 Closets: the space that can either fill our hearts with ease or dread. As a professional organizer, I often work with my home-organizing clients on the closets in their homes. It is so easy for these tiny little rooms of ours to become overwhelming, cluttered, and messy because of all that we try to fit in them. Plus, closets are easy to hide from visitors. We just shut the door and blissfully ignore the truth that lies inside. Never fear, Candi is here! I have listed below my top five tips to make your closet an organized dream. I am positive that if you follow and commit to the following advice, you are sure to have a functional, organized closet. 1. Use slim hangers We've all seen the slim, velvety hangers but I promise you, they are NOT a gimmick! They will reduce how much space your hangers are taking up now by 30%. WOW! Now, I know what you're thinking, "But wire hangers are thin too." And yes, wire hangers are thin but they do not hold onto clothes well. Once clothes start slipping off of hangers, your closet is bound for chaos. The slim velvet hangers keep your clothes from going anywhere and the best part about them is they are CHEAP! You can find them at Target, Walmart, Amazon, HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and plenty of other places. I included a shopping link below for your convenience. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PGT9Y1J/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_YLkPDbBK1YQVY 2. Organize shorter garments closest to the door and longer garments furthest away To give your closet a far more organized aesthetic, place your shortest garments closer to your closet door entrance and gradually work your way back with longer clothing. Not only does this look better, but it is easier for you to find the shorter clothing items when they aren't hiding in between your longer garments. This tip will help you find the garment you're looking for, clearly see all the clothing you have hanging, and create a more pleasing and organized closet. 3. Ratios- The One for One Rule Having trouble with a cluttered closet? Still feel like your closet is STUFFED even after switching to slim hangers? You need the One-for-One rule in your life. Every time you buy a new dress, shirt, skirt, pair of pants, whatever is may be, you donate another piece of clothing from your closet. This rule prevents you from cluttering up your closet and helps you let go of the clothes you aren't using. What I love about this rule is once I give away one piece of clothing, I start to notice other garments I should donate too which is a great habit to get into. If you are really committed to sizing down your closet, make it a One-for-Two rule and get rid of two garments for every new one you bring home. 4. Keep the floor as clean as possible This may seem like an obvious organizing tip, but it's essential to keep this one in mind! If possible, try to keep your clothes from draping on the floor. When your floor isn't visible, it is bound to become messy in those hidden areas. Some people are able to keep their shoes lined up and neatly organized on the floor, but this is difficult for most people. I highly recommend using shoe racks to keep your shoes off the floor and organized. 5. Utilize storage boxes to store seldom used or off-season garments I absolutely LOVE this closet organization tip. I have had many clients tell me that their closet is too small or they can't fit all of their things in their closets even after decluttering. Storing seldom used or off-season garments is the key to getting your closet in tip-top shape. You can either grab plastic bins from the dollar store and add labels or go for some pretty fabric boxes to store your clothes. There are also plenty of under bed storage boxes that work great as well. But don't forget: if you store your bulky sweaters, make sure to throw replace them with your summer clothes when you pull those sweaters out. And for a seldom used bin of clothes: be sure to put them back in their designated bin once you're done wearing them so that they don't sneak into your closet space! Those are the 5 tips to get your closet in order! It isn't as hard as it sounds, I promise. Closets can be daunting, but I hope these five snippets of advice will help get you and your closet on track to an organized haven. If you're looking for more organization ideas and tips, follow Sage Organizing Co. on Pinterest! Need more help with organizing your home? Contact us and book a consultation to start your organized life today! Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area. Related Articles: 4 Kitchen Organizing Secrets That Will Blow Your Mind Closet Organization ideas + hacks: The 3 commandments How to Beautifully Stage your Home so it Sells in a Flash 
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 Makeup: a love-hate relationship. It can be fun to experiment with new makeup products and try out the trendiest lipstick shades, but after the shopping-adrenaline wears off, the sheer number of cosmetic products we each own can be truly overwhelming. Concealers, foundations, eyeshadows, eyeliners, mascaras, blushes, bronzers- the majority of our makeup comes in small, individual containers. With all these small products, it can be hard to have a functional cosmetic organization system. Stop feeling like your makeup storage is grimy and embarrassing and follow these 5 hacks for a clean, organized space to hold your makeup goodies: 1. Throw away all expired makeup/makeup you don't use A lot of people don't realize that makeup products expire. Each item of makeup should have a small picture of container on it with how many months the makeup is good for. For instance, the back of my bronzer says "24M" inside the picture of the container meaning it expires in 24 months. Keeping old makeup not only clogs up your pores, it clogs up your storage too! While you are checking the expiration dates on your products, also think, "When was the last time I used this?" Just because it isn't expired, doesn't mean it deserves a place in your drawer. It can be hard to part with makeup but once you throw away makeup you aren't using, it will make you more conscious the next time you go shopping. Check out this chart to help if you still have questions about when your makeup expires! 
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Leigh Bryant is the Director of Sales and Expansion Partner for The Temple Team in Charlotte, NC. Contact her here.
