A Clean Closet in 7 Simple Steps

1. Pull Out What You Don’t Want Or Need This doesn’t have to be a glum processthink of it as going shopping in your closet! Try on the clothes you haven’t worn in a while. Would you buy them again? If so, they’re keepers. (They should fit, be in style, and not need major repairs.) As for the rest, donate or consign it. If your weight tends to fluctuate, get the clothes that don’t currently fit out of your closet and into storage elsewheremaybe in plastic tubs in your basement. Remember: Your closet should be prime real estate, solely devoted to clothes you currently wear.

2. Categorize

  • Hanging — pants, button-ups, shirts, long items
  • Folded tee-shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, jeans, shorts, sweats

3. Color-coordinate within each category- Arrange clothes left to right, white to black or light to dark.

4. Get matching hangers When all your hangers are uniform you save space and have a great-looking closet. (I’m partial to those thin velvety ones; they’re compact, clothes stay on them, and they prevent unsightly shoulder bumps.)

5. Hang belts, ties, and scarves A pull-out rack is ideal for hanging these items. It’ll save space and time and keep everything neat and tidy. Hooks work well too.


6. Use drawers – for undergarments, socks, hosiery, jewelry, and pashminos. Divider kits are a particularly handy tool for keeping socks and undergarments organized.

7. Use shelves – whenever possible. They’re better than drawers because items that are folded and stacked neatly on shelves or in cubbyholes are easy to access–you don’t have to go digging for your stuff. Shelves work particularly well for purses, jeans, tee-shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, shorts, and sweats.

Put off-season clothes and shoes on high shelves where you won’t be tempted to grab them!

“A well appointed closet may not take pounds off your body but it will shed the emotional weight that having a disorganized environment brings.”
–Better Homes & Gardens, Summer 2006

About the Author

Heidi DeCoux is the publisher of Life Made Simple e-Magazine and is a speaker, productivity coach and professional organizer. Heidi energizes her readers’ lives by simplifying their homes & schedules. For more info and to receive her FREE Home Organization e-Solutions Kit, which features the fast & easy way to get and stay organized, visit www.ClearSimpleLiving.com.