Closet Organizing: A Task That Can Be Loads Of Fun!

I don't know if it is due to the transitioning of the seasons, but I have found many of my friends commenting lately about how they need to purge and organize their closets. I think this kind of project is great for Sunday afternoons.

Here is what you need to begin your closet-cleaning project:

• A bottle of champagne... Or the little mini-bottles of champagne... (Makes cleaning more fun.)
• iPod with speakers (or just set-up your laptop) and a special "closet purging" mix... (Music also makes things more fun.)
• Dust rags... (Shelves, old hangers... Shoes... They'll need dusting if it's been a while.)
• An iron with ironing board... (Unless you have a garment steamer - lucky! You'll want to iron anything that is clean and needs it.)
• A sewing kit. (In case you find a garment that needs a button sewn on quickly.)
• A vacuum cleaner... (For cleaning the bottom of the closet. Or a broom if it isn't carpeted.)

And then you have all you need to get to work!

But you may be wondering how you decide to actually organize things. Here's how I break it down...

• Take all shoes/clothes/bags out.
• Clean the bottom of the closet and any shelves in it.
• Organize the hangers. And for the love of God, please toss out the wire ones. THEY RUIN CLOTHES. My favorite hangers are wooden ones, which you can get for cheap at Bed, Bath & Beyond (in the U.S.) or Home Sense (here in Canada).
• Next, analyze what you always wear versus what you rarely wear, versus what you never wear, versus what you would like to wear more often.
• If there is anything you really don't see yourself ever wearing, for the love of God, just toss it out. (Meaning: Donate to charity.)
• Organize the rest of the shoes (ideally) on shelves. You want to be able to see everything, that way you are less likely to just keep flocking to the same things you always wear/use.

This may not seem very insightful. But I find that pulling everything out of the closet, and then putting it back in piece-by-piece makes it easier for you to see what you actually own and what you need to start wearing more often. Also, it makes it more clear what you need to buy for your wardrobe.

With my recent move, I was able to do a thorough clean-out of what I no longer wear. And with my very own closet in the new house, I was able to do a re-org of how I usually display and place everything in it.

The previous owners were very meticulous. They built in all kinds of fabulous shelves, drawers and hooks into both walk-ins in our bedroom. I have a drawer for all my jewelry that has felt lining in it. And I have hooks for all my necklaces and scarves...

Shelves for my shoes and bags...

And plenty of rack and drawer space for my clothing...

I like to hang out in my closet every week, re-organizing and "plotting" what I intend to wear the next week at work. I think everyone should have a closet like this. Forget having a guest room! Turn it into a "dressing room!" You can easily find things at various stores to help you so this. I suggest:

• The Container Store
• Bed Bath & Beyond
• IKEA
• Home Depot
• Walmart
• Target

Man! I just realized that this is something I should have done to Frogger's spare guest room before I left Boston. It would have been a fun project to document!!!!