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Normal People with Average Closets, Unite!
I think it’s safe to say that if you are a normal person living in an average home, you probably have some strong feelings about your closets. Are we talking about pride, joy, and/or total bliss? Ah…. no. If you’re anything like me, you have been embarrassed, frustrated, and sometimes just ticked off your closet. Too many clothes! Nothing fits! How did the floor disappear? Isn’t it crazy how that little bit of square footage in your house can make you feel so overwhelmed and unorganized?
In this post, I'll be talking about how I used the Three Commandments of Closet Organization to totally revamp my personal closet. After I learned these tricks of the trade, I started helping clients turn their closets in a happy place. Today, I’ll share all the details to help you do the same.
In this post, I'll be talking about how I used the Three Commandments of Closet Organization to totally revamp my personal closet. After I learned these tricks of the trade, I started helping clients turn their closets in a happy place. Today, I’ll share all the details to help you do the same.
The Three Commandments of Organizing
As a Professional Organizer, I’ve learned that whether you are organizing a closet, a garage, or a sock drawer, there are 3 steps you need to take with every single project. It can be so overwhelming to tackle a project, but if you can follow these three rules, you’re on your way. Are you ready for me to drop this closet organization knowledge on you?!? Get ready to have your mind blown:
Commandment One: Reduce
Commandment Two: Arrange
Commandment Three: Maintain.
Sounds so simple, right!?!? Well, let’s take a closer look at how you can do it.
Commandment One: Reduce
Commandment Two: Arrange
Commandment Three: Maintain.
Sounds so simple, right!?!? Well, let’s take a closer look at how you can do it.
The First Commandment: Get Loose & reduce!
My personal closet Before
Before you start organizing a closet, you first should reduce the amount of inventory on hand. Or, to put it in simpler terms, Just Throw Stuff Away, Already.
I had all these items in my closet, and I’ll guess you probably do too.
I knew stuff had to go. I KNEW it… but I needed some inspiration. Lucky for me, this was right about the same time that the book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, was all the rage. So, I read it and despite all the Zen/hippy-dippy stuff in there, I walked away with one piece of true wisdom. Only keep the things that make you feel happy.
Did the shirt I once wore to a company Christmas party in the late 90’s make me feel happy? No : I just felt bad it was too small now. How about the leather jacket my grandma bought me? No: I kept it because my late grandma bought it, even though I hadn’t worn it in over a decade. Did the expensive dress I wore once to a wedding make me happy? No, but it was so expensive I thought I thought I should hang on to it.
Did any of it make me happy? Well, yes! There were a lot of garments that I loved, that fit me well, and/or that I loved. And yes, I kept my rehearsal dinner dress. I will never wear it again, but it truly makes me happy.
So that became my rule: If it makes me happy, it stays. If it doesn’t, it goes. And once I made peace with that rule, it was amazingly easy to get rid of things. A LOT of things. Like, bags and bags and bags of consignment and Goodwill items.
I had all these items in my closet, and I’ll guess you probably do too.
- Sentimental garments (dresses from my rehearsal dinner 20 years ago, college formal dresses, a leather jacket my late grandmother bought me circa 1987).
- “Skinny” clothes (that totally don’t fit) and “heavy” clothes (that totally don’t fit)
- Clothes that I bought and never wore, but felt too guilty to donate.
- “Maybe I’ll Wear That If I’m Invited to a Alligator Allergy Awareness Gala” (or some other obscure event), which can also be the “I Once Wore That to a Fabulous Party.” I’m looking at you, 2011 Steeplechase dress and hat.
- Shoes that don’t fit, are out of style, or are too worn out to wear
- Every handbag I had ever owned
- A floor covered by laundry, things I didn’t want to rehang, and other random junk.
I knew stuff had to go. I KNEW it… but I needed some inspiration. Lucky for me, this was right about the same time that the book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, was all the rage. So, I read it and despite all the Zen/hippy-dippy stuff in there, I walked away with one piece of true wisdom. Only keep the things that make you feel happy.
Did the shirt I once wore to a company Christmas party in the late 90’s make me feel happy? No : I just felt bad it was too small now. How about the leather jacket my grandma bought me? No: I kept it because my late grandma bought it, even though I hadn’t worn it in over a decade. Did the expensive dress I wore once to a wedding make me happy? No, but it was so expensive I thought I thought I should hang on to it.
Did any of it make me happy? Well, yes! There were a lot of garments that I loved, that fit me well, and/or that I loved. And yes, I kept my rehearsal dinner dress. I will never wear it again, but it truly makes me happy.
So that became my rule: If it makes me happy, it stays. If it doesn’t, it goes. And once I made peace with that rule, it was amazingly easy to get rid of things. A LOT of things. Like, bags and bags and bags of consignment and Goodwill items.
A Quick Tangent on Donations
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Two Tips.
