Are you like I was, with an overstuffed closet and a dresser filled to the brim with clothes? If so, I can help you combat that problem! Our house was built in the 1960’s and did not come equipped with walk-in closets or master suites. In the design of the home, every square inch was used and had a purpose. Our bedroom had one double wide closet (about 5′ long), with a simple, heavy duty rod topped with a wooden shelf. For two of us. And we are both wearers of clothes! What could we do?
For starters, after what seemed like years of procrastination, we took a long hard look at what was crammed in there. When was the last time I wore a blazer? Is he really going to wear that bold striped rugby shirt? Do these clothes even fit me? Why are clothes lying on the floor? How do I begin to deal with this mess?
Do yourself a favor and pay close attention to which clothes, out of everything you own, are actually worn from season to season. If spring comes and goes and you haven’t sported the pretty pink top with the funky 3/4 length sleeves, you may as well let it go. Cute or not, if you aren’t wearing it, no one will ever know. I guarantee that someone out there would be grateful to have that shirt and the other clothes that hang around and collect dust. (See my tips below for disposing of old clothing responsibly).
Let the Games Begin!
Next, remove absolutely everything from your closet. Here’s a little pointer: if you are planning to unload the contents onto your bed, start in the morning because by bedtime, you are going to be exhausted and you will want to crawl, even fall, into that bed. As long as the closet is empty, you may as well take this opportunity to scrub it down from top to bottom. Caution: there WILL be dust bunnies.
Now you can assess your space. Create a “go” pile of the clothes, shoes, purses, hats, belts, and everything else that you no longer wear or use. Make sure there’s no money left in any pockets or handbags! At this point, make a plan. How can I improve and organize my closet? How do I want it to look? Repeat the process with your dresser drawers. Once you start, you will want to keep going, because the feeling of reclaimed space is a freeing one!
Reclaim Space
We raised the bar in our closet, literally. This enabled us to gain shelving capacity as well as hanging space because we installed an upper and lower wire hanging shelf. This doubled our storage space. You will need to consider what you hang most often. I cannot hang a dress or a long coat with the system we implemented. That wasn’t important to me, but if it is to you, consider another closet system. Also, take careful measurements to ensure enough room between the top shelf and the ceiling as well as the proximity of the clothes that will hang to the floor at the bottom. We wanted enough room for shoes on the floor, so we took that into consideration when measuring.
Painting the closet to brighten it up (it was very dark and drab) and installing battery operated LED lights made it much easier to see the contents. Then, upgrading most of our hangers to non-slip, thin velvet hangers saved a ton of space. We use wooden hangers for suits and heavier items. Easy, affordable, effective, organized and decluttered. The uniform look makes me happy. What more can you ask for?
Seasonal Purge
Over the years, I have gotten rid of clothing seasonally and let me tell you, being able to see what hangs in my closet and to close my drawers with ease has improved my quality of life! Think about it for a moment; from the time you get up, get dressed, do laundry, put clothes away, and get ready for bed, you are in and out of those spaces multiple times a day. When you have to fight to close drawers and stuff things in your closet, with garments falling off those slippery and oversized plastic hangers, it takes a toll on you! It is beyond frustrating and aggravating, therefore disrupting your inner peace and good mood.
Yes, a complete overhaul of your closet will take a little time, but it is well worth it to have a place for everything and everything in its place. Oh, and that old hanging bar and clunky plastic hangers? All cleaned up and repurposed in our laundry room to dry clothes that we don’t toss in the dryer. Happy organizing!
Donating Items
- Donate clean items. One rule before you donate – if it is worn and ratty, just get rid of it. I had a person tell me she was donating sheets because there were holes in them, and someone would be happy to have them. Perhaps, if a person has nothing, those sheets would be a welcome addition. But generally speaking, if something is too worn for you, it’s too worn for someone else.
- Your gently worn clothing, shoes, and accessories are gladly accepted at your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc. Those folks will be happy to give you a receipt to use as a tax deduction too! (Disclaimer: I am not an accountant, nor do I pretend to know the tax laws. I only know if I donate something, I get a receipt and give that receipt to my accountant who processes it accordingly).
- If those options aren’t available, or if you would rather, consider giving the articles to your local homeless shelter, church or other organization that helps families in need.
- Consider donating blankets and heavier items you no longer use to your local animal shelter. Even well-used items like this make great bedding for pets.
Sell It!
Have a yard sale. This is an excellent way to earn back some of the money you spent on the clothes you never wear. It’s a good idea to remember that presentation is key when selling clothes (or anything else, for that matter). Making sure the item is clean, pressed, and hung up for the buyer to see will help you move the clothing faster and at a better price.
Pink Bin
Recycle. Our community uses Pink Bin, a textile recycling company. They recycle shoes, clothing, and cotton towels, sheets, etc. It’s an awesome way to keep those items out of the landfill. Did you know there are companies that recycle old denim into insulation? What a fantastic idea!
Until next time,
April
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