Yesterday, I took on the task of helping an anonymous friend clean out her closet. Some of you may not be able to relate, but I love taking on anything that involves organizing and de-cluttering, even if it's not my own space. It's always such a relief when it's done, and you realize there is weight lifted off of you that, perhaps, you never knew was there.
(Before & After photos at the bottom of this post.)
Not sure how to get started on tackling that closet you know needs some attention? Here are some of my tips for de-cluttering, organizing, and ultimately de-stressing your life:
1. GET MOTIVATED: The fact is, any space in your home that is cluttered and disorganized is going to cause you to feel stress, whether you realize it or not. A messy bedroom closet, for example, is bound to create a stressful and frantic mood in your the morning routine if you can't find what you're looking for. I know anytime I let my spaces get messy, it inevitably puts me behind in the morning, because I can't find things, and I'm working my routine around, well, a MESS! Ever heard of the phrase "running around like a chicken with its head cut off?" Yeah, that's me in the morning when I don't keep things tidy and clutter-free. So try to imagine a home where things are in their place, and you can find what you need when you need it. Sounds pretty nice, right? Sometimes it's hard to get started, so just try to imagine what you want to accomplish and how much better you will feel when it's finished.
2. PULL EVERYTHING OUT, BY CATEGORIES: The easiest way to take on the task of organizing a space is to start with a clean slate. However, you don't want to just start randomly grabbing everything and throwing it out of your closet . Start with one thing, and make "category piles." For instance, with a bedroom closet, you could start off by pulling out all the clothes and making different piles for short sleeves shirts, dresses, pants, sweaters, etc. Anything you DON"T want to keep, put in ONE separate pile. You can decide later whether to donate it, sell it, or throw it out. (My tip for deciding whether or not to throw out a clothing item is: If you haven't worn it in a year or more, you should get rid of it.) If there are things you're still unsure of keeping, make a "maybe pile." If there is trash in your closet, have a trash can nearby to immediately put it in.
3. CLEAN YOUR EMPTY CLOSET: Dust it, vacuum it, make it sparkle.
4. START PUTTING THINGS BACK IN: Here's the fun part! Now that you have a clean slate, you can decide where you want everything to go. You may find that everything could end up with a completely different home in your closet than before, but it may make a lot more sense. Assess your hangers/shelving situation. Figure out which items you want hung, and which ones you want folded. When folding, keep like items together. When I hung my friend's shirts back in, I put them in a color-coordinated order. It makes things so quick and easy to find. If you're looking for your favorite blue shirt, it will be right there, with all the other blue shirts. I hung her dresses separately. Assess your hangers/shelving situation. Figure out which items you want hung, and which ones you want folded. When folding, keep like-items together. After all your "yes" items are back in the closet, go through your "maybe pile" if you have one. You may find it's easier to make a decision on these items after seeing what you are for sure keeping. Consider whether or not you may need additional hangers, storage boxes, hanging cubbies, sticky hooks, etc. You can shop for these items after you've gotten everything back in the closet and realize what you need. Likely you'll end up with a lot less in your closet than what you started off with, so you'll probably have more space for these organizational tools.
5. DECIDE WHETHER TO DONATE, SELL, OR TRASH UNWANTED ITEMS: Only you can decipher what is best for each unwanted item. Usually, clothes with holes, rips, or stains should be thrown away (or, as I usually do, you can cut them up to make eco-friendly rags).
6. ENJOY YOUR FRESH, ORGANIZED, AND CLUTTER-FREE CLOSET: After we finished, my friend actually said she may just want to hang out in her closet from time to time (lol). I promise, you'll feel so much more at ease and your daily routines will be less stressful and frantic.