1: Always keep donation bags in your closet. If you have to go searching for a grocery bag to bag up your stuff, you’ll lose the momentum and quit. Just stash some extra bags in the closet and fill them as needed. Trust me, it works. 2: Take your full donation bags to your car immediately. If you leave it sitting on your closet floor, it’s never leaving. Go throw it in the back of your car and drop it by Goodwill (or wherever) the next time you’re out running errands. |
Boxed & Headed to goodwill
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Commandment two: Arrange what is left over
So now that you’ve got a lot less inventory in the closet, you can figure out how you want to organize it. Here are a few of my professional guidelines.
Joan Crawford Agrees No Wire Hangers
Get rid of the wire hangers.
They are an eyesore, but they also don’t support your garments well. In time, they will bend and bow and ruin the lines of your garment. Ladies, you have nice things, so treat them well. I don't care if it is a Target t-shirt: treat your clothes nicely!
They are an eyesore, but they also don’t support your garments well. In time, they will bend and bow and ruin the lines of your garment. Ladies, you have nice things, so treat them well. I don't care if it is a Target t-shirt: treat your clothes nicely!
All new Slimline hangers
Have all your hangers match.
This eliminates the visual clutter in your closet. If you can afford it, slowly invest in and build up a supply of the velvet lined slimline hangers. (Better Homes and Gardens makes a box set of 30 that you can purchase at Walmart). Slimline hangers allow you to hang more garments in the same amount of space. I also love that garments don't slip off the hanger.
Used existing plastic hangers
If slimlines aren’t in your budget, you can always purchase plastic hangers. This may be my OCD, but try to do all one color. Again, it eliminates the visual clutter. Note: I've started seeing plastic slim hangers in stores, but have yet to try them out. Let me know in the comment section below if you've used them! I'd love to hear how they work.
My closet cleared out & extra shelving added
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Use dead space in your closet. Most average closets I’ve seen have the hang bar, then one shelf above it. But truly, there is usually room for a second shelf above that. If you can add another row of shelving, you’ve just doubled the number of items you can store. Get yourself to Home Depot, buy more shelving, and put in another row. You’ll end up using that top shelf for your lesser used items.
Use the floor to your advantage too. Tuck your laundry baskets underneath your short hang items. |
all jackets stored together
Arrange by function (not color). I believe you should put like-items together. That means all work tops in one zone, casual tops in a different zone, etc. Then within each zone, arrange by length. So, in Work Tops, go Sleeveless to Long Sleeve. In Pants, go Capri to Bootcut. When you’re getting dressed, you think about what you are doing that day and/or the weather. You don’t say “Oh, it’s hot today. I think I’ll wear green”. You say “It’s hot and I have to work. I’d like a sleeveless top”.
work clothes stored in easily accessible part of closet
Put the things you wear most frequently closest to the door.
If you work 40 hours a week, put your nice work clothes up front. If you seldom dress up, put your casual things closest to the door. I personally like to put the trendy seasonal items at the front of my closet, and the classic pieces further back. However you dress is the way you should organize your closet.
If you work 40 hours a week, put your nice work clothes up front. If you seldom dress up, put your casual things closest to the door. I personally like to put the trendy seasonal items at the front of my closet, and the classic pieces further back. However you dress is the way you should organize your closet.
Stand Back, Admire Your Progress
Now that you’ve hauled out tons to donate and/or sell and your stuff is all gorgeously arranged, you want to keep it that way.
Let's move on to the third Commandment of Closet Organization.
Let's move on to the third Commandment of Closet Organization.
The Third Commandment: Maintain it, yo.
Want to keep your closet under control? Then it's all about the ratios, my friends.
Follow the One In, One Out rule. It’s easy. If you buy one new shirt, you must get rid of one old shirt. Two new dresses? Gotta donate 2 old dresses, pal. If you can make yourself follow this rule, your closet will never again get out of control. PREACH~!
Need to thin out your items quicker? Try a One In, TWO Out ratio.
Want to be even a little more hardcore? Don’t keep extra hangers around. That way you can’t “cheat” the One In, One Out rule because there aren’t extra hangers. It’s brutal, but I’m here to tell you, it works.
Follow the One In, One Out rule. It’s easy. If you buy one new shirt, you must get rid of one old shirt. Two new dresses? Gotta donate 2 old dresses, pal. If you can make yourself follow this rule, your closet will never again get out of control. PREACH~!
Need to thin out your items quicker? Try a One In, TWO Out ratio.
Want to be even a little more hardcore? Don’t keep extra hangers around. That way you can’t “cheat” the One In, One Out rule because there aren’t extra hangers. It’s brutal, but I’m here to tell you, it works.
Wilt thou follow the 3 commandments of closet Organization?
I'm going to be honest: it takes time, patience, a couple gut-checks, and sometimes a little money, but you can organize and maintain your closet if you follow the 3 Commandments.
Let's hear your questions in the comments section! Do you think the 3 Commandments will work for you?!?
Let's hear your questions in the comments section! Do you think the 3 Commandments will work for you?!?
Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area.
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How I Created a Sunday Routine That Works for Our Family
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Hey There!
I'm Candi.
I'm an Estate Clearing Pro + Certified Professional Organizer®, helping people with family in senior care or that have lost someone to clear out all the contents of the house within a week.
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