5 Tips for an Organized Closet (that might even stay that way)
Kev and I recently moved to Los Angeles where we now live with his family. Somewhere near the bottom of my long list of reasons why I am grateful to live here is a closet where Kev and I can actually see our clothing. Our previous closet was a black hole where about 10% of the content was visible. Seeing the other 90% was possible… if I removed my reading light from our bed-frame and took it with me into the closet’s dusty and spider-filled abyss. After settling here though, I realized there was also a perk to closet I couldn’t see— I wasn’t aware of the how disorganized and messy it was.
Too many times, I have organized a space— desk, drawer, cabinet, closet— only for it to be a back to chaos within a few days or weeks. So, when I set out to organize this closet, I tried to figure out how to make it the only time I organize the closet. Below are a few of tips.
Invest in no-slip velvet hangers. Their no-slip feature is cool; the amount of space they save is honestly amazing. Be sure to buy through Amazon, Costco, Marshalls, whomever is your discount go-to. Otherwise, it might be an overpriced investment.
Use baskets wisely. Organized closets on Insta often feature big, beautiful baskets. But, practically speaking, a deep basket full of T-shirts is not going to make your life easier. So, I went with small baskets with items I have a 0% chance of folding (i.e. bathing suits, scarves) and re-used our old, larger baskets as dirty laundry baskets.
Go with a Short Stack. Not everything has to be hung-up (though it’s tempting because that’s probably the easiest way to organize a closet and never organize it again). So, when organizing stacks of T-shirts and sweaters, I went with the shortest stack possible so items are easier to access. Plus, if a stack gets messy, it’s a minute or two away from being neat again.
Avoid the Russian Doll Technique. I often make this error. For example, I will put bags inside of bags. The outcome? I can’t see any of the damn bags. If I want to see any bags, I end up emptying the larger bag and leaving a mess and/or wasting time. Basically, set yourself up for success by not ensuring a mess will be made when you want to access your belongings. Or, alternative minimalist spin: if you have bags inside of bags and never want to use any of them, it might be time to reconsider which bags are bringing you joy. In short, make what you like accessible! (and maybe donate what you don’t like).
Lower Your Expectations. Maybe an odd tip, but in the era of social media, you’re inundated with pictures of closets and houses that are so bizarrely perfect. A closet with a few beige sweaters, a gold ring in a dish in a pink dish, and a pink basket of more soft beige items leads me to believe this person does not wear pants (I may be slightly exaggerating). So, organize to a level that you can maintain and to an aesthetic that makes you happy, and continue on with your beautiful day.
-Ari