – it’s been 10 years!

Needs to be repaired
* If it can be repaired and fits & you will wear it > fix it and then put it into the Keep pile
* If it can be repaired and doesn’t fit > fix it and then put it into the Donate pile
* If it can’t be repaired > put it into the Garbage pile

Donate
* Things that you will not wear or haven’t worn or are out of style
* Be sure to keep a list of donated items

Garbage
* Anything that can’t be fixed

This is the time that you will need to decide on the type of storage accessories that you need for your particular space. Do you need more hanging space? Do you need more shelf space? There are many options for shelf dividers. Do you need more space for shoes?

There are many inexpensive options available and this is where a professional organizer can help you make the right decision so that you can get the most use out of your closet.

After your closet has been re-designed to accommodate your lifestyle it’s time to put your clothes back into the closet. Neatly and folded ! You will be amazed at how much more room you will have.


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/