If your closet has reached its limit, and you’ve decided it’s time to organize, there is no better time than now. Spring cleaning, anyone?

Has your closet been in accumulation mode for months? Do you open the door to find failed attempts at organization? New purchases during the holidays and irresistible items from your favorite department store’s annual sale have added to your collection. But your closet has reached its limit, and you’ve decided it’s time to organize. There is no better time than now. Spring cleaning, anyone?   

Organize Your Closet This Spring

But how to begin? It can be a daunting task. Follow these recommendations and you’ll find your closet to be more accommodating, not accumulating. Better organization makes every trip to your closet efficient, helps preserve your fine apparel, and may even provide some space for a few new spring items.

1. Purge what you no longer need. If it’s been months (or years) since you last organized, go through every item and determine what’s worth keeping. Sure, you’ve acquired some pieces that you haven’t worn in years, but don’t be sentimental, be charitable; they can have a second life with family, friends, or can be donated.

2. Hang, shelve, or hide. There’s a proper way of storing every item in your closet. Dresses, suits, jackets, pants, slacks, blouses, and dress shirts should be hung using hangers specifically designed for the garment. Take care to group like items together. Sweaters, shorts, handbags, purses, and shoes are best kept on shelves. Delicate items, socks, and underwear are deserving of drawers.

3. Arrange by season. As you’re placing items on a rod, shelf, and in drawers, arrange them by season; winter and fall clothing items at the ends, on high shelves, and bottom drawers; spring and summer in the middle, on reachable shelves, and top drawer for easy access.  

4. Arrange by style. A large wardrobe affords you the opportunity to arrange by style: business attire for the week, casual for evenings and weekends, and seasonal sports or team attire grouped so that when you’re looking for an item, it’s easier to find.      

5. Arrange by color. You won’t have a rainbow selection for every item, but grouping numerous items by color can bring an added level of visual interest.

Choose Spring Organization Methods That Meet Your Needs

It’s the rare individual who would apply each of these recommendations to her closet organization. Choose the ones that are relevant, based on your wardrobe and current closet layout.  

If you’re a disciplined buyer; when a new outfit arrives, an older one is removed. No need for spring purge. If your closet is not equipped with adequate hanging space or shelving (we offer recommendations below), resist the urge to cram. If you keep only seasonal attire in your closet and store off-season elsewhere, you’re a step ahead of the game. And whether you arrange by style, color, or both, well, that’s typically a factor of the number of items in each category. If you’ve been able to apply all of these recommendations, kudos to you! Your organizational ability is exceptional!

Good Organization Requires Good Design

But, what if you’ve taken all these steps, you stand back, admire your organizational achievements, and you’re just not satisfied? You know there has to be a better way to organize your collection. Famed architect and furniture designer Charles Eames spoke of the importance of good design: “Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose.”

In this case, it’s your purpose, and the design of your closet should reflect your sartorial taste and lifestyle.  

Your Closet: Space With Potential

Just as spring is the season of potential—buds, blooms, and growth—consider your closet as a space with potential. Your closet holds the potential for a design that meets your purpose. With good design and the right components, your closet can better accommodate your spring, summer, winter, and fall wardrobes, and facilitate sustained organization year-round.  

A custom design considers your existing closet space in relation to your wardrobe and lifestyle. Three-dimensional design technology is used to create a layout with components and accessories, such as those listed below, to meet your individual needs while optimizing closet space.

• Chrome shoe shelves: elegantly display shoes, boots, and sandals

• Double hanging rods: maximize vertical hanging space  

• An Island or peninsula: utilizes open space in the middle of your closet

• Built-in hampers: conceals laundry

• Wardrobe lifts: exploit the space of high ceiling closets

Take the Next Step in Organizing Your Closet This Spring

If it has become obvious to you that your closet no longer meets your wardrobe and lifestyle needs, Closet America can help you realize the true potential of your closet. Contact us to schedule a free design consultation. One of our skilled design experts would be happy to meet in your Falls Church home at your convenience and discuss designs and details.

Lead image source: Unsplash user theburbgirl
Image 3 by Unsplash user Hermes Rivera