How to Properly Arrange The Clothes in Your Closet

As you know, a messy custom closet leads to rushed mornings, being late to special events, and unwanted stress. Learning how to properly arrange the clothes in your closet is the first step in turning a mess into a success.

Everyone has some closet clutter to deal with; you are human just like everyone else. Don’t get down if your closet is not as organized and tidy as superhero Marie Kondo. The Spruce suggests that the best first step you can take is decluttering your space.

Take a deep breath and remove everything from your closet. Place your clothes on your bed or a clean table and go through them. Categorize your clothing into three piles: keep, donate, and toss.

• What items make you happy and excited to wear? Put those items in your keep pile.
• What items are still in good shape but do not make you as excited? Put those items in the donate pile.
• What items are too moth-eaten, ripped, old, or stretched out? Those pieces should go directly into your toss pile.

Repeat these steps with your shoes. Once you have completed decluttering, take your donation items to a local donation center immediately. Now that your closet is empty and clean, it’s time to arrange your clothes and organize your space for maximum functionality.

Sometimes it can be hard to know what to hang and what to fold. Certain pieces do better on hangers, while others benefit from being folded. Here are some tips on what you should hang:

• Shirts and blouses—such as linen, all cotton, and rayon items
• Delicate fabrics—including silk, chiffon, and velvet
• Suits and suit jackets
• Skirts
• Dress pants and slacks
• All jackets

When it comes to accessories, hanging purses in a closet is not a good idea. The added stress on the handles will make them break down quicker. It’s wiser to store them in cabinets or on shelves.

Now that you know what to hang, what is left to fold? You might be surprised at some of the clothing items that make the must fold list:

• Denim jeans, khaki pants, corduroy pants, and casual pants
• Sweaters
• Knit clothing—including knit dresses
• Shorts

Hanging certain items, such as those mentioned above, can cause significant damage over time, especially stretching in the shoulder area.

Your closet has a lot more space than you might think it does. No matter if you have a walk-in closet or a reach-in closet, utilizing vertical and horizontal space will open things up. Adding cabinets can offer storage for items, such as purses, satchels, and clothing you need to fold but want easy access to.

Consider using some of the wall space to display your favorite jewelry items or hats. You can create a wall hanger yourself and get inspiration with these ideas from The Home Edit. Hanging necklaces, bracelets, and hats on cool hooks or racks will open up space on your dresser while perking up your entire wardrobe area.

You know what needs to hang and what needs to be neatly folded. Use good quality hangers made of plastic or wood for pieces that need to be stored vertically. Keep your folded items inside drawers or cabinets. You can also try rolling items, so they stand up neatly.

Different clothes are worn during different seasons and for various reasons. You wouldn’t wear winter coats in the middle of summer. Store your clothes by category.

Have your bedroom closet filled with the clothing you are currently wearing the most as well as seasonal items. During summer, store your winter clothing in a separate closet. That goes for shoes, too. Keep your current pairs in an easy-to-access location, and store those not being used elsewhere.

Keep your most worn or most often used items at eye level and near the front of your closet. If you love color, you can store your clothes by color, too.

The right accessories can turn a regular closet into a more custom space in a jiffy. In What Accessories Are Available for my Custom Closets, Closet Solutions & Organizers notes several effective tools you may want to try, including:

• Laundry Hampers—Pull out and slide out hampers keep dirty laundry neatly tucked away but easy to access when you want to wash them.
• Full-Length Mirrors— Take a look at your outfit before running out the door.
• Ironing Boards and Steam Stations—Your clothes will always look sharp and freshly pressed before the big meeting, fancy event, or night out.
• Sliding Baskets—Research whether or not you prefer lined or unlined baskets. They can hold socks, pjs, kids’ toys, purses, and more.

You always want to start every day on a positive note. Taking the time to learn how to properly arrange the clothes in your closet will help take a little stress off your shoulders. Give these simple steps a try and see how easy it is to have a functional and beautiful closet.