Turn Your Closet Into The Space Of Your Dreams

Is your own closet or your children’s simply not the space you’d love it to be? Wish you can get in control and make getting dressed and finding your stuff more effortless? You can.

The weather is finally warming up and it’s time to switch that closet over…and while we’re at it, get it organized! Closets are the area in the home where people struggle the most. The dynamics in a closet are always shifting. Seasons change and sometimes there’s winter and summer items smushed together. Children outgrow clothing, and often that smaller clothing lingers in the closet too long.

You need a system that’s simple, simple, simple, where everything has a specific place and unwanted items don’t linger about. Turn your closet from chaos to an organized dream.

1. Make the Out of Season Basket
It’s spring now, but there’s still chilly days. Do we keep that warmer clothing in the drawers? But then there’s no room for spring! Yes, change over your closet now, but keep a basket in the closet with out-of-season clothing for a few weeks until you can put it away permanently. Do this during every season change so you can turn over without worry.

You can use clean-looking storage bins like these or pretty rattique, which look great in closets. Once the season is good and done, then Iris storage boxes will come into play.

2. Keep a “Get out of Here” Basket with a Garbage Bag inside
If you spot clothing that simply isn’t working for you anymore, have an easy way to remove it. Keep a basket (you can match it to the basket you’re using in the tip above) lined with a garbage bag in your closet, and toss the item in there whenever you spot that article of clothing that doesn’t fit or is simply passé. If there’s nowhere to put that item that you’ll never wear, it’ll stay in your closet forever.

3. Get in Control of Hand-Me-Downs
Most of us probably save more than we should because we just don’t know what to do with our children’s clothing once the season is over! Do you have a child that will wear the clothing next season? There’s no need to send it up to the attic. Keep soon-t0-be-worn out of season clothing in a basket on a high shelf. But before you put away the hand-me-downs, try to be selective and realistic. Are you really going to put this on the next child? Be honest with yourself! Would you choose this outfit next year when you have a drawer full of options? Choose wisely so your hand-me-downs become an asset and don’t simply add clutter.

4. Matching hangers are a must
They don’t have to be expensive. They could be velvet or even inexpensive plastic + hanger clips here. You can also pamper your closet with gorgeous acrylic hangers. Another space-saving option is rubber hangers (+ hanger clips here).

But use the same hangers throughout the house. Don’t start choosing a different color for every child and every room.
Keep those same hangers in the laundry room, so laundry can dry on a hanger, and then go straight to the closet.

* Read an older post ‘What are the best hangers for my closet’.

5. Shoes! They can take over a closet if you let them
Shoes tend to take up lots of closet space, and there are options in different price ranges to get them under control. A hanging shoe shelf is the most affordable way to get them under control, although it will take up hanging space. You can take your shoes off, put them away, and not have to bend down. Stackable shoe cubbies or drawers are a prettier solution, can fit anywhere in your closet and look great.

6. Tame the little things
There are so many of them! Underwear, socks, pantyhose, yarmulkes for your boys, short socks and knee socks in all different colors for your girls. How to get them under control?

First, always buy socks and tights that have tags so you can see the size without guessing.
Next, divide and conquer those drawers. Everything needs its own, specific spot.

Use drawer dividers to take that space. Don’t have enough drawers? Stack acrylic drawers to add storage!

These stack on your shelves, keep all your accessories organized, and look beautiful.

7. Divide and conquer
Your shelves also need attention, especially if there are multiple children sharing space. Do you have shells in different sizes? Acrylic shelf dividers do a great job of keeping things orderly.

Another great option to divide up those tops is using stackable sweater bins.

8. Finally, add hooks
Got a member of the family that simply won’t hang up their clothing, no matter what? Add hooks to the space to keep clean clothes off the floor.