Closet Organization 101

Now that we have done a few mental exercises thinking about our clothes, (i.e. thinking about whether our closets are “interview ready” and how many clothes we really need) it is time to start actually getting our hands dirty and sort through the closets.

August is a good month for closet cleaning. Some of us may be just about to splurge on clothes for the new season or school year. Closet cleaning doesn’t have to be a time consuming project. You can do it a little at a time until it is finished. Below, I have outlined my closet clearing process to help you get started.

A closet can seem a completely overwhelming space. Often, the closet is packed full and the sheer number of items to address is intimidating. Going through clothes can also trigger emotions about body image, money spent, memories or personal aspirations. But take a deep breath and realize that it is all “just” clothes.

On a first pass through the closet, it is helpful to just rearrange the hangers to group like with like. If you have some clothes in a dresser or on shelves and others in a closet, you might want to temporarily hang all of them up so they are easier to sort. What should your sorting categories be? Below are some suggestions:

For a Man’s Closet:

Formal wear (tuxedo, dinner jacket, etc.)

Business wear

1. Suits
2. Jackets
3. Dress slacks
4. Dress shirts
5. Polo/collared shirts
6. Ties

Casual Wear – Cold Weather

1. Jeans
2. Casual Pants
3. Long-sleeve shirts
4. Turtlenecks
5. Sweaters
6. Sweatshirts/Hoodies

Casual Wear – Warm Weather

1. Short-sleeve shirts
2. Tank Tops
3. Shorts

Exercise Clothes

1. Track suits
2. Shorts (bike shorts, running shorts, etc.)
3. Tops (team jerseys, cooling shirts, etc.)
4. Swimwear
5. Other

Sleepwear

1. Pajamas
2. Robes

Accessories

1. Belts
2. Suspenders
3. Hats
4. Other

Shoes

1. Dress Shoes
2. Loafers
3. Boots
4. Sneakers
5. Thongs/Tevas/Sandals
6. Slippers

For a Woman’s Closet:

Formal wear

1. Evening gowns
2. Jackets/pants
3. Silk blouses

Business wear

1. Suits
2. Dress slacks
3. Dress shirts/blouses
4. Skirts
5. Dresses

Casual Wear – Cold Weather

1. Jeans
2. Casual Pants
3. Long-sleeve shirts
4. Turtlenecks
5. Sweaters
6. Sweatshirts/Hoodies
7. Skirts
8. Dresses

Casual Wear – Warm Weather

1. Shorts
2. Short-sleeved shirts
3. Tank tops
4. Skirts
5. Dresses

Exercise Clothes

1. Track suits
2. Bottoms (yoga pants, bike shorts, running shorts, tennis skirts, etc.)
3. Tops (jogging bras/tanks, leotards, team jerseys, cooling shirts, etc.)
4. Swimwear
5. Other

Sleepwear

1. Pajamas
2. Nightgowns
3. Robes

Accessories

1. Belts
2. Scarves
3. Hats
4. Other

Shoes

1. High Heels – Formal Wear
2. High Heels – Business Wear
3. Flat Dress Shoes
4. Boots
5. Sandals
6. Thongs/Tevas
7. Slippers

Once you have all the like clothes and shoes together, the hard part comes in. Now it is time to scrutinize your closet and figure out what should stay and what should go. For this part, you will need a large garbage sack or box, this Ruly Closet Sorting Worksheet and a writing instrument.

Take a look at how many clothes you have in each category. You will discover where your shopping weaknesses are. If you have too many of something, start to discard. What should go? Check out my list below.

8 Sources of Closet Clutter

1. Closet Wallflowers.

First, look at things that you haven’t worn in a long time. Perhaps they were buried in the closet and now that you have found them you want to wear them again. Most of the time, however, if you haven’t worn it yet, you probably never will! Start a charity donation sack or box and toss the unworn items in. If you start seeing a pattern in things you buy but don’t wear, make a note on your worksheet so you won’t be tempted to buy the same things again in the future.

If you aren’t sure what is getting worn, one time-tested organizing tip is to turn the hangers of all your clothes so that the hanger faces backwards on the rod. When you wear something and are returning it to the closet after washing, hang it back up in the forward direction. At the end of the year, you can quickly see what you have not worn.

2. Duplicates

If you wear a lot of the same item, such as white turtlenecks, blue dress shirts, etc., it might make sense to have more than one of each item. If you prefer variety, don’t stock up on multiples of the same thing. Choose one item in the best condition and put the rest in the charity box. Write down on your worksheet the types of clothes you are acquiring too much of.

