Spring Cleaning...

is well under way. I have this entire week off as I am transitioning into a new job (yay, excited!!!) so I decided to really really clean out my closets (and anything else that needs to be cleared out). I have to say that I ended day 1 with a headache. It's so tough trying to decide what I want to get rid of. I am taking longer than I should because I am trying on every shoe and every pair of jeans that I really want to keep but probably shouldn't. So to really get me focused, I googled "closet organization ideas" and came across some great tips over at My Home Ideas and wanted to share them here since I've noticed that there are several people also doing their Spring cleaning this week. I really hope I can follow these steps myself.

#1 Clear It Out
Distinguish clothing and shoes that you wear and items that you need to get rid of. You can do this by the golden rule of closet organizing: If you haven’t worn it in a year, toss it. Also, if it doesn’t fit you well, it is time to get rid of it. Instead of hanging on to your “skinny jeans” until you lose a few pounds, donate them. Then, when you get down to your goal weight, treat yourself to a new, stylish pair of jeans.
Me: what a great tip, have been guilty of this before.

#2 If the Shoe Fits
If you are keeping your shoeboxes, label what is inside. We like the Post-it Durable Tabs because they offer a writable surface and are quick and easy to apply. Alternatively, invest in clear shoeboxes with drawer-front pulls; they allow you to see what’s inside so you can easily access your shoes.
Me: I take pictures of my shoes and tape the picture to the outside of the box, but I like the idea of clear boxes too.

#3 Measure Up
Once you have whittled down your wardrobe, you need to assess the layout of your closet. Measure the space you have, making sure to utilize backs of doors, floor space, and all interior walls. When you go to shop for boxes, bins, and other necessary space-savers, make sure you have your closet measurements in hand.
Me: This is the step I am at right now, well kinda :-)


#4 Get Hung Up
Invest in the right kind of hanger for the type of clothing you are hanging. Use padded hangers for items made from delicate fabrics, plastic hangers for button-down shirts, and sturdy wood hangers for suit jackets as they help retain the shape of the items.
Me: This is soooo helpful. I bought those velvety hangers a while back and what a difference it made.

#5 No Sweat
Sort sweaters, T-shirts, and other folded clothing by color as well. Always remove sweaters from hangers and fold them. Hangers will ruin the shape of sweaters over time. Store sweaters on shelves in manageable-sized stacks using sweater dividers to keep them from turning into leaning towers of Pisa. Even better, store them in sweater boxes with well marked labels.
Me: I actually put my sweaters in drawers down the hall from my bedroom...it's getting warmer and I know I will not be wearing them anytime soon.


#6 Eyes Have It
Keep items you use frequently at eye level or below and items you rarely use higher up. Labeled boxes are good for storing things like bathing suits or turtlenecks because you can rotate them higher or lower in your closet depending on the season.
Me: I will definitely be following this...bathing suits are coming out baby!


#7 Seasonal Change
It's possible that no matter how much you try to edit and organize, you just have too much stuff to fit in your closet. If that's the case, then you need to resort to a seasonal system by rotating your fall/winter clothes with your spring/summer clothes. Covered clothing racks can be filled with out-of-season clothes and kept in your attic or basement or under your bed. Flat storage boxes can serve a similar purpose.
Me: Yup that would be the case with me...too much stuff to fit in my closet. Will have to figure something out since I don't have an attic or basement and there is already junk under my bed :-(

So this is what I accomplished today..the small closet (sorry bad photo, it's from my phone), tomorrow I will tackle the bigger closet...oh I feel a headache already coming on.

Notice all the hangers are the same, color coordinated the clothes, lined some shoes at the bottom, stacked my jeans neatly on the shelf above and to their left are my clutches (there are some sweaters in the back of the jeans).

And this is what I am hoping to accomplish once I am all done (I wish).


Check out My Home Ideas for more organizing ideas and great tips on...well everything.

XoXo

Iris