Part One: Organize the BasicsOne: edit, edit, edit.Once you have taken everything out of your closet, sort through your clothing. This is the time to be tough! If you have not looked at or worn something in a year, chances are you aren’t going to. Trash the unwearable and donate the rest to your neighborhood charity or thrift store.*At this point, while everything is out of the closet, you can take the opportunity to paint or wallpaper your space. For my own, I wanted a deep, warm gray. It creates a neutral backdrop, colors show off well, and it is timeless.

Two: remove off-season items. Pack them away neatly in a drawer or box. This will help you to select items for an outfit much quicker, as well leave you with more room…(to shop perhaps?)

Three: start with the bones of the space. You should have some basics in place. At least one rod for hanging long items, such as coats and dresses, and two rods for shorter hanging items, such as skirts and tops. Tip: hang rods at least one foot from the wall to allow for proper hanging. For shorter hanging items, allow 3-4 feet between rods so that clothing can hang without touching anything below.

As for shelving, if you can opt for flat, wood or similar, do. Wire is often standard, however, it will leave marks in your clothing and is not as aesthetically pleasing. (I have wire, but just place boxes on top of it)

Add drawers to your closet. A tall, thin section of drawers, preferably located near the centre of the closet, will store unmentionables, socks, scarves, hats, etc. Alternatively, if you can add cabinetry below your hanging clothing, that will work as well. The more sturdy/permanent solutions you have in place, the easier it will be to stick to your new organizing system.

Lastly, if your footwear is going to be stored in your closet also, have a designated spot. Such as: a rack hung on the inside of the door, one that is self-standing, vertical stacking, (fabric organizer) or boxes. Clear or frosted ones are my preference – they look clean, but you can still see the shoe.

Four: select one hanger look to carry throughout your closet. My personal favorite is wood hangers. They last for quite some time, do not leave marks on your clothes, and help to achieve a boutique feel.

01 Basic – your simple, wood hanger

02 All-purpose – for hanging tops + bottoms on one single hanger (think suits)

03 Bottoms – for hanging skirts, pants, shorts, etc. Usually with one or more clips.

04 Notched – ideal for thin straps, so they do not slip off.

05 Deluxe – has widened shoulders/ideal for suit or winter jackets.

06 Padded – for special, delicate dresses, such as silks, that must keep their shape.

Five: purchase some boxes. This is most essential. As soon as I could, I bought 4, large, black leather covered boxes. (Cohesiveness in look is key) They are sturdy, store a number of things, keep them dust-free, and look chic. I have had them for nearly 8 years, and they remain in great condition. Whether you are going to use them for accessories instead of drawers, or to store extras, like bedroom décor, think ahead. Anticipate that you will need more than you need at this moment and purchase accordingly. (You never know what you will receive some Christmas!)

Six: buy garment bags. I cannot stress this enough. Particularly for specialty items such as wedding dresses, heavily beaded dresses, lace pieces, leather, etc. *I have read in Real Simple magazine that using plastic garment bags is fine for many fabrics, such as cotton, however, you must avoid plastic when covering leather, as it can cause the leather to crack. (yikes!)

♥ Part Two: Arrange Your Clothing + Accessories

 

Now that you have organized the architecture of the space, now comes the time to organize how the clothing will be arranged and displayed.

One: Start with your rods. When placing clothing on the rods, place them in color stories. Start by categorizing by function. Place all of your workout wear together, and the more formal wear together. Then, turn to your long, bulkier pieces, such as coats and dresses. Place those in color schemes…all blacks, grays, magentas, etc. together, spreading your heavy items apart as much as possibly to avoid stress on the rod(s). Once you have completed the long, hanging section, move onto the shorter sections, and repeat with color coordination. Leave at least ¼” between garments to avoid wrinkles and to have a more aesthetically pleasing look. * do not hang overly delicate items, such as cashmere. Leave that for the next step: folding.

Alternatively, if your rods run along the same height throughout, hang all lengths of clothing together according to color scheme and function. This organization will provide efficiency in selecting an outfit in the morning, one that fits your mood, as well finding that single item that you might be searching for.

Two: Fold your delicates and clothing accessories. Organize these pieces by relevance before placing them back in the closet. Put all tights together, socks together, tees together, tanks together, ect. by color. Keep whatever possible in drawers and/or boxes for a neat, dust free appearance. Also, purchase some inner space organizers for inside drawers and boxes to divide smaller items into logical order. (such as belts and ties) Although this is fairly common sense, remember, keep heavier, larger items on the bottom, and lighter, smaller items on top. If you are feeling extra organized, label your boxes with simple, clean labels for easy viewing.

If you have additional clothing storage, such as a dresser, you can use this instead or as well as closet boxes/drawers. If this is the case, keep all clothing together, and all accessories together.

Three: set up your shoes and handbags. Again, go by color and style. All black, open toed shoes together, all flats together, all white handbags together. This goes for shoe boxes as well, as racks and shelving. Go for as streamlined of a look as possible.

♥ Part Three: The Final Touches

Now that you have organized the essentials, and have all of the main clothing, accessories, and shoes in place, you can add some flavour to the look. Here are a few ideas to ponder…

 

01 Prop a fun piece of art or even frame a magazine page/cover on a shelf – something you find delightful and inspiring. It will make your closet feel special and you will have something nice to wake up to in the morning.

02 Purchase at least one special hook to help achieve your new look. Hang your favorite, pretty necklace or handbag you just bought…or even your outfit for the day.

03 Add statement knobs to closet doors and pulls. They can be a sleek, stainless steel statement, or a velvet flower statement, but they will add a little interest and variety.

04 Always have scented sachets in your closet. I have at least 2 so that my clothes always smell nice. My favorites are lavender, coconut, or “wish” by Lollia. *Special tip: place them also inside boots to take care of any unwanted odour.

05 Hang tags – not just for pricing goods! You know when you’re stuck, and can’t seem to recall that terrific outfit you put together 6 months ago? You can purchase paper hang tags, (or make your own) set them around your hanger, and scribble down the outfit description. This also works like a charm when trying out plan your looks for a busy week ahead.

06 Add a little soft rug, maybe a chair or bench, if space permits.

07 If you have vintage or new chic hat boxes, use them! I roll belts in the inside perimeter of mine.

♥A Few Tips From Real Simple “The Organized Home”:

01 Rub clothing rods with wax paper to promote easy sliding.

02 Add battery-powered, easy mount lights inside your closet if you do not currently have lighting.

(if you have the option, deck out your space and go for a statement chandelier)

03 Keep lint brushes/rollers close at hand.

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I hope you have found these tips and tricks useful. I certainly didn’t cover all of the closet possibilities, but I hope that you can take something away from this post and be able to apply it to your own closet!