Organize Your Closet: 5 Tips You Can Use Today

Closet space is a precious commodity in most homes. Taking the time to get organized will give you more storage space, help you save time and give you a sense of accomplishment. nnWhen your closets are organized, you can find the things that you are looking for in the blink of an eye. You'll know exactly what you have in your closets and you won't make the mistake of buying something you didn't think you already had. nnBy following these tips, you'll be able to get any type of closet organized and clutter free.nn1. Remove everything from the closet.nWhether you are organizing a clothes closet, a linen closet or a craft closet, you need to know exactly what you're dealing with. Take everything out of the closet and then clean down the shelves or vacuum the carpet. Cleaning the closet while it's empty is important to cut down on dust and grime.nn2. Sort your items into 3 piles: "Keep," "Give away," and "Throw away." nOnce you have taken everything out of the closet, look through your items. You probably have a lot of things stuffed in there that you don't even need. Sort your items into three different piles. The first pile is for things that you want to keep. The second is for items that you no longer want but that are still in good condition. These items can be sold at a yard sale, given to charity or given away on a freecycle website. Finally, there are the items that are broken or stained, which wouldn't be good for anyone and that you can just throw away.nn3. Organize what you have left.nThe "keep" pile needs to fit back into your closet, so you will need to organize it so that like items are together. For example, if you're organizing your clothes closet, group similar outfits together so that you can find them easily. In your linen closet, fold all of the sheets and put them together, put the pillowcases together and group the blankets. Once you see all of the items you are going to keep, it is time to decide whether or not you need some additional organizational tools.nn4. Buy some closet organizers if necessary.nIf you have a lot of things that need a place to be stored, you may need to invest in some closet organizers. These can take the shape of multiple item hangers, shoe organizers, boxes, clear binders, shelves or baskets. Once you decide how many you need and purchase them, make sure that you assign a place for these items and what you will store in or on them. nn5. Place the items back in your closet and stay on top of your organization. nOnce you've eliminated your clutter and organized your closet items, it's time to put everything back into its new home. Take note of where things belong. Each time you take something out of your closet, be sure to put it back where you found it. This way you'll never again have overflowing closets. n