If the clothing system that worked for you a couple of seasons ago is no longer holding its own, it could be a sign that it’s time to quickly reorganize your closet.
Whilst decluttering might sound draining, the benefits are plentiful, especially in spring when the weather can blow hot and cold. Here, our professional organizers reveal the six signs that it's time for a quick reorder and why it's so important to make this a regular task.
Reassessing your closet organization ideas seasonally and acting quickly when things are no longer working for you can curb stressful mornings.
6 signs it's time to reorganize your closet
1. You feel uninspired
Having too much or too little can leave you feeling uninspired, and make getting dressed more stressful.
One of the most important is feeling generally uninspired when you look at your clothing options in the morning, says Courtney Cummings, professional home organizer and owner of The Stylish Organizer.
She shares, ‘Feeling uninspired? Can’t find your go-to items? It might be time for a closet reorganization. Even the most organized closet can start to get out of hand. If your systems are no longer working for you, take a step back and evaluate your needs.’
Feeling uninspired by your items could also be a sign it’s time to stop decluttering, especially if you have previously pared your garments down to a capsule wardrobe and are not used to living with less.
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Keeps folded items neat
For items you cannot hang such as sweaters, use zip-up garment boxes with clear fronts so you can still see and access items easily without them making a mess of shelves. Our quick and easy air-folding method will help line your clothes up neatly.
You would be hard-pressed to find a pro organizer who doesn't love velvet slimline hangars. They keep clothes in place without taking up too much space.
For trousers, heavy garments, or sets that you need to keep together, these clothes hangers with clips are ideal.
2. It’s overflowing
The same rules apply to all your clothes storage, including dressers.
Not being able to pull a garment out easily or see everything you have at a glance is a top sign you have too much stuff and need to declutter and reorganize your closet.
Cori McDougald, professional home organizer and owner of Meat & Potatoes Organizing says, ‘If your closet is popping at the seams, you are unable to close your dresser drawers or having a hard time doing so, and you have no more room to hang up outfits, it is definitely time to reassess the space.’
If this sounds like you, consider the capsule decluttering method to pare back your items, only keeping pieces that go with at least two other things you own. This way, you cut out items that are collecting dust, and are only left with items you will get good use out of.
Vacuum storage bags are one of the best ways to keep off-season clothing items and lesser-used garments neatly tucked away. They reduce their storage footprint and protect them from pests, damage, and moisture.
3. Your style has changed
A change in style is a great time to reassess your clothing, and donate anything you no longer like.
Styles constantly change, and if you find that mismatched items are making your closet look cluttered, it could be time to reorganize.
Courtney continues, ‘Has your style changed? Do you gravitate towards different pieces? Did you recently go on a buying spree? If you answered yes to these questions, this is your chance to get back to basics. Create a new system that functions for you and your wardrobe now.
‘Make it easy on yourself. Place items that are in your regular rotation in an accessible spot. If you wear certain pieces together, group them accordingly. Getting ready for the day should be simple. Be realistic with what you need, use, and love, and curate a closet that elevates your personal style and reflects the true you.’
4. Laundry is proving tricky
A reorganized closet from one season to another makes putting laundry away a lot easier.
Not all the signs you need to reorganize a closet starts with getting dressed in the morning. As Cori says, ‘If you feel unmotivated to finish your laundry because the task of putting it away feels too daunting, it might be time to reorganize your system.’
Creating a well-organized closet that is easy to navigate even when you are tired is a great laundry hack to save time and reduce visual clutter, often helping you tackle the bedroom clothes chair at the same time.
I love this collapsible laundry basket. I use it for everything from laundry day to decluttering. The fact it folds down means I can store it easily behind my dresser in between uses so it is not always in the way.
After testing it out for a month in her home, our head of solved Punteha van Terheyden fell in love with this laundry hamper. It helped ease chronic pain flares from bending down or crouching to sort out loads manually by allowing pre-sorting of dirty laundry as the week went on.
Downy fabric softener is a great way to make laundry smell better while softening fabrics for more comfortable, longer-lasting garments.
5. The seasons have changed
A change in temperatures is a clear sign you need to reorganize, even if you do not need to declutter.
Unless you are organizing a closet without seasonal storage, the change of a season is usually a key marker for reorganizing your closet space. Transitioning your wardrobe from winter to summer and vice versa helps you have all the weather-appropriate garments you need in easy reach, ensuring you are comfortable while making changes in the morning easier.
Under-bed storage is a great way to expand on your existing closet space, be it for off-season storage or offering a place for your bulkier pieces that need folding, but take up too much space in drawers. These bags on wheels are quick and easy to access.
6. Clothes don’t fit
This rule also applies to other closets in your home, such as the entryway or mudroom closets full of coats.
Clothes can be one of the most difficult categories to declutter, especially when they don’t fit quite like they used to. This is part and parcel of maturing, however, and while it is hard not to feel emotional, reorganizing your closet to reflect the changes will help you mitigate some of the guilt you might feel (however unnecessary).
Laura Price, professional home organizer and owner of The Home Organisation shares, ‘I don’t always recommend holding onto clothes that no longer fit you, even if you think they’re motivating you for a health kick. Storing clothes you can’t wear isn’t useful, they take up valuable space and it’s not always guaranteed you will wear them again.’
A great decluttering tip for clothing that doesn’t fit is to pass them on to others or donate them to shelters where they will get a new lease of life. This can make letting go of stuff easier.
Meet the experts
Courtney is the founder, owner, and lead organizer at The Stylish Organizer. She started out as an event planner, program manager, and communications director 16 years ago before making the transition to professional organizing after discovering the joy and serenity that she could bring to others through organizing their homes.
Cori started Meat & Potatoes Organizing because she wanted to help people get down to the basics in life – the Meat & Potatoes – if you will.
Laura Price's goal is to help others experience the benefits of living an organized life after discovering that organized homes brought her peace when raising three children in a hectic home. Hence the birth of The Home Organisation, a dedicated team of professional organizers.
FAQs
Is it better to organize a closet by color or style?
How you organize your closet will come down to personal preference, but it is best to have some form of system in place. For many, that will mean organizing by item category or style, for example, keeping all t-shirts together, then all button-down shirts, then trousers and skirts, and so on.
You can also further sort by color to make finding exactly what you need each day a little simpler.
When reorganizing a closet, it is not always best to aim for the most aesthetic way to organize a closet. While this might work for some people, acting as motivation to keep the area organized and tidy, others may benefit from a more structured approach such as a color-organized closet that better suits their routine.
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