8 Tips for Reorganizing Your Closet ...

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The first thing you need to do is empty out your closet -- so naturally it’s best to go with one closet at a time. Pulling everything out of it is going to be the key to following any or all of the rest of the tips. You have to know what you’re working with and what you have before you get started in earnest.

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This is hard for me, because I’m still hanging onto clothes and shoes I wore in high school. Yeah, I know, I’m ashamed of myself, too. Anyway, this rule means that anything you have used, worn, or looked at in a year or more needs to be thrown away. If you didn’t even know something was in your closet, you don’t need it any longer.

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This tip is hard for me to follow as well, but it’s a good idea and it really ought to be done. All those clothes that are too big or too small for you can be thrown away or donated as well. Heck, make something new out of the clothes that don’t fit anymore, if you’re good with a needle and thread. Don’t let them clutter up your closet, though.

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I have a lot of shoes. The Better Half has a lot of shoes. Our shoes are everywhere. There are lots of ways you can make your shoes fit into your closet better, though. You can save your shoe boxes, stack them neatly, and label them. You can also get a shoe holder, such as the ones that hang on the wall or on the back of the door.

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If you’re like me, half the reason your closet is so messy is because a lot of your clothes are falling off the hangers. You can give yourself a lot of room simply by making sure that your clothes are hanging on the right hangers. Wire hangers aren’t supportive -- plus they’re sort of scary in a Mommie Dearest kind of way.

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Some clothes don’t belong in your closet. You can save yourself a lot of room by keeping them folded in drawers instead. Sweaters come to mind here. The wrong hanger might ruin your sweaters by leaving them misshapen.

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Keeping your closet seasonal can keep you organized and leave you with plenty of space. In the winter, you don’t need flip-flops and tank tops in your closet. Those can be stored elsewhere until the weather starts to warm up again.

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Knowing just how big your closet is -- or isn’t -- lets you know what you have to work with in terms of space. Measure your closets so you know how much room you have and can calculate how much you actually need.

I’m hoping these tips will help improve my ability to find my clothes when I actually want to wear them. My shirts and shoes are the ones that always go missing. Does your closet ever seem to be conspiring against you? Do you have any other tips for cleaning out my closets?

Top Photo Credit: midtownsky