Is your closet brimming with clothes, winter jackets, accessories, and everything else under the sun? The good news is, you aren’t alone. The other good news? With a little TLC, your closet can be decluttered, organized, and refreshed. Start by taking everything out and having a Marie Kondo moment—do you really need that ripped-up old hoodie or striped blouse you’ve never worn? While everything is out of your closet, take that time to refresh the actual closet itself: a new coat of paint, extra shelves, hanging hooks, a new light fixture, and so on. To help you with this, some of our favorite expert organizers and designers weigh in on the best ways to approach closet organization. Here are their nine top tips:
1. Keep your closet seasonal.
At the beginning of each season, rotate your clothes and accessories accordingly. While this seems like a no-brainer, it is easy to push this aside. When the first cold snap arrives, stow away those cutoffs. In addition to making getting dressed easier (think: no reaching into the depths of your closet or rummaging through a stack of sweaters), it keeps things looking fresher and your clothes feeling new.
2. Group things together.
The key to a beautiful closet is keeping the clothes organized in groups. First, separate items by type (skirts with skirts, denim with denim, and so on), and then decide if the grouping needs to be hung, folded, or put in a drawer. And if you are feeling enthusiastic, go ahead and organize by color—your eyes will thank you later.
3. Keep your favorites nearby.
To avoid a pile of T-shirts on the floor (after digging through to find your perfect, worn-in white tee), put your everyday favorites on one open shelf. Fold your staples (jeans, T-shirts, sweaters) and place them in the front of your closet. On those mornings when you hit snooze one too many times, this shelf will save you.
As small accessories are usually more delicate, they are best kept in a drawer. Use drawer dividers and liners to make them feel customized and a bit more luxurious every time you open it. This is also a perfect place to store your intimates.
5. Take care of your items.
To keep your clothes and accessories in their original form and last their longest, be mindful of how you store them. Fold sweaters and knits to avoid drooping shoulders, which can happen with hangers; stand purses upright and stuff loosely with tissue; and keep shoes in clear plastic boxes. This little maintenance makes all the difference.
6. Rethink closet lighting.
Closets tend to be poorly lit spaces, which can make finding that navy tee among a pile of black ones a particularly daunting task. Update your fixtures with brighter bulbs, or if you have the space, add a statement lighting fixture to really personalize the space.
7. Add a mirror.
In addition to its obvious function, a mirror will also help make your closet feel bigger. Add a full-length mirror to the back of the door or on the back wall (if you have a larger, walk-in closet) and a smaller one at eye level for trying on jewelry and accessories.
8. Bring in color and pattern.
Personalize the closet with bins, hooks, or a fresh coat of paint. If you love a minimal, clean look, try woven bins with a linen interior to store accessories or intimates. For something a bit more playful, use colorful baskets and quirky hooks to showcase jewelry and scarves.
9. If you add something new, take something out.
Try enforcing the “if you add something, take something out” policy to keep things tidy and current. If that fails, when you rotate your closet at the beginning of each season, use that time to cleanse and channel your inner Marie Kondo.
** Expert advice from the designers at California Closets and Lee Mayer, cofounder and CEO of Havenly.
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