Closet Organizing Step-by-Step Guide

"Effective Method on How to Organize Closet"

If you've never done any closet organizing before, you might feel as you don't know how or where to start. That's why having a complete, guided method is important to make the organizing successful and to stick.

Organizing your closet might sound like an awful lot of work, but believe me honey, it is the essential step to liberating yourself from a messywardrobe and the classic nothing-to-wear-syndrom!

I want to introduce you to theorganizing method called S-P-A-C-E which was developed by Julie Morgenstern who is a veteran in the organizing industry.

The SPACE model gives you an easy-peasy reminder for how to organize your closet in 5 systematic steps:

1. Sort 
2. Purge 
3. Assess 
4. Containerize 
5. Equalize 

You can also use this method for every room in your house.

So to make closet organizing work for you, I (and Julie Morgenstern) suggest you to follow these 5 steps:

Closet Organizing Step 1: Sort

In this step you'll be simply amazed by how much junk and treasures have been lying in the back of your wardrobe without you realizing it, and of course the items you'll be re-discovering because you completely forgot about them and have missing for quite a while. For me, this is usually one of the emotional steps in the SPACE method because you'll fall inlove again with items and reunite with lost garments, he he :-) Get absolutely everything out of your closet, drawers and racks and sort them by clothing type. For example: pants, jeans, shorts, skirts, etc.  Start sorting the contents of your drawers first and move on to your closet, racks, etc. Tip: Emptying the closets gives you a great opportunity to clean your closet, so take advantage of this moment and hit the vacuum cleaner before you put all of your clothes back in.

Closet Organizing Step 2: Purge

Now this one's a toughy because you'll have to make lots of decisions. You probably also have to try on clothes that you're not sure you need or fits you. Dedicate at least 2-3 hours of un-interrupted time for this step. Go through everything that you took out and decide if you want to toss or keep it.  With all the clothes and accessories sorted in your room, create 6 piles: Keepers pile: Items you wear daily, need and look good on you. Like wardrobe essentials such as perfectly fitted tees, sweaters, jeans, pants, jackets, etc. Charity pile: What-were-you-thinking and grown-out-of-it clothes (outdated styles, wrong sizes, etc.) that are in good condition. Stuff that you don't want anymore but would like to give to charity or others who might like the garments. Tailoring pile: Clothes you want to keep that need a little maintenance, like torn linings, hanging hems, open seams, missing buttons, broken zippers, etc. It could also be items you want to re-invent (like changing the buttons). Dry cleaning and to-be stored pile: This pile includes anything you don't need right now in this season (there really is no space for super-chunky knit sweaters when it's blazing hot outside), which I usually group in two: warmer months (Spring and Summer), colder months (Fall & Winter). To maintain the fabric and material of these items, take the time to clean everything (that's why they call itSpring cleaning! ;-) ) Trash pile: Anything that has holes in it and that you don't want the world to see on you or anyone else. It also includes items that are broken and can't be fixed, like bras that are stretched and sprung, garments that have been stained, chlorine-bleached swimsuits, etc. Time capsule pile: There are at least a couple of things you justcan't be asked to part with, which you should place in a dedicated a space for sentiments. With me, I usually cop my taekwondo outfit and Mickey D job uniform from my early teens.

Closet Organizing Step 3: Assess

In this step you'll have to evaluate and analyze what is needed to containarize the garments. You basically plan each clothing category a home where it should live permanently. Start with understanding your own space limitations and find ways to organize the garments based on this information.  Ask yourself:
• How much storage do you need and have?
• What are you planning to put in each organizer (main closet, drawer, racks, etc.)?
• What kind of storage and organizers are needed for your clothes and accessories? Open-view or closed storage? Do you have to build a closet organizer system? (walk in or closet system, type of drawer organizers, jewelry organizers,clear shoe boxes, etc.) Research the options.

Closet Organizing Step 4: Containerize

Jewelry rack from Stacksandstacks

You should now have some ideas for your garments and what kind ofstorage or containers you need. With the completed assessment in step 3, it's time to finalize a list and go shopping!  After purchasing what's on your shopping list, put the items together and keep them separated from the other groups. Remember to measure the space first before you buy the containers, organizers and furniture.  When placing everything in place, start by separating Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter clothes from each other. Tip: I would suggest that you group each season by item and then finally by color. I think it's the most effective system to build and maintain because it's the best way to keep an overview of your closet inventory. In this way you can take follow of what you wear the most and what's getting worn out.

Closet Organizing Step 5: Equalize

Bed risers from Stacksandstacks

This usually means that you should evaluate what is working and what is not working and then re-adjust the areas that aren't working. Try to find out why that area got disorganized again. Don't know what's in the containers and organizers? Label them!  Not enough space for all of your clothes, leaving the clothes outside of your designated space? Create more space by finding practical ways to compress your items (like for example, under the bed storage, extra closet in the bathroom, bed risers, etc.) You get my idea. It's important to come up with a plan to stay on track. Your closet organizing system still need maintenance throughout the year.

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