There's something cathartic about cleaning out messy closets. Sifting through old clothes, purging years-old linens and corralling hats and boots gives you more space and makes day-to-day living much easier. Here are a few tips to make sorting and organizing your stuff a breeze:
Hall Closet
If opening your hall closet is like playing a game of dodge ball, chances are it's time to simplify and reorganize. For families of four or more, it's smart to keep only in-season outerwear in the hall closet. Each member gets to hang three or four jackets and coats in the closet and move the rest to an alternate storage area. Use bins or rolling storage to stash hats, gloves and umbrellas.
Linen Closet
Linen closets can become a catchall for everything in the bedroom and bath. Create a no-fuss zone by creating a specific spot for each item. Organize sheets by size, stack them on the shelf, and label the front of each shelf with a label maker or alphabet stickers. Shelf dividers can help keep your sheet stacks tidy.
If you live in a seasonal climate, store heavy flannel bedding and thick blankets in Space Bags that scrunch up to save space. The plastic will also keep the linens clean and moisture-free. Create hotel-worthy towel stacks by folding towels into thirds lengthwise and folding lengthwise twice more. Round up extra toiletries in baskets. Lastly, keep your linens smelling fresh by tucking scented sachets in between sheets and towels.
Bedroom Closet
You probably spend more money on clothes than you'd like to admit, so it's wise to take care of them so they last. A perk to cleaning up your closet? It feel like you're shopping every time you go in to choose an outfit.
One good way to organize your clothes is by type, and if you are particularly ambitious, by color. Hang all the shirts in on spot, followed by skirts, pants suits and jackets. It's best to hang your clothes from the same type of hanger to create more uniformity. Choose flat hangers that take up less space than bulky ones, and be sure to include special ones for skirts and suits. Sweaters store best folded, but protect out-of-season styles in sweater boxes
to keep them clean and moth-free.
Accessories can be a challenge to keep contained. If you're a shoe maven, protect your precious pumps by storing them in clear shoe boxes. Use a Polaroid camera to take a photo of each pair and paste it to the outside of the box for quick identification. Use baskets to hold smaller purses and scarves
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