I'll be the first to admit that "The Closet Challenge" was a bit more daunting than I expected it to be. I had forgotten how long such organizational attempts had taken in the past. I had also forgotten how somehow everything that fits into my closet does not fit on my bedroom floor. And while I must say that my ever-changing summer schedule (as well as some built in relaxation time) is a large factor in why I have not been updating this blog, especially with regard to The Closet Challenge, I do admit that I feel bad for such copious amounts of lag time. Therefore, consider this the fresh start to a fresh wave in blog posts. The Mannequin has officially opened for summer.
And now, after that somewhat lengthy introduction, I would like to introduce you to a very good friend of mine:
My Newly Organized Closet
While I do intend to continue on and organize the clothing that I have hanging up by color, it is organized by type. As for the shelving...everything now has its own breathable space. In fact, thanks to some very serious consideration about what clothing I should donate (some things are just meant to go out with the times...and if something's too small for you now or if you avoid it every time you're thinking about to wear, it's time for it to go), each of my larger bags (and hats!) has its own unique shelf. The goal was to keep nothing from looking overcrowded, and I think that I may have achieved that. While the piles of clothing still exist in the back of my closet, they exist with a purpose. For example, over the years I have grown quite the collection of oversized t-shirts that act as pajamas. There is no need for me to take up valuable (visible) hanger space with these. Therefore, I made a pile of all of them. I just take the shirt on top and voilá: pajamas for the night. Next to my shirts lies a pile of pajama pants, followed by sweatpants, followed by shorts. My shoes are neatly arranged on shelves and my hanging clothing is separated by type.
Undergoing such a project has definitely made me believe that I can take on any organizational challenge. So here are a few tips (and wishes!) from yours truly:
- Keep things organized by type. Each shelf should have only one type of item on it (whether that be shoes, scarves, hats, bags, etc.).
- If it's summer, keep your winter gear on lower or higher shelves. Leave the eye-level space for what you're actually going to wear this season.
- If you have some extra cash and extra space, definitely go for The Container Store's Linen Drop-Front Shoe Boxes. I have been eyeing them for weeks now:
- If you're not going to wear or use something again, donate it! Personally, I donated six bags of clothing and a few bags of toys to the Vietnam Veterans of America. They pick the stuff up from your house and it goes to people in need of such things. Check it out: http://www.pickupplease.org/vva/veterans-donation.aspx?gclid=CNSzsZ_mw6kCFUlx5Qod2SsXgg
- To keep things aesthetically pleasing, don't overcrowd your shelves. In fact, I'm even thinking of putting a white curtain in the very back of my closet to section off shelving that contains toys that I want to keep but that I don't really use anymore.
- Get thinner hangers! Once again, if you have the means to do it, make your closet uniform and get hangers like The Container Store's Platinum Huggable Hangers. They have a non-slip velvety surface that holds your clothing better than most plastic hangers, they save space, and they look good.
I could probably go on for a few more bullet points, but I'll leave you with these tips for now. No matter how big or small your closet is, embrace the process. It can be very cleansing to clean out the clutter in your life. Plus, a clean closet means that you get to see and love all of those fabulous shopping finds even more. Give it a try.
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