Do you dream of owning a wardrobe that looks like it belongs in a magazine or high-end boutique? Well, you can have it with the help of just six nifty items. But before you start to organise your closet, spend at least a day giving it a thorough declutter as this is part of the journey of having your dream closet – it’s an inefficient use of your time and money organising and arranging items that you don’t wear, need, or use.
To organise your closet, you should only have what you need and love to wear. Your closet should be your sanctuary, making you feel beautiful and invigorated. Read on for some practical tips on how to get your wardrobe organised in a way that works for you, making your space calm and clutter-free.
1. The Velvet Hanger
For every closet I have organised, I have always highly recommended the velvet hanger. You might ask why. Why would you replace all the hangers you already have, even if they are in good condition? Usually, wardrobes have hangers of all shapes and sizes – the skinny wire one, the larger wooden ones, the regular plastic ones and, sometimes, the broad suit ones. If you have limited space in your closet, the first way you will make more space is by removing any broad hangers.
Firstly, velvet hangers are slim with a versatile neck that swivel, making it easy to put clothes in and out, ensuring the clothes are facing the same direction. Secondly, the velvet hangers are a great organiser for the closet as they prevent clothes from slipping. Thin synthetic fabrics or silks are very slippery and can become wrinkled or look messy in your closet. Velvet hangers ensure all the pieces are well presented, keep their shape, and make your clothes look like they are in a store – especially when you choose one colour for all your hangers.
2. The Drawer Divider
This is an essential organiser for the closet as it makes everything visible. Drawer dividers come in different shapes and sizes. Some are simple plastic extendable dividers that can fit in most drawers – these are perfect for folding T-shirts, shorts, leggings, and tops, keeping them neatly in rows within the drawers.
Another divider is the box of different sizes, like the SKUBB series from IKEA that keeps different types of items together, like accessories or underwear. For bras and underwear, Amazon sells a set of drawer dividers that keep each item apart, making it very easy to see them all. The key to organising your closet is to make each item visible and accessible in a sensible space. Drawer dividers help you do just this.
3. The Pull-Out Storage Box
So often, wardrobes have deep shelves, making it very difficult to reach items at the back of the shelf. By pulling some clothes out, others get knocked over – even if they are in neatly folded piles – so you end up with a messy bunch of wrinkled clothes in no time. To solve this problem, use storage boxes that fit exactly on the shelf, which you can pull out to access the back of the shelf.
Any box can work for this purpose, but it should ideally fit most of the surface area of the shelf in order to maximise the closet space. Measure your shelf carefully and refer to these dimensions when buying your storage boxes. I would recommend buying a box covered in fabric as it gives a softer feel and looks attractive when you open your closet door. My favourites are the STUK series from IKEA.
4. The Pants Hanger
What is a pants hanger, you may ask? It is a hanger with multiple bars to hang more than one pair of trousers or scarves on. These are wonderful space savers and keep your trousers neatly folded as well as highly visible. It’s wise to get ones that are non-slip as most trousers slip. I would dedicate a space on one side of the closet to use this closet organiser, keeping your trousers in one zone.
When arranging your hanging closet, it is imperative to have zones based on the use or look of your clothes. For example, zones could be trousers, shirts, dresses, and skirts – all based on the length of the items. Alternatively, zones could be work clothes, occasion wear, and casual wear – based on the purpose of the items. It needs to work for you, so choose a style that you love to look at everyday, keeping in mind that it needs to be practical as well.
5. The Shoe Box
Shoe storage is an ongoing battle for many closets around the world. It’s usually a problem because there are more shoes than there is space. The way to work around this is to store vertically. Most closets have a shoe space in the bottom half and there are options to maximise this space vertically. You can insert a wooden or wire shoe rack inside the closet. You can also use stackable shoe boxes to increase visibility, but they require the luxury of space.
Another option is to store shoes in deep drawers if you have some under the bed, or have a separate unit with baskets to store shoes in. Having shoes visible in your home creates visual clutter, so I highly recommend using an organiser that hides your shoes within your closet. The less visual clutter you have in your home, the calmer it will feel.
6. The Shelf Insert
The shelf insert is a versatile closet organiser that helps maximise vertical space. Another benefit of this handy piece is that it creates more visibility for all the pieces in your closet. An efficiently organised closet should have all items easily accessible and visible to the user. Shelf inserts are incredibly valuable in closets that have deep shelves as items at the back are often not seen because it’s dark and things can get lost behind other piles of clothes.
You might be wondering what you can put on a shelf insert. Clothes can be folded and put on shelf inserts. Handbags and shoes can be stacked on shelf inserts. Makeup and accessories can also be placed high up. There are many different types of shelf inserts that you can choose to suit your style of closet. Black wire racks work for dark closets, clear acrylic stands from Muji are perfect for displaying accessories, and white shelf inserts match white closets and therefore create a uniform look.
To maintain your beautifully organised closet, there is a simple rule you need to follow: anything new coming in means something else needs to go out. Over time, your closet will get fuller and more cluttered as you buy more. Be mindful about what you buy, making sure it is what you really want and not an impulse buy. Donate regularly to keep your wardrobe calm and clutter-free – it should be inspirational, not an eyesore.
Fern McGahey is a professional home organiser at Calm the Clutter. Visit @calmtheclutternow or www.calmtheclutternow.com for more information.
