Coming out of the closet! Closet organizing basics.

When I see those ads in magazines for custom made closet organizing systems, I start to drool like a Pavlovian dog. Everything seems to fit so neatly and perfectly! Closet systems are wonderful, don't get me wrong, but they are not "self-organizing" (if only!). You can get your closet organized and maintain it that way with a few simple rules.

Divide clothing by type of item. Put like items together. For example, put all pants in one place, dresses in another, and so on. Next, colorize them within their groups. Put lighter colored items on the left and the darker colors on the right. I start with whites, followed by creams, beiges, yellows, oranges, pinks, reds, purples, blues, greens, browns, grays and blacks. Colorizing is what a lot of retail clothing stores do to give their clothing stock a neater appearance.

Keep clothing for all four seasons in your closet. I find it much easier to keep all my clothes in one place. It is a lot easier than switching it out every couple of months. Just follow the rule above, keeping like items together. If you don't have room to fit your entire wardrobe in your closet, then this is a cue that maybe you have too much or the existing space isn't being utilized efficiently.

Clear out clothing that isn't worn on a regular basis. I can't tell you how important this is! A lot of people get attached to clothing that they haven't worn in years! If you are having a hard time letting go of an item, try taking a picture of it. A photo takes up a lot less space. The Goodwill has the "one year rule": if you haven't worn it in a year, then it is time to get rid of it. I have a special corner in my closet where I set aside clothing to donate. When the pile gets about a foot high, I take it to the Goodwill. You can even get a receipt so you can deduct it on your tax return!

Corral those accessories! Try to keep accessories in one area of your closet. I like to hang all my belts on hangers. As for purses and other bags, I store these on a shelf. If you don't have shelves in your closet, you can use hooks. Also try consolidating space by storing the smaller bags within the larger ones. Shoes are sometimes difficult to organize. I line these up neatly on the closet floor.

Consider purchasing some organizational units for your closet. There are several inexpensive options available at http://www.spacesavers.com/. One product on their website that I thought would be particularly handy is their children's weekly clothing organizer that allows you to plan and store a whole week's worth of clothing for your child! Check it out at the following link:http://www.spacesavers.com/we.html

Unleash Your Organized Me!