Clothing is one of the biggest areas that my clients struggle to keep organized! It’s an area that is used daily, items are frequently coming and going, new items are purchased, and there are different items for each season!
Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Declutter your space FIRST
Before even trying to organize and tidy up your closet, you must first go through and decide what clothing you’ll be keeping and actually wearing!
Ask yourself these questions: Do I like how I feel when I wear this? Is this physically comfortable and fits me well? Does this go with other clothing items I have?
Only keep those items that you know you will actually wear, and that you enjoy wearing. If your body fluctuates size at a frequency that makes it challenging for clothes to fit, it is definitely ok to keep other sizes! Just don’t let that be the majority of clothing you keep. Remember that clothing is supposed to fit YOUR BODY, you are not supposed to fit INTO clothes (even if they are beautiful and you loved wearing them when you did). Your body is a good body, regardless of shape or size.
For more tips about decluttering your clothing, check out my other blog: How to Declutter Your Closet.
Now for the organizing!
2. Go vertical
Utilize your vertical space when organizing your closet! Closets and cupboards will often have shelves at the top for storage. These shelves are fantastic for out of season clothing, or items that you do not wear frequently. Make sure you label the containers or bags that you’ve put items in, so you don’t forget what’s up there!
If you are running out of space, see if you can find a double hanging bar to hook onto your existing closet bar which creates an extra level to hang shorter items!
There is often the “advice” to hang or fold items specifically, or to do one or the other. I don’t subscribe to a specific method of hanging or folding, nor do I expect my clients to! I always say do what is best for you.
3. Folding tips
If aesthetics are something that inspire to you to maintain your space, then file-folding clothing so you can see everything is a fantastic method.
If you are someone that struggles to even put clothing away at all, then just getting the clothing to the drawer or hanger is what’s important! I think it is crucial to have a specific drawer for each category (shirts, undergarments, pants, pyjamas etc.), but how those clothes go into the drawer varies by person. As long as you can find what you’re looking for, do what is sustainable for your to maintain. This could be tossing them in (if wrinkles aren’t a problem), file folding, folding flat, or rolling!
4. Hanging Tips
Hanging can often be a better option than folding because it doesn’t require the same level of finesse or attention.
You do not need specific hangers (eg. thin velvet hangers) to keep a closet organized, nor do you need your hangers to match! Personally, I have an assortment of plastic hangers, as they are sturdy, easy to find, and preferable to use. I don’t like how much clothing clings and sticks to velvet hangers, and if I know it’s an item that frequently falls off of a hanger, I fold it instead.
If hangers are impeding the clothing to be put away, try putting them on hooks or bars in the closet!
Many clients I’ve worked with struggle to put away clothing, and instead the clean laundry remains in the hamper. Remember that putting your clothing away is part of the process of “doing laundry” - you aren’t finished once you’ve put everything in the dryer! I like to put timers on my phone to remind me to take items out of the dryer and put them away.
5. Arrange however is most accessible – whether by colour, category, frequency of use etc.
Everyone’s closet layout is different, and everyone’s style and process is different when they are getting dressed.
It can be really helpful to have the order of your drawers reflecting the order of how you put your clothes on. For example, undergarments at the top, then shirts, then pants at the bottom.
For hanging, I like to do it by category (blouses, dresses, cardigans/sweatshirts), but I think it can also be valuable to hang your items based on how often you wear your items! Have your everyday work clothes at the front, and more formal items in the back/corner. Colour-code if you like too, but do whatever is easy to maintain for you and doesn’t cause you stress if it’s imperfect.
For other tips about clothing, check out my other blogs Alternatives to Buying NEW Clothes and Fixing Well-Loved Clothing Items
If you want it done more efficiently, but don’t know where to start, get in touch with me to set up a free consultation!
