Are you afraid to open your closet? Have you stopped putting things into your closet because its become a huge Bermuda Triangle where things disappeared years ago? You know its time to take control. Its time to attack the closet!
Plan to attack one step at a time
No one makes progress without a plan of action. Your first step is to make a date, an appointment with your closet getting your full attention. If this is your personal closet, expect to insure it is used only for your clothes, shoes and accessories. Christmas decorations and the kids basketballs will need to find a new home. Your appointment with your closet should be atleast 2 - 3 hours to guarantee progress. Don't plan on starting your closet attack with only 15 minutes to spare. You won't finish and discouragement will set in.
Gather Supplies- a few cardboard boxes (labeled: Goodwill give-away)
- a few plastic trash sacks (to throw away rags)
- Cleaning supplies (once its empty it needs to be cleaned)
- Vacuum cleaner (for hiding dust bunnies)
- Shoe racks or extra hanging rod or hooks (whatever your need)
- Storage boxes (clean ones to see what you pack inside)
Attack
Some women attack the closet carefully, working from top to bottom, left to right. This can work for you if you are doing the closet de-clutter cleanout in 15 minutes segments. However, the most effective way is to attack the closet.
Empty it out. Yes. Empty it.
Remove all hanging clothes and put them on your bed, the living room floor, wherever you find the space to empty the contents into piles.
If you fear the notion of emptying the entire closet at one time, empty it in segments, sorting as you go.
Survey for Strength
Now that all the contents of your closet are in piles around you, survey the landscape. Do you need all these clothes? Can one person really wear all these clothes? Do you really want to continue to live with all this stuff packed into your personal closet?
Take a deep breath. Take control of this mess one item at a time!
Not for the Faint-hearted - Sort One Item at a time
Handle each item
once. Have three piles as you sort through each item.
This is not the time to walk down memory lane, caressing the dress you wore to your child's kindergarten graduation (and he's now 25). This is the moment of quick decision.
Toss Pile: Any item that is not worthy of keeping because it is torn, used up, broken, embarassing.
Give-Away pile: Any item that would be helpful to another person.
Keep pile: Any item that meets these requirements:
- Worn within the last year
- Fits appropriately
- Is fashionable to wear today with pleasure
- Is not embarassing to family and friends
Remove Two Piles for Encouragement
Three piles? Toss, give-away, keep? Remove the bags of "toss" items from your room. Remove your boxes of give-away items, too! Don't you feel better? If you are taking a gander at the progress you've made and you have one item to give-away and one to toss, you need to go back to the previous step and sort again! You can not put all this stuff back into that one closet. Be ruthless!
Clean that Empty Spot
The empty closet needs cleaning before you put anything back in. Wipe down the shelves, the baseboards and clean the floor. Use your vacuum on the floor and if your vacuum has attachments, be sure and clean along the light fixture, corners, baseboards.
You'll love the look of the clean empty closet! The only thing you will love more than this...is a clean, organized closet with your clothes.
Organize to Conquer
Now that you have the items you are keeping, organize them as you put them back into your closet. Put like-items together. Long sleeved shirts together. Short sleeved t-shirts together. Winter pants together. Crop pants together. Casual at one end of your closet, career/dressy clothes at the other.
Do you need extra shelves? Get them at your local "do-it-yourself" warehouse store. Do you need shoe racks or hooks for purses? Now is the time to purchase and install them.
Top shelves can be used with clear containers to house the sweaters in summer. Rotating your sweaters to lower shelves in the winter and your summer t-shirts into those same clear containers keeps things organized.
Use baskets for scarves, purses, belts if you have the space or hooks for hanging.
Once you've attacked your closet (and won!) there will be no stopping you. Expect the feeling of elation to overtake your senses as you make plans for another closet.
P.S. Do not forget to take the "give-away" items to your local "GoodWill" or women's shelter.
Girls, get going!
