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Two wardrobes, one closet. With less space and more clothes to store, say "I do" to a solution that can help you get -- and stay -- organized for life.
Be Ruthless. To truly organize your space, you'll need to get an accurate picture of what items you need to store and what kind of space you have to store them in. Start by taking everything out of your closet; shoes, belts, ties, handbags -- everything. Once your closet is empty, take some basic measurements (height, width, depth) with a measuring tape. Write down the dimensions of your closet on a piece of paper. Then brace yourself for some serious carnage, because you've got some ruthless decisions to make.
Start by sorting your clothes into basic groups: Shirts here, skirts there, coats and jackets over there, you get the picture. Once you've got your wardrobe separated, start deciding what to keep and what to lose.
If you're like most of us, shedding perfectly good clothes is a difficult task. To make it easier, do what professional organizers do: ask yourself key questions about each item.
- Does it fit? Most of us are guilty of keeping a pair or two of roomy jeans or skinny pants hanging around as a size gauge. But overall, ill-fitting clothes aren't flattering and just take up valuable space.
- Is it out of date? Hanging on to a favorite jacket or special dress isn't a problem, in and of itself. If that's the case, make sure these items are properly cleaned and carefully prepared for long-term storage (wrap them in acid-free paper or in fabric) and keep them somewhere other than your clothes closet.
If you're one of those people that keep pleated mini-skirts from 1992 hanging around in the hopes that they're coming back into style -- get real. Styles do reemerge, but almost always with a twist. The likelihood that your item's cut, color, and fabric will all be back in vogue is pretty slim.
- What condition is it in? If it's moth-eaten, wine-stained, or threadbare, it should get gone. But because beloved clothes take the hardest beating, we suggest this: say a little thank-you to that pill-ridden chenille cardigan. And then say goodbye.
- Wash It, Clean It, Fix It. We know, you've been meaning to reattach the straps on that cocktail dress, get the spot out of that tank top, sew a button on that sweater coat, and fix the hem on those trousers. Now's the time. Send your to-dos to be done at the dry cleaner.
Once you've trimmed down to the best of the best, decided what to give to charity and what to throw away. Then itemize your wardrobe on paper, including garments, accessories and shoes. This may seem like unnecessary work, but trust us: to effectively plan out your space, you'll need an idea of how many half and full length items will be hung, folded, shelved, boxed, bagged, placed on hooks, and what items need to be stored elsewhere.
Now it's time to plan your space.
Start Fresh. Start with a clean slate -- and we mean clean. Sweep and dust your closet, taking time to wipe down existing shelves and curtain rods. Remove any nails and hooks that could potentially tear or snag your garments.
With an empty, clean space at your disposal, check out what additions you'll want to make to your closet. And if you need more room, look up. It's easier than you think to add high shelving -- perfect for seasonal items like winter sweaters and summer hats. This may be out-of-reach storage, so consider picking up a folding step stool and adding a light to your closet as well.
Some Assembly Required. You'll need proper hangers for your closets: that means getting rid of all those dry-cleaner freebies. Hang every item on a separate hanger, and keep in mind, your clothes will keep their shape oh-so-much-better if stored properly. Try to put pants on pants hangers, delicates on fabric-covered hangers, and items that may droop or stretch folded on shelves.
Remember to store important items in fabric garment bags, not in plastic hanging bags, or in dry-cleaner plastic. Over time, chemicals trapped in plastic can harm and discolor your clothing.
If you have a little extra money, consider investing in a closet system. Closet systems are available in all price ranges at a wide variety of retailers, including national hardware stores. If you'd like to create a system all your own, a visit to the hardware store is a must. Shelving systems, often the same plastic-coated wire mesh variety sold though closet systems, are available by the yard, and you can easily pick up basics like clothing rods, hooks, shelves and brackets, shoe organizers, hampers and laundry baskets.
As you reassemble your closet, keep like items together, arranged by level of formality or by season. To arrange items by formality, for example, group dresses in one place, starting with casual dresses, moving on to work dresses, and ending with formal or cocktail dresses. If you live in an extreme climate, group items by season, then by type, then by level of formality. That way, when summer rolls around, you can simply rearrange your closet so that winter items are in the back and summer items are within easy reach.
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