Chicago Organization

Organizing Your Closets – Tips on Closet Organizing

I know you have heard it said before- you only wear twenty percent of the clothes in your closet. I hate to say it again, but it is true. Time and time again I see people with jam packed closets and dresser drawers, but when it comes down to it, they have their two favorite pairs of jeans, the one or two pajamas they wear every night, and the same t-shirt that they work out in because it is the most comfortable they own. Let us not deny that it is true. If you had to give it all up and only pack one suitcase full of clothes that you were allowed to keep, you could do it. Now, I am not saying go throw out all your clothes; what I am saying is simplify your closets and dresser drawers. Be truly honest with yourself and let these be the questions you use to make your decisions while organizing your closet:
-Do I look fabulous in this?
-Does it make me feel like a million bucks?
-Does it fit me perfectly?
-Is it super comfortable?
-Do I wear this once a week or at least every other week?
-Do these shoes make my feet hurt?
-If I missed this, could I replace it and find something similar in the stores?

Of course, these questions apply to different clothing items.

Your socks will never make you feel like a million bucks, but the cocktail dress you are keeping, should. You get the point.

To keep your closet organized, try to go through your closet during each season. If that is too much to ask, every six months can suffice. After simplifying, what do you do with your unwanted clothes? Before you offer them to friends or family, or take them to the nearest charity, there is a not- for- profit organization in Chicago that would appreciate them. Dress for Success (www.dressforsuccess.org) helps women interview and land jobs, not only by educating them but giving them suits or business clothes that can help them along in their job search. Check out their site for more details and the Chicago branch location.

Besides downsizing and simplifying, the right organizational products make a huge difference while organizing closets. I really believe that there are two places in your home where it helps to spend a little extra money on great organizing products. Those spaces are your kitchen cabinets and your closets.

These purse hangers do wonders if you are a purse lover- check out The Closet Purse Hanger at www.closetpursehanger.com

-Over the door pocket shoe organizers are a must for adults and kids. They can not only hold shoes, but scarves, nylons, tights, socks, and just about anything.
-Cap racks are great way to organize your husband’s or son’s collection of baseball caps
-Easily match up your jewelry with the perfect outfit by hanging necklaces and bracelets right inside your closet on the wall.
-Containerize fancy purses or wraps and off season accessories, placing them on high shelves in your closet.

If you have more closet space then dresser space, hanging sweater bags will do the trick. They are cloth pockets that hang from the pole. You can not only use these for sweaters but work out clothes or pajamas. Anything light.

Designate a laundry bag for dry cleaning and mending. Hang it on a hook in the closet or on the back of the door.

Buy different colored hangers for family members if spouses or kids share closets. That makes it easy to identify whose clothes are whose.

Finally, uniform hangers really do make your closet feel clean and organized. Do away with the dry cleaner, wire hangers and spruce up your closet.