What would spring cleaning be without a little closet organizing! I know, I know, it’s the worst. It was a lame use of an exclamation point to attempt excitement. But it’s got to be done. What’s that you say? You don’t remember the last time you’ve seen the back of your closet?! Well, if it’s been five springs since you’ve given your wardrobe a once-over, or if you are a person who needs a little hand-holding to really purge, let me introduce you to your new best friend, Tori Cohen. This maven of organization is just the person to turn the procrastination to motivation. Here are some of Tori’s tips that will get you de-cluttered in no time.
5 Ways to Stay Calm During a Closet Clean-out 1. Set the Mood: This is your time so you might as well enjoy it. Put on music you enjoy, lay out a snack and some water, this is hard work! And wear something you’ll easily be able to take off; you’re going to want to try things on. 2. Time of Day: Do you work best at night? Morning person? Choose the time of day you decide to do a closet cleanout based on when you are the most focused. 3. Deep Breaths: Fact, this is going to be overwhelming. You can do it! This is a puzzle, you’re going to dump out all the pieces and you’re not going to be finished until it is put back together. Make your peace with that and begin. 4. Method to the Madness: Extraction (take the clothes all out and put them on the bed, in categories –sportswear, pants, sweatshirts, etc.), decisions (keep, maybe, donate), final decisions (decide on the try-ons and the maybes), replace (put them back in an organized fashion). 5. Final Word: Organize the closet for yourself, not how you think it should look. If you wear a suit 5 days a week, that should be the most readily accessible category), if you want all your white clothing together, rather than separated into categories, go ahead, this is about you! Closet Organization The purpose of organizing and de-cluttering is to allow you to fully appreciate the possessions you do have.
Clear the Space:
Let’s start with the mindset that we’re going to make you more productive and more creative [plus better looking and funnier—Ok…I can’t promise that].
If you have decided to clean out your closet, you’re going to take everything out. This way, when you put things back in the closet you are deciding to keep certain items of clothing, rather than choosing what to throw away.
Let’s make sure that there’s a Goodwill bin nearby. Beware that at the beginning, you are most likely going to make a bigger mess than you already had.
Categorizing Time:
Let’s put the shoes with the shoes and the scarves with the scarves. This way we can make it a step-by-step process.
Now we begin, pile by pile. First to go are the items you will never use again/ are broken/ you never wanted in the first place. Next up are those items that you’re just not sure about [what if someone has an ugly sweater party? Etc.]. Those items go in our maybe pile for now.
Decisions, Decisions…
Finally, we have the definitely keep items. Go ahead and put them back in your closet in a space that has been specifically chosen for them. Do you like your shoes on the bottom so that you can slip your feet right in? What about on top where you can see them best? Decide what works best for you.
Maybes:
The maybes are the most difficult part. There are any number of reasons for the maybes—maybe you gained/ lost a little weight and you’re keeping your clothes just in case.
First, let’s look over the pile and see if there’s anything we’ve missed that we want either back in the closet or in the goodwill pile. If the idea of giving a really nice item of clothing to Goodwill is giving you anxiety, that’s ok, we have options. Option A is to sell it if it’s in good enough condition, which will make you feel better because there will be money in your pocket. Option B is to give it to a friend.
Stragglers:
Nicely done, almost there! Now you are left with a few items that you just don’t know what to do with. Question time: What would you use the item for? Do you need it? Is it fun? Is it practical? How much space does it take up? Are you thinking of reasons to keep it just to keep it?
If it means something to you, keep it. Say it’s a dress that you love and want to keep but won’t wear again, is there somewhere you could pack it away? Maybe there’s a t-shirt that you love but it’s way too big—it could become a rag, a craft project, whatever you’d like!
Clean Up:
Once you’ve organized we need to do a post organization sweep and cleanup—let’s not let all our hard work go to waste! Goodwill box.
Ok, now you can sit down and relax. Maybe flop down on your bed and pat yourself on the back as you stare in wonder at your beautifully organized closet. You did it!