It could be that your new rental home offers you more storage than you’ve ever had before, but with more closet space comes more responsibility!
Whether you have space to spare or there’s little to be had, keeping up with clutter should become a regular habit. Read on for tips to keep your closets in tip-top shape!
Purge first:
There is no closet organization project that can start without first reducing the volume of stuff to store. Keep in mind that separating items into piles of things to keep, sell/donate, or throw out isn’t a one-time event. Once you have gotten rid of the clothes, shoes or sports equipment that you haven’t used in the last year, you have to stay on top of your closet inventory as part of a stuff-controlling regimen.
Seasonally, be sure to cut deep and get rid of whatever didn’t get used from the warm or cold weather wardrobe you’re putting into storage. And throughout the year, use the method below to keep clutter from piling up.
One in, one out: This easy-to-follow and sensible rule will keep you honest about what you have — and keep the closet space in your rental home working for you, rather than against you. Each time you buy an item, make something that shares the same category go away. So if you buy a new sweater, get rid of a sweater. New skirt or pants, same thing. New shoes, bag, book, piece of jewelry…you know the drill!
And if you acquire two new items in the same category, you’ll have to get rid of two of those items that you already have. This space-saving process is one sure-fire way to keep you from acquiring more than you can keep up with.
Find a system for what you have:
Ultimately, you are the best designer of your closet organization system. Based on your preferences and budget, there are a lot of ways you can manage the stuff you love. Is it easier for you to put your shoes in clear boxes, on shelves, or in over-the-door pocket or wire organizers? Consider hanging and zippered sweater shelves, hooks for purses or rolling drawers for socks/underwear/accessories.
You can organize your clothing by color, season or function, for instance, but the deciding factor will be which system you can best maintain. Experiment and have fun finding the right method for the closet space you keep.
If closet organization is something you think you’ll never need to worry about because you have so much storage space or is a project you just don’t think you can face, take these tips to heart. Start space- (and sanity!) -saving practices as soon as you move in to keep clutter from taking over. And if the clutter creep has already started, begin with step one. Keep up the good work!
