Blog Post

How to Properly Arrange The Clothes in Your Closet

Bret Carr • Dec 31, 2021

This article will provide several methods for organizing the clothes in your closet

Nothing feels better than a clean and organized home — and a key component of that tidiness bliss is taking control of any unruly and chaotic closets. A thorough cleaning and makeover are exactly what you need to freshen up your abode and save yourself time and money.

Closets can get out of hand sometimes because it's so easy to shut the doors and forget about the messes inside. But once you've created an organizational system that works, you'll feel more relaxed and have more time to enjoy doing the things you love. So what are the steps for properly arranging the clothes in your custom closets and staying organized for good?

Empty, clean, and evaluate
Separating and grouping
Hang, fold, hook, or bin?
Create your closet plan
Put everything in its place

Ready to transform your closet space from messy to magnificent? Keep reading for simple step-by-step instructions for glowing up your closets in no time flat!

Fresh and Clean

The crucial first move for any closet overhaul is to take everything out and give it a comprehensive inspection and cleaning. You’ll want to make sure that there are no signs of moisture or pests, which can definitely damage your clothes.

Check your closet floor and ensure that it’s clean and free of any dirt or debris. Do you have adequate lighting? You should be able to see every square inch clearly if you’re going to maximize your storage potential. It’s easy for small and delicate items to get lost in dark corners.

Now it’s time to get a truly fresh start with a nice, deep clean. This means washing the walls and your hanging rods, doing meticulous dusting, and vacuuming or mopping the floor. Don’t worry — the experts over at the clever Declutter in Minutes blog have a handy guide for getting your closets in tip-top shape fast.

Toss, Donate or Organize

While your freshly cleaned closet airs out, now’s the time to go through your wardrobe and thin the herd. Chances are that you have items that don’t fit, need too much repair, are out of style, or just don’t suit your style any longer.

Throw away the things that are beyond repair and can’t be recycled.
Donate items that are in good shape and can still be enjoyed by someone else.
Keep the ones you love — and get ready to separate them.

Getting rid of stuff you don’t need will let you take better care of the pieces you love, and prevent overcrowding — a sure path back to untidiness. Once you’ve taken out the trash and delivered your donations, put the garments that made the cut into groups, like pants, shirts, skirts, evening wear, etc. Keep your accessories in their own group for now.

Then, decide how you would like to organize your wardrobe. Arrange your pieces by color, style, or however you prefer. Shoes can be grouped by season, or like with like if you wear the same pairs all year long.

Know When to Fold ‘Em

The next step is to know how to store your clothes properly, both to protect them and to help you locate items quickly. Forbes Magazine provides examples of items that should be folded and hung up. They even touch upon the right kinds of hangers to choose from. Here's a sneak peek:

Hang clothing such as suits, dresses, blouses, and things made of linen
Fold t-shirts, tank tops, jeans, sweaters, and yoga pants
Thick wooden hangers are best overall
Hangers with clips are ideal for storing pants and skirts
Velvet-covered or padded hangers should be used for delicates like silk and satin

And don’t forget about the usefulness of hooks, racks, and various storage bins and baskets.

Wall-mounted hooks are superb for displaying hats and bags, keeping your favorite robe convenient, or for hanging a shoe organizer.

Speaking of shoe organizers, the clear wall-mounted or over-the-door versions are fabulous for storing more than just shoes. You can also utilize them to hold sunglasses, jewelry, rolled-up exercise wear, and tank tops. If you’ve got a rather large shoe collection, keeping them organized is crucial. There’s a wide variety of shoe racks on the market, or you may want to invest in something custom-built for your plethora of footwear.

Plan of Attack

You know which clothes to hang, you’ve got clean rods and the right kinds of hangers. You know what needs to be folded and how. Now what? Decide what kind of storage accessories will complete your journey to eminently functional closets, and how you will arrange them to maximize your storage space. Most closets come with at least one really high shelf, so home and garden site The Spruce recommends bringing in a step-stool, so you’ll have no problem reaching and utilizing every inch of vertical space.

If you want to add wire baskets, built-in cabinetry, or a more unique storage solution, you may want to consult a professional closet design service. While there are options available online or at your local big-box store, a custom closet upgrade also adds value to your home in more ways than one.

You can also repurpose old bookcases or chests of drawers for your folded items and accessories. Don’t forget to designate a safe place for your jewelry. If you have a lot of pieces that you adore, you may need some suggestions on creative jewelry storage. That's where the pros at Architectural Digest come in!

A Place for Everything

Ah, finally you can bring it all together. Hang your clothes on the rods in the order you’ve planned. Deploy your hooks and racks, and snuggle your folded clothes in their designated areas. Be sure to give your items plenty of room to breathe so nothing gets wrinkled.

Make sure your shoes are clean and then put them away. Arrange your jewelry and your most-used items. Once your closets are clean and perfectly organized, you can add sachets of cedar and lavender for a clean and soothing scent.

Conclusion

Conquering closet chaos forever might seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually quite achievable. Clean, declutter, and craft your plan of attack and you’ll soon be enjoying wonderfully organized and refreshing storage areas for your family's entire wardrobe.