Clutter Control and Organizing Solutions

You know organizing a bedroom closet isn’t all that difficult actually. It might just be one of the easiest areas to get clutter free, as well as organized easily and for the least amount of money.

First of all, as I mentioned in an earlier article - everything needs to be removed from the closet. Everything. You want to be able to see the space you have to work with. I recommend immediately putting piles together as you remove the items.

The greatest tip I ever used for organizing my closet, is to put everything in color order. In other words: All black tops together, all blue tops together. For multi-patterned items, you need to pull the strongest color and put it that way.

Recommended Products (explained below)

Closet Hang Bar (also referred to as a Closet Expander bar)
Shelf Dividers or Separators
Shoe Storage
Tie / Belt Rack
Clear Plastic Containers w/lids

Closet Hang Bar - This is recommended because it allows you to double the space you are working with. Hang pants on one bar (the bottom for instance) and shirts on the other. Keeping everything together by color makes it easier to find what you are looking for as well.

Shoe Storage - Shoe storage can be different for everyone. Many people have large shoe collections and the best method for storing a large shoe collection would be vastly different than storing a small collection of shoes. However, keeping the shoes organized is a must.

Tie / Belt Rack - These handy racks can be installed on the inside of a closet door, in the back of the closet, or on the side. They generally have a long wood piece that attaches to the wall with many hooks. These work for ties, belts, purses, totes and almost anything else you can hang.

Shelf Dividers or Separators - These attach to the top shelf and divide it allowing you to store sweaters stacked, or purses. It’s all about separating everything so it is easier to access, and additionally is more organized.

Clear Plastic Containers w/lids - Always recommended for any storage situation, clear plastic containers allow you to see what is inside. You will never wonder what is inside again because at a quick glance you can see. Being sure to utilize the lid allows you to stack things freeing up even more storage space. Things that can be stored in such boxes are shoes, wallets, purses, belts, ties, socks, undergarments and almost anything else you can think of. The clear containers come in a wide range of sizes, but I recommend shoebox size for a closet.

I mentioned in my post yesterday, that starting small simply means starting with an area that you can get done in a shorter amount of time. A closet is the best thing to start with, and it doesn’t matter which room you choose to get rid of the clutter in first.

We’ll start with the bedroom closet. Here are a few tips of advice for a bedroom closet (whether it is a child’s or parent’s).

• Remove everything from the entire closet before starting. Seeing what you have to work with will be easier once everything is out.
• Does it fit? Many things in your closet probably don’t fit anymore. You might even be saving them for when they do. The best advice I can give you, is get rid of them. They are simply taking up space, and if you haven’t used them in a year or more, there is no reason to hang on to them.
• If you have a large shoe collection, get practical. Do you wear them all? Probably not. For every two pairs you plan to keep, get rid of one that hasn’t been worn in a year. Get rid of any that are falling apart, don’t fit or are out of style.
• Many people keep purses in their closet. Do you have a bunch that you aren’t using anymore? Get rid of the ones you don’t use or haven’t used in a year or more. Do the same thing with wallets.
• Do you store items that really do not belong in a bedroom closet? You need some boxes or containers, and you need to place these items into the containers sorted by which room they would be better stored in. Don’t keep items that don’t belong in the bedroom. The more clutter you keep, the less room you have and the more chaotic your life will feel (yes even in the closet).

Watch for the second part of this article - Organizing a Bedroom Closet.