As a fashion stylist, I get paid to reveal my biggest fashion secrets. But while I could write a novel about all of the little tips and tricks I use to create a killer outfit, there is one 'secret' I stand by the most: An organized closet. Seriously.
It doesn't matter how trendy or luxurious your wardrobe is if it's displayed haphazardly or strewn across your bedroom floor. To truly maximize your wardrobe's potential, you should organize your clothing in a way that makes styling efficient and easy. And I'm here to tell you how.
FELT HANGERS
Hanging all of your clothes on uniform hangers will immediately help things look more organized, eliminating much of the visual clutter that happens when you use different kinds of hangers. I specifically recommend using felt ones because I have found that they are the best for any type of fabric and the material helps to keep the clothing on the hangar. But whatever you do, stay away from those awful wire ones your dry cleaner uses - they are the worst!
HOOKS
These are a great way to keep some of the smaller items of your closet from getting tangled, ruined or lost. Use little hooks to keep jewelry organized, to hang purses so they don’t pile up at the bottom of your closet, or use them for belts and hats to maintain their form.
ARRANGE BY TYPE
I have always found it incredibly helpful to organize a closet by the type of clothing: Tops with tops, bottoms with bottoms, dresses with dresses, etc. It seems obvious, but it really expedites the getting-ready process because you know exactly where to look to retrieve the specific type of item you are looking for. But don't stop there: Organize by subtype, too! For example, I like to organize all of my tops together from sleeveless to short sleeve to long sleeve which transitions seamlessly into cardigans and blazers. Then, pants then jumpsuits and rompers to dresses (again by sleeve length)...You get the picture. This really helps me find things on those days when I’ve hit snooze a few too many times.
COLOR CODE
If you aren’t into the aforementioned organize-by-type idea, then simply try color coding. Group clothing with similar colors and shades together to create a rainbow in your closet (which is also just a pleasure to look at!). This organization tip is especially good if you have an exposed closet because it makes it more aesthetically pleasing.
DISCARD
I truly think this closet organization tool is underused. My criteria for getting rid of things is if I haven’t used it in the last 6 months, or last season, it goes. Or, if I see that it has any irreparable damage (i.e. holes, stains, rips, etc), then it goes. And last but not least, anything with any kind of bad juju (like that top your ex gave you that reminds you of the time you vacationed in Florida together)…purge! I also think that clothing should be donated and not thrown out. ThredUp is an online consignment store that makes it easy to resell unwanted clothes and donate the rest.
Hopefully these tips were helpful and will give your wardrobe a little feng shui. So let's hear it, what are your tips for keeping your closet organized?
(photos via Pinterest)