Hi again! Hopefully you’ve read my previous post, So…When Are You Gonna Tackle That CLOSET? If not, it’d be a good idea to start there first. It’s chock full of good info! Anyway, if your closet has been pruned of everything that doesn’t fit, you don’t like, don’t need or has damage beyond repair, you’re off to a great start! And btw, the picture featured is not my closet, it’s my idea of a “happy closet”. It expresses the owner by the colors, textures & organizational needs.
A woman’s closet should be her domain, not a place that causes panic, confusion and pain. It should be a sanctuary. An oasis, if you will, full of delightful items that are a treat to the senses. Ok, I know! I really went there! But the point is, it should be a place you like to go. Heck, LOVE to go!
Years ago, I found myself in a quandary. A troubling, tangled mass of shoes, clothes & jewelry was awaiting me every time I opened the closet door. Some days, it was on the edge of being an avalanche. Yeah, when the seasons changed, I’d chuck my clothes on the top shelf of the closet & leave them there til I had to deal with them. Cuz who knows? There could be a day where I need to grab an item because of an unexpected temperature change! Well, that was my excuse.
One day, I just got sick of it. I’d open the door & it would turn my stomach. Not the smell or anything (it wasn’t that bad). But it was just a MESS! I have 3 kids & I didn’t want them to see my closet! I made it my business to stay on them about theirs. So what kind of example was I setting? Well, I made up my mind to stop. Just stop. Stop throwing stuff all over the place, find out what was actually in the closet & create a system to keep it clean that worked for me!
I had to sit & think about how I get ready in the morning. What do I need immediate access to on a daily basis? What can I put away for weeks at a time? Where do I need things to be? How do I want it to look? Do I want clear containers for my shoes? Do I want to hang my boots or put them on a rack? Do I fold or hang my slacks, jeans and sweats? These are personal preferences for anyone’s closet. Some things may “make sense”, but is it actually practical for you? And don’t feel like you have to fit into someone else’s cookie cutter idea of closet organization.
So, here’s what I came up with. Don’t feel compelled to do this. You may think it’s nuts. I put my boots on the floor, heels on a floor rack (that’s the system that’s in place for now) & flats under the floor rack. I even have my own color hangers different from anyone else in the house (so people don’t steal my hangers). I have shelves & slots just for my purses, an area for my scarves & pashminas & storage areas for off season shoes & clothing. So now everything fits, as long as I stick to the system.
Next, my tops are all together. My light jackets and button down sweaters are all together & my pants have their own space as well. Jeans, sweats & tshirts are all in the dresser. They even have their particular drawers & place in the drawers. The top of my dresser has jewelry. ALL jewelry. Rows & rows of nothing but JEWELRY! Hey, what did you expect? I AM The Jewelry Lady! lol
But seriously, I have 2 stands that can hold about 15 necklaces each & nestled in between is my jewelry box which holds earrings, most bracelets & some necklaces. I also have an area to the side for overflow bracelets & a ring stand. This is how I like it. I can see most of what I have so there’s not lost items. It also looks like I walked into a mini department store. Every day I walk in and drool at my personal selection. No joke! It’s like my own little deserted island of jewelry up there! Yeah, I have jewelry issues. Pray for a sister!
Ok, there’s one other important item I keep in there. I’ll never have a closet without it again. What is it, you ask? My own trash can. Yep! I keep my own little pink trash can (somehow my daughter was given 2 little cutesy-poo trash cans) in my closet. So when I buy something new, I put all of the tags & bags in there. If I need to return something due to a defect, I know where the receipt is & don’t have to dig through the gross kitchen trash can! Also, I keep it there to toss anything that has serious damage. I put in runny hose, broken earrings or those weird little clear gummy feeling earring backs (they freak me out) or socks I’m tired of trying to match. Just whatever I feel I wanna toss.
The last thing that’s in there is a mini giveaway pile. I always keep something in it. It keeps me mindful that there’s someone out there in need. I put things I don’t want, do want, doesn’t fit, does fit, is damaged, isn’t damaged & sometimes things I know someone else would like that I’ve been blessed with. It keeps me honest. It keeps my heart happy & it keeps me humble.
Alright, so hopefully I’ve shared some things with you that’ll help you organize your closet. It’s not just about boxes, bags, containers & shelves, but it’s about you. How do you operate? What do you need & where should it be for you? My husband has a saying “everything should be in its place” and I always add, “every place should have its thing”. Meaning, if you have a place for the things you need, you always know where to put them. If you always know where it goes, it makes it easier to put it where it’s supposed to be!
So, take time to investigate & organize your closet to meet your needs. If you need inspiration, Pinterest is a great place to go. But before you go there, be sure you’ve figured out what you need. Otherwise, you’ll get all caught up in the millions of options there & never actually finish what you intended to do…organize your closet & organize your life!
Thanks for listening & let me know if I can help you in any way!
~The Jewelry Lady