BLOG BANISH YOUR CLUTTERED CLOSET
Is your closet full, cramped and cluttered? It's easy to let things get out of control, especially this time of year. Closets are great places to keep things out of sight, but it can backfire when things are put in that don't belong or have a specific place to go. Getting your closet organized can seem a bit overwhelming when you have to start with a full, cluttered mess. We've been collecting tips from professional organizers and closet organization specialist for years. Here, we've compiled some tips for you that work, don't cost much, and are easy to tackle on your own.
1) Following a plan can make things run more smoothly. If you're doing too many things at once, it can be frustrating because you're not seeing the benefits for a long time. Choosing a good place to start and only thinking about that one thing can make things go fast and smooth. A common place to start is getting rid of excess clothing and clutter. Get some boxes or bags so that you can start thinning out what you own. You can't figure out how to organize what you need if your closet if full of things that you don't really need. Give away clothes, shoes, purses and other items that you can do without. If something is out of style, doesn't fit right, has a stain, or if you simply don't wear it anymore, get rid of it. It's cheaper to buy a couple of new things later if you get rid of too much than it is to invest in a giant closet system to organize all of those things that you don't even use anymore.
2) The next step is to categorize what you have left. Avoid making a miscellaneous pile of things that you're not sure where they might fit in. Having things that don't belong anywhere creates clutter. When you get everything separated, you can determine how much space you need for each category. You can decide if something will take up less room when it's hung or when it is folded and stacked on a shelf.
3) If you need to, add some shelving to your closet. You may need less hanging space than you think. Use clothes hangers that save space if you need to. Specialty hangers help you to combine skirts, pants, belts, ties, and even scarves to save space. Cascading hangers are great because you can coordinate outfits and fit them into the space of one hanger. Wooden hangers and other sturdy clothing hangers should be used for coats and suits, but thinner, flat, space saving hangers are perfect for everyday wear.
About the Author: Jo Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for clothes hangers.