Closets could be caves full of clutter. Unused items pile up year after year, taking up valuable space for new items you just bought. Your closet should be easy to navigate when you start your day. Allard Design offers some welcome tips to help you and inspire your closets.
The first step: Get rid of unused or unwanted clothing that occupies precious space. A tip I read recently is something we could all do. It takes time, but is worth the effort. Take all the clothing you have on hangers, and turn the hangers away from you. Give yourself a window—six to twelve months—to test your clothing. When you wear a garment and are ready to hang it back up, turn the hanger toward you; this indicates you are still using the garment. When test time is up, look at the hangers that are facing away from you: These are the items you have ignored for months. And it’s time to say “goodbye” to them.
Your “toss” pile should consist of clothing and accessories that no longer fit you or your personality. (Stained or ripped pieces should also be tossed.) Your “keep” pile should consist of what feel comfortable in and get the most compliments out of. Any basics and vacation must-haves should also stay.
Next, it’s time to organize your closet and the clothes that survived the purge. Some helpful hints: Do not stack folded items more than one foot high. Keep heavier items on the bottom. Place your most-used clothing at eye level. (This way, you see them first when you open your closet doors.) Get hanging labels to help sort your hanging items. The more labels you have, the better organized your closet will be. Categories could be pants, shirts (short-sleeve, long-sleeve), dresses, etc. You could even organize by color, within specific categories.
Create zones in your closet with different hanging heights, drawers, and shelves. Keep skirts and shirts in low-hanging areas. Medium-hanging areas could accommodate dresses and pants. Keep jackets, coats, and suits in high-hanging areas. High shelves are perfect for your other three-season clothing, keeping it out of the way. Our friends at Stow Company in Holland, Michigan, have great products for creating your dream closet.
Written by: Megan McCarthy of Allard Design LLC. Megan is a recent graduate of Kendall College of Art and Design, a CIDA-accredited program. Megan loves working on commercial office projects with the Allard Design Team. Photos: Org, Houzz, Designbuildmn.com
