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Easy Ways to Declutter and Organize Your Closet

Decluttering your closet is something no one likes to do. The task is messy, overwhelming and time-consuming. But while we don’t have much to do, now is the best time! I decluttered my closet and dresser about a year ago and created a system that allows me to easily declutter and reorganize at the end of every season. Below are my 5 steps to organize your closet.

Step One: Empty Your Closet

This step is from Marie Kondo. You can find more cleaning and organizing tips from her book Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.

Remove all the clothes from your closet and dresser and place them on your bed. Remove all shoes, purses, and whatever else is in your closet. Look at each article of clothing and see if it “sparks joy”. If you find no joy, put it in the donation pile.

When I came across pieces of clothes that I felt unsure about, I put them in the donation pile. If it’s not a “heck yes!”, then it’s a “no”. Do the same for your shoes and accessories.

Step Two: Try Things On

Once you’ve made your keep pile, try on those clothes. If your closet is like mine, you found a lot of clothes you forgot you had. Now is the time to see if they still fit. I also found that some clothes I liked more on the hanger than when I tried it on. What doesn’t fit goes in the donation pile.

*Sidebar: This step will tempt you to keep things that are too small. The excuse is, “If I keep this it will motivate me to lose weight.” Allow me to be very blunt. If a pair of jeans is your “why” to lose weight, you will never lose it. Your “why” should be something that holds deep emotional meaning to you not an item of clothing.

Back to organizing!

Step Three: Go through You Closet

Now is the time to go through your closet and pick up what doesn’t belong.

Have you ever thrown mail in your closet, or emptied out a purse in your closet and never picked it back up? I know I have!

With all your clothes and shoes out of the closet, you should easily be able to see things that don’t belong. Sort through and determine what is trash and what needs a home.

Related Posts: How to Clean Your House in 30 Minutes a Day

Step Four: Hang Up Your Clothes

Now that you have all the clothes you want to keep, it’s time to hang them up. I like to separate my spring/summer clothes from my fall/winter. Then I hang them up by colors. However, you hang them up whatever makes sense.

*If you have a small closet, put all your out-of-season clothes in a large storage tub and switch your clothes out every season.

This step is crucial! When you hang your clothes up, make sure you put the hanger in backward (Have the hook facing you). When you wear an item of clothing, wash it and then go to hang it back up, put the hanger in normal. Then at the end of the season, you can visually see what clothes you wore. Donate the ones you didn’t wear.

Step Five: Organize Shoes and Accessories

Now is the time to put your shoes and accessories back in the closet.

My closet has built-in shelves that I place my shoes on. To save space I put one shoe backward and the matching shoes forward. This will save you a lot of space on your shelves.

If you don’t have built-in shelves, you can buy either an over-the-door shoe hanger or a shoe rack.

For purses, I keep my everyday purse out and then stack my other purses into my larger ones. If you don’t want to do that, you can buy a purse organizing bin. These bins are perfect for your bulkier purses. Or you can buy this 4-section organizer for wallets and clutches.

Extra Tips for Organizing Your Closet

• Buy matching hangers. When your closet is aesthetically pleasing it will trick your brain into wanting to keep it that way.
• Use tie and belt hangers.
• Use storage bins to separate your scarves, belts, swimsuits, and socks.
• Hang your hats, purses, and coats on an over the door hook rack. Or you can use individual hooks to hang your hats on the wall. It makes cute decor like this.

Now your closet is uncluttered and organized!

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