How to Properly Arrange The Clothes in Your Closet

Take The Clothes Out of The Closet

Before trying to organize anything, it's best to completely empty out your closet and take inventory of what you have. Take a good look at every item and decide if it is really something you still enjoy wearing. Donating items you no longer need frees up much-needed space for your closet to look neater and more uniform. Go ahead and wipe down all of the surfaces as well and vacuum while you're at it.

At the same time, it's never a bad idea to give your closet the old sniff test and ensure no funky odors are being contained within. After that, you'll be left with an empty palette to start fresh.

Group Clothing by Type 

Next, your clothing will need to be grouped into basic categories and perhaps, additional subcategories later on. For example, all of your dress pants belong together. All of your sweaters belong together and all of your tank tops belong in the same stack. Be sure to completely separate any out-of-season items and store them appropriately and out of the way.  Simply group your clothing into like stacks, getting them ready to be organized.

Decide What Deserves to Be Front and Center

Now, think about what items you wear the most. Those deserve to be featured front and center in your closet, in the most accessible spot. This is also known as “prime real estate.” It's the area most visible and reachable that has nothing blocking access to it.

Hang Your Clothes The Right Way

To begin, start with the right hangers. Avoid using mismatched hangers, wire hangers, or plastic hangers. Opt for slimline velvet hangers that help hold up your clothes and don’t take up a lot of space. Here are some tips for hanging your clothes the right way from Reader’s Digest.com.

Now, be sure to face all of your clothing in the same direction to keep your closet looking uniform. Start with short sleeves in the front and move to long sleeves, then to dresses, etc. Items that are too long can be folded over the hanger to keep them from dragging.

Decide What to Fold

The amount of closet versus drawer space will dictate what you should hang and what you should fold. With that being said, there are certain items that hold their shape much better when folded, sweaters for example.  Pajamas, workout clothing, and swimsuits also don’t really belong on hangers.

Gather Your Organizational Supplies

Now is the time to take inventory of how much space you have left for folded clothes, shoes, and accessories. Think about different space-saving solutions you can purchase that will neatly house your remaining items. Stylish baskets and bins can inconspicuously hold practically anything. Wall hooks are handy for hanging jackets, purses, and the like.

Organize Your Shoes

There are many different types of shoe organizers out there if you don’t have built-in shoe shelves, such as you would find in a custom closet. The first option is an over-the-door shoe organizer. It utilizes the space available on the back of a closet door.

Another option is to purchase clear, stackable shoe boxes, which are great for keeping the dust away. Or, research stackable, mesh shoe shelves you can keep adding to whenever you purchase more footwear.

When placing your shoes on a shoe rack, group all like shoes together. All of your boots should be grouped together, your heels together, your flats, and so on. To save space, turn the second shoe around so that the heel is in the front.

Keep in mind that if you choose to invest in custom closets, there are additional costs associated with them. However, the benefits certainly outweigh the drawbacks. DASI Innovations provides a detailed guide for answering the question of - What Factors Influence The Cost of Purchasing Custom Closets.

Store Your Accessories

Purses can either be hung on wall hooks or neatly sorted by size on available shelving for all to see. The majority of your jewelry should be organized neatly in stackable trays that can be kept inside a drawer. However, larger statement pieces can always be displayed by being hung up. Belts and neckties can be stored on racks to keep them crisp and ready to go!  Hats can be placed upon a shelf or vertically hung upon the walls.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have a beautifully arranged closet, commit to keeping it that way by following the one-in-one-out rule. Every time you purchase a new item of clothing, donate one item. Give your closet an organizational refresh every now and then and you will always have what you need at your fingertips. If all else fails, look to this guide for helpful tips and ideas for properly storing your clothes.

Sources

• https://www.dasiinnovations.com/custom-closet-cost-factors
• https://www.rd.com/article/how-to-organize-your-closets/