Closet Refresh 101
If you’re anything like me, you can’t help but buy new clothes for Fall. The direct result of impulse buying all the cozy sweaters and new jeans? An overwhelming amount of clutter in your closet. With the changing of the seasons, now is the best time to survey what you already have, minimize your wardrobe, and refresh your closet!
Tips to Successfully Streamline Your Wardrobe
Shopping is easy, it is the discarding that becomes the hard part. Over time, it is easy to buy an item here or there to add as a new staple to your wardrobe, but how often do you actually swap it and get rid of an item you no longer need?
It can be much more difficult for people to get rid of items than to add to their collection, and we get that. But decluttering your wardrobe is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It allows you to be who you are today -- not who you were 10 years ago, or who you might be 10 years from now. Getting rid of clothes helps alleviate daily stress by making getting dressed in the morning an easy task (because everything you put back into your closet should be something you love).
So, we have a few tips on how you can slim down your wardrobe before we get to organizing your space.
STEP 1: GATHER ALL OF YOUR CLOTHES TOGETHER IN ONE SPOT
This is essential! Pull out every single piece of clothing you own (yes, including the clothes in your laundry basket). You want to see everything out in the open so you know you’ve gone through every single item as you declutter.
STEP 2: ITEM BY ITEM, ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS:
Do I LOVE it?
Do I feel CONFIDENT in it?
Do I wear it REGULARLY?
If you answered “yes”, then keep that item!
Is it too small? Worn out? Stretched? Stained? Full of holes?
Is it too hard to find something to match it?
Has it been months or years since I have worn it?
If you answered “yes” to these, it is time to say goodbye!
For items you aren’t quite sure about, take some time to try them on. If you feel good about wearing them, keep them in your wardrobe! If they don’t, you can add them right to the donation pile.
STEP 3: TIME TO ORGANIZE YOUR REFRESHED WARDROBE
Once you’ve gone through all of your items, you should have more space to organize the pieces you’re keeping. Folding and hanging items in an orderly way will help make outfit selections much easier in the future.
Get Organized!
Time to tackle that closet! Your wardrobe has been minimized, it’s laid out in front of you, and your closet is empty and ready to be filled in an organized fashion. At The Orderly Space, we have methods that we use on a daily basis that help our client’s closets look (and stay) amazing! We are spilling a few of those secrets today so you can tackle this DIY closet makeover yourself!
You’ll want to arrange your items (clothes, shoes, handbags, etc.) in a way that creates an amazing visual aesthetic, and makes sense for when you’re trying to locate your items. We’ve broken down organization by small closets and large closest so you can follow the method that works best for your space!
SMALL CLOSET ORGANIZATION
If you’re working with a small closet, you’re going to want to create three categories: tops, bottoms, and dresses. Within these categories, we suggest then organizing your items by color for a look that is both visually appealing, and makes it easy to find exactly what you need!
LARGE CLOSET ORGANIZATION
When you have more space to work with, you can create more categories and even further narrow down your items to make it easier to locate each piece of your daily wardrobe. For large closets, we like to organize using these categories: sleeveless tops, short sleeve shirts, pants, jeans, short dresses, long dresses, etc.
Once you have your garments separated into their categories, you can then begin to organize by color.
PRO TIP:
Color arranging from dark to light makes for a stunning visual experience. At The Orderly Space, our color organization follows this pattern: Black, Brown, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Pink, Tan, White, Grey.
FOLDING VS. HANGING
Getting clothing storage right is key to maximizing space! If you’ve ever seen the shoulders of a favorite sweater stretched out or the wrinkles in a dress shirt shoved in the drawer, then you know the horrors of a piece of clothing that has been improperly stored. Who knew there was such a thing?
We’re here to help you make the right choice when storing your clothing, so your items are ready to be worn (wrinkle and stretch-free)!
What to fold? Anything that can be easily stretched out, such as sweaters, knits, t-shirts and sweats should be folded rather than hung up. Additionally, denim, cords, and khakis do well folded. Folding puts less stress on these delicate materials.
What to hang? Clothing items that wrinkle easily - like suits, dress shirts, blouses, and dresses are best kept on hangers. Also, any items that are made of pure linen. However, if you are hanging denim or other pants, it’s best to fold them lengthwise over a hanger rod, or hang them by the cuff using a trouser hanger with a clamp.
When it comes to proper folding techniques, the KonMari Method is a more efficient use of space and it can be much easier to find the items you are looking for.
Our Favorite Closet Products
It’s no secret that when you work with The Orderly Space, we have literally seen and used pretty much everything in the organizing industry. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite closet organization items to share with you as you declutter and DIY your closet organization!
For closet organization, keeping your items neatly on a shelf has never been easier than with Acrylic Shelf Dividers. These easy to use dividers can easily maximize your shelf space while keeping your clothes neat and tidy.
We love non-slip, space saving velvet hangers! Speaking of hangers, switching out your mismatched hangers to all matching is one of the most affordable and impactful change you can make to your closet!
When it comes to felt baskets, you can do no better than Target! We love the variety in sizes and the neutral colors that the baskets come in, which make them perfect for a seamless and sophisticated look in any space.
Both handbag stuffers and boot shapers are items that many people never think about, but they are crucial to keeping your precious handbags and favorite boots looking great all year long. Plus, they help elevate the appearance of your entire closet.
Time to Dive into Organizing!
Tackling your closet may seem like a daunting task, but you’ll be amazed at how much peace your newly refreshed space provides you! We can’t wait to see what you accomplish as you declutter your closet and get organized!
