Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Tips for your Seasonal Closet Cleanout

Happy Halloween! 

A few weekends ago (after putting it off for a while) I finally switched my closet from Spring and Summer to Fall and Winter. Despite getting the master bedroom of our apartment my closet happens to be the smallest. I would take my own bathroom with a small closet any day of the week, don't get me wrong, however, I've had to be strategic when it comes to organization. I think that was part of the reason I put off the task of switching it over for the new season for so long. That and the fact that nearly all of the clothes I own for all seasons (aside from maybe one box of winter things) are here in Greenville with me. Come Thanksgiving I will be happy to pull out all of those clothes and take them home to store in my closet there, but for now I have it all here. 



Below are some photos of how I have organized my closet for the new season so far as well as tips I have for any of you looking to tackle this chore in the coming weeks. 

Tip 1: Have All Of Your Supplies Ahead Of Time

I made the mistake of convincing myself that I needed more hangers before I started my closet clean out and stocked up before I even began. While it was awesome to be able to work nonstop to switch out my closet for the season without being interrupted to go get supplies I now have WAY more hangers than I need to the point where it almost looks like I am waiting on new inventory (not the case). Fortunately the hangers I use are super slim but I ended up getting rid of so much that the last thing I needed was more hangers. If you are on the opposite side of that spectrum then make sure you've stocked up ahead of time because if you leave while trying to get it all done the motivation to come back to it is slim to none. 


Tip 2: Take Everything Out

One of the most taxing parts of the process of switching your closet out between seasons is taking everything out. While it definitely seems counter productive it helped me to make sure that I was storing any and all of the pieces that wouldn't work for the seasons to come. By taking everything out I was also able to re-think how I wanted to organize my space especially with heavier jackets and vests coming into rotation. Despite feeling like you are making more work for yourself the pay off was so worth it since nothing was left behind that couldn't be comfortably worn for the weather to come. 


Tip 3: If You Haven't Worn It Get Rid Of It

I am so bad about holding onto things that I haven't worn with the mindset that maybe I will need it this year and be sad that I got rid of it. This time I was super conscious of that and by the end of it had a large pile of clothes to get rid of and less stuff to store or hang back up. It was satisfying to know that the pieces left were all things that I wear and can easily mix and match with other pieces. If it wasn't something I reached for, shrunk in the dryer, or was looking overly worn it went to the pile and it was so nice to see how much I had purged by the time things made their way back into my closet. 


Tip 4: Come Up With A System That Works For You

Ever since I discovered how I liked having my closet organized junior year of college that is how I've kept it organized. I like opening my closet and for the most part seeing everything organized by color.  In each of these sections I put sleeveless shirts of a certain color first, short sleeve, long sleeve, and then button downs. I could move my sweaters to the end of each section but this year decided to put them after all of my tops since I have two containers that hold undergarments under the tops. If my sweaters were there is would be harder to pull those cubes out so I've adjusted, Then all of my dresses are organized by color and sleeve length as well. On the second bar I have all of my extra hangers, skirts, pants, and jackets. This leaves enough room for a shoe shelf and a basket of duffle and hang up bags as well as the boots that didn't quite fit on the shelf. Any shoes that can fit in shoe pockets are placed there which is kind of hidden on the far right side of my closet (mom if you're reading this and told me not to do that I'm sorry but it works and the wall is sturdy enough). This is the system that works for me in the space I have and certainly is not the only way it could be done. Regardless of if you use my system or organize things in a completely different way be sure to do what works for you. 


Tip 5: To Keep It Organized Make Sure To Put Things Back Where They Go Immediately 

We've all been there before, trying to get ready in the morning and nothing is looking like we want it to. If you're like me then that usually results in a few outfit changes and a pile of clothes at the bottom of your closet with hangers strewn about. While there are times in the morning when I've spent too much time second guessing my outfit choices to hang everything back up right away like I'd like to I make sure to make it a point to do it right away when I get home. If I don't put things back where they belong right away then they begin to pile up making more work for me later on. By hanging everything up I don't have to worry about it all and know that I will be able to find what I'm looking for when I need it. 

Organization Items Featured:
hangers (I swear by these) // skirt hanger clips // pants hangers // shoe shelf // hanging shoe pockets // pink and navy square bins (it really drives me crazy that these aren't navy but I've told myself to move past it)

I would love to know what tips or tricks y'all have for a seasonal closet cleanup especially in a small space!

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