Last week I talked about the steps to scaling down your clothing. This week I will give you some practical guidelines for organizing the remaining clothes. If you missed last week’s blog, go back and read it to get some inspiration. Ready for the organization?
Speaking of organized, the best thing you can do for yourself is to maximize the space you have with a proper closet organizer. This will make a world of difference when you get to the closet portion.
The first thing you need to do before you put the clothing back is to take it out. I don’t suppose all your clothing has been sitting in the piles for a week. Hopefully, you kept all the “Decide” pile together. Today is your day to decide whether to keep those clothes or give them away. Remember the guidelines I suggested last week, the one year rule, will it fit and is it a special occasion item. After you have accomplished all of your piles, take time to thank God for all the clothes you have had, especially the clothing that you are giving away or tossing away. Nice clothes are a gift. It is good to be grateful.
Each person will be very different with regards to how they organize their dresser and closet. It depends on the space you have. I encourage you to create an undergarment and sock drawer or drawers first. Neatly pair up your socks and divide them into categories. Arrange them in a drawer so you can see the different categories. Do the same with the underwear. Next, arrange your workout clothes in the same fashion. Keep everything grouped together the best you can. Shorts are next on the list organize. If you can fold them in half and stagger the fold, you may save some space. If you are using an open space of some sort for the things listed above, purchase clear bins that will fit into your space. Get bins with the size of your items in mind rather than all the same size. With lids, you can even stack them. The same goes for under the bed storage. Clear bins and a clear lid is a must for under bed storage. Once you are finished with the shorts, move on to shirts that can be folded, or that need to be folded. Learn a folding system on YouTube that you can perform and neatly arrange them in your drawers.
Next, arrange your closet. There are several different ways to do this. One way is to organize your closet by seasonal wear. Another way is to arrange your closet by type. Either way, you need to be thoughtful about how you load your closet. Make it simple for you to find things. Sometimes it is a good idea to have a “to be ironed” section, so you don’t have clothes on your bed waiting for a week for ironing. If you have the room, try not to fold your pants on a hanger. It is space-saving (width-wise) to use hangers with clips. Plus, this negates ironing when you are in a hurry. You can iron them when you put them in their place.
Good luck, and happy organizing.