3. Ill-fitting Clothes

Clothing that doesn’t fit correctly will never look good on you no matter what you do to it. Clothes that are too small, too tight, too big, too low-cut, etc. should be selected for donation. If you really love something in this pile, write it down on your clothing shopping list. You deserve to find something that is flattering.

If you have had a change in weight and hope that you can squeeze back into something you wore years ago, ask yourself honestly whether after all the effort it will take to diet and exercise into a smaller size, if the first thing you want to put on your new slender body is old clothes from 5 years ago. If you want to save one outfit as your “test” to see if you really are the same size, go ahead but give the rest away.

4. Raggedy Clothes

Favorite clothes can develop holes or stains over time. Some could do with a little repair – a lost button, a small patch, etc. At some point, they are no longer worth wearing. If you can’t bear to part with something until you have a replacement, write down what you need to purchase on your worksheet. When you do get a new item, make sure to get rid of the old one.

5. Emotional Clothes

Clothes are very personal items. Some clothes trigger strong emotional connections for us and are hard to get rid of, even when we don’t really want them around.

You may be the lucky recipient of clothes from other people. Sometimes these gifts are wonderful and much appreciated. Other times they are not exactly to your taste. If you don’t like something, put it in the donation box, even if it belonged to someone you love dearly. Your loved one is not embodied in those old clothes. If it helps you to part with the clothes, put them on, have someone take photos of you wearing them, and then give them away.

Other clothes that are emotional are maternity clothes and baby clothes. If you don’t plan to have any more children, it is time to let these clothes go. We have all heard horror stories of the mothers who save every item of clothing their children wore. I have also met people who were these children and are now grown with children of their own. It is a huge burden on their lives to deal with all of grandma’s saved stuff. They don’t want to dress their children in clothes from 30 years ago. They want to make their own choices as parents and all that old stuff is holding them back. Saving a few treasured outfits, like a christening dress, makes sense. A whole closet full is too much!

There is a grieving process associated with closing one chapter of your life, particularly one that may have been a very happy time, and moving on to the future. If you are struggling, consider whether there is another outlet for your memories. A beautiful photo album of your little one wearing those treasured clothes is probably more meaningful to you than the clothes themselves. Or use the clothes as a springboard to write down the memories you are remembering. Consider writing a letter to your son or daughter to open when he or she becomes a parent, sharing these precious memories. Now that is something your child will truly treasure!

As a last resort, if you really just can’t bear to part with your emotional clothes, put them in a storage box and get them out of your closet. Sometimes just getting some physical distance from them is all you need to realize it is OK to let them go.

6. Money Clothes

How many of us are holding on to an item of clothing simply because it cost a lot of money and while we liked it once, we don’t care for it anymore, but we are still trying to get our money’s worth from it? Holding on to these clothes does us no favors. You don’t need a constant reminder of that mistake every time you open your closet. The money has been spent. If you don’t like what you bought now, it is not going to get any better sitting in the closet. Take a cue from business, acknowledge the mistake, write off your loss quickly and more forward.

Similarly, even if something was a real bargain, if you don’t like it any more or you don’t need 20 of them, let them go. There is another bargain out there for you to discover.

7. Clothes With Limited Purpose

Sometimes we purchase an outfit in the hopes that we will have an occasion to wear it in some exciting place or to remind us of some exciting place we have been once in the past. The après-ski outfit, the cruise dress, the island sarong, etc. You have basically two choices with these clothes. Donate them and make your peace that if you are ever in that situation again, you will buy a new outfit, or, start wearing the outfit in your everyday life. I did the latter with some clothes we purchased in Hawaii a few years back and I can’t tell you how fun it has been. People see the Hawaiian print dress and smile. It reminds them of their own visits to Hawaii and helps remind me of how much fun we had on our vacation too.

Writing this, however, reminds me of my favorite moment from the movie “Notting Hill.”

8. Incomplete Outfits

Women’s closets in particular can accumulate little gems that look great but the closet lacks some basic pieces to go with them to make them wearable. For example: the sheer shirt that needs a plain silk tank to go underneath; the printed dress that needs a solid belt, the sweater that would look great with a jean skirt, etc. We hold onto these clothes thinking one day we will acquire the missing items but we never do. Take a hard look at these clothes. Do you still like them enough to spend money to complete the outfit? If no, donate the item. If yes, write down the clothes that you need to purchase on your worksheet.

I hope this post helps get you started tackling your own closet. Please share in the comments your own closet organizing strategies. What are you keeping too much of? What do you need?