Get Organized

Get Organized: 5 Tips to Refresh Your Closet Space

Spring cleaning might not be your favorite task, but we’re here to help make your life easier so you can organize beautifully and efficiently. If you live in a big city, you know that closet space is hard to come by—and even harder to keep organized! Even without small square footage to contend with, storage space is precious and often overlooked when it comes to big design plans.

Design by Michelle Berwick | Photography by Larry Arnal

Get organized with us this season by refreshing your closet with these five smart tips. Create the closet space of your dreams when you stick to the five Cs: Clean, Conserve, Configure, Categorize, and Customize!

1. Clean

What better way to refresh your closet space than with a clean slate? Begin by cleaning out your closet and getting rid of everything you don’t need. We know it can be hard to let go of things, and often half the battle is reducing the clutter.

When going through clothing, ask yourself these questions:

• Does it fit?

• Do I actually wear it?

• Do I love it?

• Is it useful?

• Do I have similar items that I use more often?

Pro Tip: A good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t worn or used it in a year, then it goes! Many thrift stores and consignment shops make it easy to donate clothes and used items, plus you often get store credit!

2. Conserve

Design by Lisa Kooistra | Photography by Blynda DaCosta

The second step in the process is to conserve. Use storage for lesser-worn items to conserve space for the things you use most. Think formal wear and out-of-season clothes. You can easily tuck these things away by using shelves at the top of your closet or even bins to store seasonal clothes like holiday sweaters and Halloween costumes.

3. Configure

Once you’ve minimized what to store in your closet, consider your closet configuration. Think about it: you want this space to fit your unique needs. This may well be the first place you stumble into in the morning before you get that caffeine kick and the last place you’ll be in the evening before collapsing into bed.

Design by Jennifer Backstein | Photography by Mike Chajecki

Consequently, you need your closet to be configured functionally. Ask yourself questions like:

● What do I want to be front and center?

● What do I need easy access to?

● What are my go-to wardrobe items?

4. Categorize

Carrara Veil Res Tile by Daltile

Once you’ve cleaned out your closet and limited your space to the staple items, it’s time to categorize. Group your items by category: shoes, shirts, pants, skirts, etc. Create zones with dividers, shelving, and drawers to distinguish between categories. If you’d like to take your organization to the next level, color coordinate with baskets, bins, cubbies, or hangers.

And finally, customize, customize, customize! Don’t be afraid to spend a little extra dough to make your closet space functional for your lifestyle. Maybe this looks like installing custom drawers and hidden shelving, or maybe it’s adding an extra shoe rack to satisfy your sneaker addiction.

Design by Sara Bederman | Photography by Stephani Buchman

If you have more space, or even the luxury of a walk-in closet, consider investing in a complete overhaul closet renovation. Start with new flooring. Closets are the perfect place to go bigger and bolder with fun floor patterns and designs that you haven’t tried before. Maybe this means investing a little extra in a custom-designed mosaic tile or installing a unique herringbone wood-look throughout the space. Whatever the case may be, complete your makeover with paint, refurbished furniture, custom lighting, cabinets, and shelves.

Pro Tip: Make the most of your wall space by adding hooks or shelves.

Although these tips are geared toward your bedroom closet, don’t be afraid to spread the love to your other home storage areas too. Use the five Cs to organize your pantry, mudroom cabinets, or linen closet. Life might get messy, but your closets don’t have to be!