Ever since I implemented my reverse hanger closet trick back in 2013 it’s been much easier to keep my closet organized. However, there are still times I walk into my closet and say, “what the heck happened in here?”
I recently did a huge (to me) overhaul of my closet and how it functioned and also a big purge and organization of everything that was in there. I ended up with 3 huge garbage bags of things to let go and donate.
It feels so freeing to actually be able to walk into my closet and see everything that is in there now and grab exactly what I want, when I want it.
Since this binge and purge, I thought it would be great to write up a little post on how I decided what to keep, what to toss, and what to donate and how I go about organizing my closet.
Detox your closet
For me, this is the easy part – anything that has been unworn in the past year gets pulled out. Depending on quality is whether or not it gets donated or just tossed. I would have to say that 99% of the things in my closet get donated because I do try to keep my clothes in great condition.
Once I pull out all the things that have been unworn, I go through the stack to check some maybe’s… like maybe I haven’t worn it because I’ve been pregnant and it hasn’t fit yet, or maybe I haven’t worn it because it’s out of season, or whatever.
I take these things out and try them on with a pair of jeans <– this is important because you can’t try something on with some pajama pants and expect to see a true representation of how it will look. Try things on to check the fit and make sure it’s not too tight, too stretched out, too baggy, or you just don’t like the style anymore. This gives me a firm yes or no to keep or donate.
However, I always keep it in the back of my mind that if I already haven’t worn it in a year then I probably won’t again.
Get organized
I hang literally everything in my closet so I don’t have to go digging in my drawers to find a completer piece, a layering cami, or whatever I might need. I organize everything by type of top or bottom and then again by color in that section.
So, for example, I have all my layering camis and tank tops in one section and then organize all of those by color. I have all my short sleeve & 3/4 sleeve tops in another section and organized by color. And the same for long sleeve tops, sweaters, and then cardigans.
Now, I know that some people say not to hang your sweaters or some delicate tops because you can stretch out the shoulders but I use these hangers and they keep my sweaters perfect and not stretched out. I actually use those hangers for all the tops in my closet because they are amazing.
- Belts are hung on a tie rack that I found at Home Depot or you could use command hooks.
- Handbags are hung on a super high shelf using “s hooks” so I can see which ones I have. Or you could stack them on top of a high shelf but be careful that they don’t collapse over – you could use clear dividers to solve this problem.
- I used to house my shoes in clear plastic boxes but realized that I only wore the same 2 or 3 pairs because I couldn’t see what I had. I bought this shelf and now can see all the shoes I have and better determine what will go with my outfit.
- Jeans and shorts are also all hung and use these department style hangers to keep then neat and able to see the style and cut quickly.
- Bralettes and sports bras are folded and placed on this hanging shelf for quick and easy access in sight instead of being stuffed in a drawer.
- Boots also used to be stored stacked in clear boxes like my shoes but I bought these and now line them up at the bottom of the closet so I can see them.
Keep it fresh
Reevaluate and update your closet at least twice a year. Spring and summer are my favorite times to do this and I can really look and see what I didn’t wear or don’t like anymore and what I might need for the upcoming season.
I also use this time to find some fun, new pieces that I can incorporate into my wardrobe.
There you have it… my easy ways to keep my closet organized and fresh. It definitely will take at least a full day to get your closet organized but once you have a system in place it becomes second nature and you’re able to keep your closet organized all year long.
