Are the clothes in your closet squished together without even a hint of order?  Do you have shoes, belts, clothing and other items laying on the floor of your closet?  Are your clothes separated by season?  Do you have your good winter sweaters “hanging” instead of neatly folded and protected to keep their shape?  Do you have clothes in your closet with the tags still on, that you purchased over six months ago, but have never worn?  Can you find the mates to all of your shoes?  What about that dressy blouse you wore last New Year’s….can you find it?  Are you”frazzled” when you walk into your closet?

Your closet CAN be an orderly, peaceful place to store your clothing and accessories with a little bit of time, effort and creativity.

The FIRST thing to do is to take everything out of your closet and determine what kind of shelving, hanging space and organization system is desired and needed for your specific closet space.  There are a lot of choices and options from ClosetMaid organization systems to the Elfa decor closet at The Container Store, or maybe even custom built suggestions.  You may already have good, quality hanging and storage space.  Choose closet organizing hardware that will give you lots of options, such as adequate hanging space, pull out bins, shelving for shoes and accessories and full use of your closet area from floor to ceiling.

NEXT, determine what items you actually wear and use on a regular basis and remove all of the rest.  Donate your unused clothing and accessories to a local shelter, resale shop or Goodwill.  This may be difficult to do, but is essential in having a functional closet.

FINALLY, after your organization hardware is installed, create an organized “home” for your clothing, shoes, hanging items, and accessories, arranging by color and season.  Be creative by using storage bins and baskets that you may already have.  Use hangers that are alike and sturdy (give your wire hangers to your dry cleaners, as they will recycle them).  Create a visually pleasing atmosphere for this space in your home that you visit every day.  If you have room, create a place in your closet where you can lay out your everyday jewelry and fun accessories.  The most important thing is that you should love going into your closet!

Below are some pictures to help inspire you to get started!