Brooke asked me to write about ideal or proper clothing storage. So Brooke, here are my thoughts. Hope they help!
1. Use your space efficiently. I live in a studio apartment. It's not a small studio, but it is a studio nonetheless. Add to the mix my compulsive book buying, and there's not a huge amount of space. However, closer examination highlights a number of hidden opportunities for storage. I bought over-the-door hooks, which I use to hang my hats and scarves. They just hang over the door of my closet, so I don't have to worry about them doing permanent damage to the wall. I also have a great shoe bag (see the picture in part 6), which means that the floor of my closet is free for my boots, and my shoes don't end up in a giant messy pile.
2. Organize your clothes by season. Most of us have some things we can wear year round, and others that are only appropriate at certain times of year. If you live in the Northeast, like me, there is no reason to have wool sweaters out in August. So put away the things you don't anticipate needing any time the in near future. (I recommend under the bed, in storage boxes, but do what works for you based on your space constraints.) Hang heavy coats in the back of your closet in the summer, and put away your lightweight clothes in the winter. You won't miss them, I promise. And when the seasons shift, change everything back. And while you do...
3. Clean out your closet regularly. Some people hold by the "One in, one out" model-- any time you buy something new, you give something away. While I find that to be a nice idea, I find that it's not a realistic goal for me. Instead, every time I rotate my wardrobe, I look at the things I'm putting away. Have I worn it since I last rotated my clothes? If not, it's gone! (In a future post, I'll give some ideas of what to do with all of those old clothes.) You won't miss it when it's gone, and you'll have more space for the things you actually wear.
4. If you wear it a lot, keep it in the front. We all have our favorites that we wear over and over. Keep them in reach. If you put them in the back, you'll just mess everything up looking for them. For example, I keep my sweaters under my bed because they're so bulky. But I put the ones I wear a lot at the top or front of the bag, and leave the special occasion ones in the back. Same with fancy clothes for weddings and the like-- they're all the way on one side of the closet, so they don't get in my way when I'm looking for that black pencil skirt for the 3rd time this week.
5. Look for space-savers. For example, I have a lot of skirts and dresses, which have the potential to take up a lot more room than pants. However, as the picture shows, multi-tiered hangers can be a girl's best friend. They allow you to see more of your clothing, and to fill the space in your closet vertically as well as horizontally. I have a few skirt hangers with six tiers, which are amazing but not easily found these days. However, the four tiered ones work as well. I suggest buying metal ones, like these, which tend to last longer. Additionally, the Container Store sells ones you can stack on your own, allowing you to add as many layers as your closet height allows. You can also do a similar thing with shirts, blazers and dresses-- just buy a set of hangers that come with cascading hooks like these, or, if you already have no-slip hangers, you can buy the hooks on their own here. Just be aware of the amount of weight you are putting on the hangers, as the strain can cause the top one to break if they aren't high quality. And buy a shoe bag! Now! It will make all of the difference.
6. Make sure you can see as much of your wardrobe as possible. Even if things are tucked away in drawers or under the bed, there are still ways to make sure you can see them. For example, I keep my sweaters under the bed (as mentioned in part 4) because they're very bulky. However, when I chose my under-the-bed storage, I was careful to buy containers that had a clear top. That way, when I pull out the bag, I can see what I have. That's also why I swear by the shoe bag. I have way too many shoes, so it's helpful for me to be able to see what's there. Otherwise, I would wear the same three pairs over and over.
7. Be strict about what goes where. If you are like me, you aren't always great about putting your clothes away. Frequently, at the end of the week, there is a giant pile of clothing on one my chairs. However, when I finally put things away, everything goes in this place. There's a drawer for long sleeve shirts, one for gym clothes, and an area for socks and tights. Each thing is put away where it belongs. Everything in its place. Trust me.
So those are my tips. Hope they help! Let me know your thoughts. And also, please tell me, what to do you do to stay organized?
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