This post is all about the best closet organization guide with all the best tips and tricks to get your closet space to look insanely clean and well organized.
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Springtime is almost here! So, it’s the perfect time to start planning out for the yearly closet clean-out. When it comes to closet organization, some people do monthly clean-outs while some of us only have time for a yearly clean. Some of us have larger closets, so cleaning them out monthly is far more ideal than having a yearly maintenance routine.
Creating a cleaning and organizing plan would really help initiate this type of project. For example, write out exactly what your goals are when it comes to cleaning out your closet. This could be preparing a donation box to give to Goodwill or purchasing some lighting fixtures to add some extra lighting onto your shelves.
I would also set a date or a deadline to really follow through with your clean-out. A lot of the time procrastination sets in and we end up preventing ourselves from doing the task. I personally love to declutter my closet. I love to go through everything I have and see if it’s worth keeping or removing. This also gives me enough space to buy some more clothes for the upcoming seasons.
Since I love to clean out my closet every year, I decided to make a closet organizational guide and show you the exact steps that I do to have a super clean and organized closet. Your closet is a space that should motivate you to dress better and organizing it is where it all starts. I’ve seen closets become an overwhelming situation for people. Then they end up having a hard time finding what to wear or even get discouraged to do something about it. So, if this is your problem, follow along as I give you some easy tips to clean up your closet space in no time.
This is the best closet organization guide to help you tidy up your closet in no time.
Closet Organization Guide
Declutter, Declutter, Declutter
The first thing we want to focus on is to declutter your closet! Why do we need to declutter? This will give us the space that we need, motivate us to wear different combinations of clothes, and it will prevent us from feeling too overwhelmed.
I totally understand that sometimes it can be hard to get rid of your clothing. If you do decide to get rid of some pieces from your closet, it would be best to get rid of at least 1/4 or more of your clothes, shoes, and accessories to give us that space that you need.
I usually set up three different piles on my bed or on a chair to differentiate whether I will be keeping, donating, or throwing the clothes. I also use trash bags or boxes to prepare the clothes that are going to be thrown away or donated.
The way I organize things is by making a pile for everything that I’m keeping because I need to see exactly what I have and if it’s worth keeping. Also, once everything is out of my closet, I’m able to start removing the dust from the shelves by spraying them with a cleaning agent like dawn soap mixed with water to really make sure it’s clean.
Side note: I’m big on not using extremely heavy chemicals in my home especially because of my chronic illness. So, I switched out majority of my of products to more organic or lower chemical products.
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Categorize Your Clothes
I do want to mention that cleaning your closet could take some time, so I would either bring a friend to help you or turn on your favorite playlist or TV show. They will keep you company and help you to finish your clean out all the way until the end.
Once you have everything organized on your bed or floor with all of the keeps, donations, and trash items. It’s time to move on to the next step.
My focus now is on all of the clothing I will keep. I focus on the closet placement and what I will be wearing for each season. Since I love to categorize everything, I also categorize my closet every year. This could by season or by color. But most importantly, I tend to divide everything by the type of clothing.
I used to work in retail and that got me into the habit of making sure I have everything organized by type of clothing. This meant that each category of clothing all belonged together, for example, all dresses belong together and so on. Then, I would place each type of clothing depending on how often I wore them. For example, t-shirts and jeans are my go-to items so, I will place all my short-sleeved shirts and denim jeans in the front of my closet. Then it’s dresses, skirts, and finally winter clothing will be placed in the back.
Side note: I usually have winter clothing in the back because I live in a place where it hardly get’s cold throughout the year. There are a very few days of the year where I would wear a thick jacket or coat.
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Use Matching Hangers
One of those things that I’m obsessed with is to have matching hangers in my closet. It makes your closet to look nice and tidy. I know that this can become an impossible task especially, if the hanger style is no longer being sold in stores or online. However, I do believe that as long as they are similar to the other hangers then it can still look just as organized and easy on the eyes.
The best hangers that I’ve had after trying out so many have to be those simple plastic black hangers that have the bottom part to them because they’re durable, versatile, and affordable. I used to get those velvet hangers with the gold metal hook because they looked pretty. However, they were usually made of cheap quality, and the hook would detach from the bottom part of the hanger every time I tried to hang something heavy like a coat.
This is how I realized not everything has to be aesthetic, but it has to be durable for those heavier and bulkier items in your closet.
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Maximize Storage Space
One of the most important things when it comes to this closet organization guide is how to maximize storage space. When it comes to maximizing storage the best thing you can do is declutter. This can be by getting rid of things you don’t need, wear or want.
I would say its ideal to eliminate about 1/4 of your closet or even more if you have to really give yourself that extra space.
Another way to enhance space is to use one of those multilayer hangers that allow you to hang multiple pieces into one hanger to reduce even more space.
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Store Seasonal Items Separately
One of the best ways to store seasonal items is by using a separate drawer or a stackable organizer. This way it’s in a place where it doesn’t get in the way of your everyday items. This will also keep it away from moisture and keep your clothes dry and ready for the next season.
If drawers are not your thing, you can always hang your current season in the front of your closet while placing the last season in a different location or at the end of your closet.
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Create a “Go-To” Outfit Section
A very popular thing to do is to create a “go-to” outfit section. This could be at the very front of your closet or in an area where you can grab and go.
This section is perfect for those moments in life where you have to run out the door like for those that need to work or go to school.
