A closet is the best space to start when decluttering your home. When you step back and get a full view of your closet, what do you see? Do you see a well-organized, well-maintained storage area? Or do you see stacks and piles of stuff? For most people, the answer is the latter.
Having an organized closet takes patience, time and effort. But once it’s done, all it takes is a little maintenance.
To get started, think ahead and schedule it in. Handle this project just as you would a date or a business appointment. Take it seriously and on your scheduled date and time, don’t make excuses, just do it!
Take everything out of the closet and put it on your bed; go through each piece of clothing one item at a time and assess when you wore it last. If you haven’t worn something in one year and it’s in good condition, donate it to a charitable organization.
Start four piles of clothes; those you want to keep, those you will donate, those you will throw out and the last pile would be for the maybes. Holding on to old, damaged or unused items creates clutter, which slows down the flow of energy.
Use hangers that are all the same style and color. Separate the types of clothes; group shirts with shirts, skirts with skirts, pants with pants, dresses with dresses. Organize by color — all white strapless to long sleeve shirts together, all beige, all yellow, and so forth.
No one is going to force you to get rid of things. A professional Organizer will help you make the best decisions based on your goals. But remember, your physical space is limited and as much as you may want to keep everything, some tough decisions on your part might have to be made. Getting organized is about getting real. Don’t throw something away if it has serious sentimental value. Just find a better place for it.
When it’s all said and done, getting more organized is something we could all stand to do. It certainly doesn’t hurt to be able to find things a little faster, and not trip over those odds and ends that could, believe it or not, have their own designated area. And, whether it’s making your spare room a little more structured, your closet a little less cluttered or even that home office a little more ordered, go ahead and make it a project. Chances are, you’ll feel a lot better.
For more information, go to floridaprofessionalorganizers@yahoo.com
