A NATURAL LEADER

CREATE SPACE Once you’ve decided which items you’re parting ways with, choose an organization system to house all of your clothing and accessories. Think about keeping everything neatly coordinated and accessible on shelves and racks and in bins or containers. Don’t be afraid to try out di erent storage options. Every belonging should have its proper place. ClosetMaid’s Closet Maximizer is a great option for this.

INTERIOR DESIGN

Spring Cleaning

ClosetMaid helps us with ideas on how to get organized

BY LAUREN WATZICH

As the seasons change, so should the arrangement of your closet. Luckily, the experts at premier home organization and closet company ClosetMaid reveal their best tips on how to do a successful spring cleaning ahead of summer.

The first step in the process is to take every—yes, every—item out of your closet, including clothing, accessories and shoes. This encourages you to be a bit more discerning about what you put back into your closet.

Here are five other ways to get your closet in gear (and give you peace of mind) according to Valerie Cavallaro, chief digital officer at The Ames Companies.

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ORGANIZE Use hardware like belt racks, valet rods and wall pegs to hang and store smaller items and accessories. Use hangers that are all the same color and style to create a visual merchandising e ect in which your eyes follow the clothes, not the hangers! If you have adjustable shelves, you can create a full section dedicated solely to shoes. DIVIDE AND CONQUER Start by placing your shirts or blouses together, sorted by sleeve length. Then, divide your pants, dresses, skirts and so on, by type (casual, formal) and length. Use this process for each category of clothing. Once you have defined your categories, you can put them into sections, leaving a few centimeters of space between them. If you’re feeling ambitious, sort the items in each section by color.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE Use an opinionated friend, stylist or professional organizer to help you cull. Start with what’s stained, dirty or doesn’t fit anymore. Then get a bit more granular by making sure the leftovers actually look good on you and coordinate with the rest of your wardrobe. If not, give it away to a local charity or a consignment shop. For higher-end designer items, The RealReal will come to your home and take what’s salable. Donate, consign or give away. Make that your healthy wardrobe mantra this spring!

ONE DAY AT A TIME No matter how large or small your closet is, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Organization isn’t a race. Spread the organization tasks out over a few days and go at your own pace. You’ll thank us later.