I wish I had known this back when I was in school and going to work. This would have saved me so much time. For the “go-to” outfit section it’s probably best to pick out your outfits for the next day to the next week. Assemble them and place all of them in the front of the closet or in a special place that is divided from all your other clothes.
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Maintain A Clean System
One thing you should take away from this closet organization guide is to create a maintenance system. While you are cleaning out your closet its ideal to create a system that would make it easier to have things stay tidy and clean. The more organized your closet the easier it is to avoid hoarding or cluttering.
The best way is to keep everything clean is to divide everything and place it where it belongs like the shoes go on shelves or the shoe rack, bags go on the shelves, and so on. Once you put find a place to put everything it’s just so easy to prevent from creating clutter.
Every closet should have a drawer of some sort to store extra pieces or intimates. Make space for everything in your closet even your jewelry and get creative!
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Optimize Shoe Storage
Shoes can be tricky because they take up so much space and they kind of need to be visible enough to see what you will be wearing.
I have shelving at the top of the closet rails and in between two closet rails on the back side of my closet. These are the places where I place some of my special occasion shoes and winter boots.
For the rest of my shoes, I got one of those over-the-door shoe organizers and I placed all of my everyday shoes there like my sneakers, flats, and sandals.
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Utilize Hooks & Racks
If you need even more space, I would highly suggest getting some clothing racks that you can place either in your closet or in your bedroom if you don’t have that extra space you desire.
On the other hand, you can always install hooks on your walls to add your bags or your jackets on the wall of your closet. It’s all about getting creative and finding what works for you.
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Label Storage Bins
Another way to organize your closet is by setting up some cute woven bins in your closet. Place all your smaller items in here like your accessories or your other smaller items. I place bins in different parts of my room and also my closet to make everything feel put together.
I also recommend placing labels on your bins since they are not easily viewable, so in case you forget what is in them you are always reminded with a label or tag.
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Fold & Stack Strategically
I have a process when it comes to folding my clothes. I always make sure to either iron out my clothes or steam them before folding them and putting them away. It just makes the process easier and it reduces the chance of the clothes wrinkling while being folded.
You can also use a shirt folder board to facilitate your folding techniques or you can just fold by hand. Place your clothes in dividers or on your shelves by color or type. I usually place them by type so all of my jeans go together, blouses, etc.
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Use A Rolling Cart For Extra Storage
This closet organization guide would be nothing without rolling carts. Rolling carts are great for adding some smaller accessories like gloves, hats, watches, sunglasses, or even belts. They increase visibility and access to your smaller wardrobe items and I love using them.
Place your jewelry box on the cart, handbags, lotions, and perfumes. Make your cart perfect for you!
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Keep A Laundry System Nearby
Laundry is so important especially because we want to make it the process the most efficient as possible. We want to focus on getting your clothes separated before washing them. This would mean having a basket for your lights, darks, and colors.
The minimum is three but if you need another one for intimates that would probably be better in my. experience. I usually do split everything by lights, darks, colors, and intimates. This is because I noticed that my intimates would get ruined in the wash, and it just caused a lot of problems so I decided to wash them separately at a lower speed.
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Add A Full-Length Mirror
You can’t go wrong with a full-length mirror. You can have it in your closet or in your room but you absolutely need one.
It’s important to know how you look from the waist down because the bathroom mirror isn’t enough when you’re trying to get a glance at your whole outfit.
You can get a over-the-door mirrors or you can simply hang one on the wall in your closet.
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Keep Jewelry And Accessories Organized
Keep your jewelry and accessories organized with a jewelry box or you can also get those compartment pieces to place in your drawers.
I usually have one big jewelry box, a mini version, and a trinket holder. I hold all of my special occasion jewelry or my bigger pieces in my bigger box. On the mini version, it’s more of my everyday jewelry and the trinket holder just holds pieces that I wear daily. I usually place them there before I go to bed. I currently don’t own fine jewelry, but if I did I would store it in a much safer place.
A jewelry box also prevents your jewelry from getting tangled up or lost. Highly recommend.
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Add Good Lighting
Lighting in your closet is so important so that means getting the right lighting to create a cozy closet experience.
My closet is on the smaller side, so I wouldn’t need any more lighting but if your closet has a lot of shelving and space. I would suggest adding a bar light for those areas that need that extra lighting or those circular lights that are operated through motion sensors.
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Make Closet Organization A Habit
My closet organization routine happens once a year before the spring season begins or when spring is already here. I make the biggest changes during this season on what I want to keep and what I want to throw out.
On the other hand, my maintenance routine is every six months. If things start to go sideways or if my closet is looking a little too cluttered I start to reorganize it again or even throw things I don’t want or need.
I try to make it a habit by having it written down on my planner every year because I have witnessed bad closets. I know from experience that it would take so long to clean after a closet that hasn’t been touched for years. Keeping it tidy will decrease the time I need to finish this task and I always know where everything is in my closet.
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Overall, this closet organization guide was made to help you maximize your space and always maintaining a clean environment in the space that inspires you to create your outfits. Having a clean closet at all times means having a maintenance schedule ready and a yearly decluttering session. It means focusing on building space and also being resourceful when needed.
I hope these simple and easy steps help you create a tidy wardrobe this season. This closet organization guide was also made with the intention to help you get that motivation to dress amazing with everything that you already have in your closet. Create new styles and outfits just by decluttering out your closet space. You never know what you can find!
If you loved this closet organization guide, share it on Pinterest or share it with your friends! Let’s get The Pretty Economist to reach as many people as we can. I will see you on the next one!