Digging through sweats and turtleneck to find your summer clothes? It might be time for a closet makeover.
Like any big task, reorganizing your closet if you take it one bite at a time. Set aside an hour a week to put a dent in that mess you call a closet, and before you know it, the job will be done – and getting dressed in the morning might take half as long!
Start with a clean slate
The first step is to clean it out completely. Pile the clothes on your bed, and find a spot on the dresser or floor for shoes, scarves, ties, and other accessories. Now you’ve got a clean slate.
Assess your space
How’s the paint? Is the lighting right? If you find yourself squinting at clothing to determine if it’s black or navy blue, you might need new lighting and a fresh coat of light-colored paint. Use a glossy paint, and you’ll hit the exacta: The highly reflective sheen will give you better visibility in the confines of your closet. Consumer Reports offers a list of its top-rated paints on its website.
Next, figure out what will go where, and make a list of items you’ll need like more shelving, boxes, bins, hanging shoe racks, furniture (if you’ve got space), and lighting.
When it comes to lighting, you don’t need an electrician to change out the lights in your closet. LED options include battery-powered lights in a variety of styles that are a snap to install. Some even include motion sensors. Get lighting ideas online at decoist.com, bobvilla.com (check out the brilliant LED-lit closet rod!), and Pinterest.
Sort and purge
All that stuff you took out of your closet? It’s time to sort it. Make several piles: Items going back into the closet, items to store somewhere else, and items to toss or donate.
That second category includes all the weird things that can end up in a closet like borrowed clothing (return it!); shoeboxes of receipts, bills, and paperwork; electronics; and sports equipment.
The third pile should include anything that doesn’t fit you. Your diet is a worthy goal, but if you’ve tried losing weight before and are still hanging onto your “skinny jeans” in hopes they will someday fit, think about moving those jeans to the donate pile.
Anything with missing buttons, broken zipper, and holes should be thrown out, especially if you’ve been hanging on to them for a long time with the promise of repairing them.
Refill the closet
Now you get to install all the cool organizing equipment that you bought. Determine a place for everything, and return those items to their place in your closet. Shoes should go back on the shelves, rack, or hanging bag you purchased; scarves go in the bins or baskets; and nothing – nothing! – ends up on the floor. This is especially important if you’re organizing your closet in preparation for selling your Southern Maryland house.
Where should your clothing go? Organization experts have several ideas. Some say to put the things you wear most often front and center, while others recommend hanging like items together (shirts, pants, etc.). Still others suggest grouping your clothes by color. Only you can determine which system will work best for you! Need ideas? Visit hgtv.com, instyle.com and pinterest.com.
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