Spring Cleaning Your Closet

Take charge of your closet and make room for Spring and Summer!

Spring has finally arrived! Given the situation in our world right now, many of us are adjusting to spending more time at home.

With warmer days ahead, now is the perfect time to take a look at the state of your wardrobe. Thick sweaters and heavy jackets will soon be put away to make room for your favorite spring essentials.

With the seasons changing, it’s the perfect reminder to do some spring shopping. Whether you have a long list of spring pieces, you'd like to invest in or your satisfied with what you have now, it's always a good idea to take a good look at the state of your closet at the beginning of the season.

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Have the winter months completely destroyed your closet? The truth is, busy mornings getting ready for work and school is the perfect recipe for a closet disaster. For many of us, our closets have become a nightmare after months of busy schedules. Now that our mornings have gotten significantly slower and our days aren't as busy, it's finally time to give our closets a good spring clean out.

Here are a few tips and tricks to follow for Spring Cleaning your closet.

The first step to spring cleaning your closet is to dump!

You read that right. Dump as much as you can onto the floor of your closet or lay it out across your bed. Now you can visually see just how many things you have and how many of each item you have. For example, you may be busting at the seams with sweaters but severely lacking blouses or dress shirts for work. (add that to the shopping list!) By having everything laid out, you have the ability to see everything and reflect upon your wardrobe.

From that large pile, quickly go through piece by piece and separate it into three piles (sell, donate, keep). Once everything is divided into three piles, it will be so much easier to take charge and start weaving down what you have. Keep in mind that even though we are moving into the warmer months, as we all know, Michigan weather is very unpredictable, and keeping a couple of warmer options around is a good idea. Another key idea to remember: Layering knows no season. Layering throughout the year is important to staying comfortable in sometimes unpredictable weather. Make sure you keep a small section for non-seasonal clothing pieces, such as your favorite leather jacket or your favorite light sweater.

Try EVERYTHING on!

I know what you’re probably thinking, there’s absolutely no way I’m going to try everything on, I know how my clothes fit me already. The truth is, you may have forgotten that you don't like the fit of something, or that you've had that top for way too many years, and it's time to invest in a new one. At least trying on as many pieces in your 'keep' pile as you can will help assess if more pieces can be added to the donate pile. Trying on what you have will also inspire you to wear an item that you haven't in a while, it will keep your wardrobe feeling refreshed. This habit is also important if you're trying something on and it seems too worn, you can keep track and remember to invest in a new black top the next time you go shopping. Actively trying on your clothes will give you a new appreciation for what you have and will inspire many outfits to come.

Tips for getting rid of pieces!

Getting yourself to get rid of clothing can be extremely challenging for some people, especially if there is an emotional attachment to the item. The Kon Mari method is a wonderful, guilt-free way of getting rid of things. Consider preserving important clothing in delicate storage to enjoy for years to come and giving yourself more room in your closet. Follow the “one-year rule” for items with less emotional attachment. If you know you haven’t worn it in a year, what are the chances you’ll reach for it the next time you get dressed? Try and think of three ways you could style the piece or try it on again - if that task is too difficult, it's a good idea to let that piece go. There are a few exceptions to this rule, such as important dressy wear, in that case, assess if you'd grab for it the next time you have a work or social event. If you aren’t in love with it, toss it in the donate pile and invest in something else you’re in love with.

Sell, Donate, Keep

Now that you've taken the time to thoughtfully go through each pile sell, donate, or keep the clothing. Immediately get the remaining two bins out of your space, so you don't risk reaching back into the bin and keeping something that you planned on getting rid of. Make quick but conscious decisions about where you’d personally like to sell and donate your clothing. Finally, get your keep pile ready to be hung back up in your closet.

Make sure your clothes last-use good hangers!

Now that you’ve given your closet a good clean out, it’s time to hang everything back up. One of the best investments you can make for a closet is to uniform your hangers. As silly as it sounds, it can make a big difference. Immediately get rid of wire dry cleaner hangers and replace them with whichever type of hanger you prefer. Felt hangers are fairly inexpensive and take up less space than a traditional plastic hanger. They also preserve the shape of your clothing nicely and don’t leave indents. Wooden hangers are great for hanging heavier pieces like trousers and jeans. Using the same hanger throughout your closet can make your closet appear more organized and tidier even on your busiest days, where things don't make their way back to their hanger right away!

Maintain an organized system

The easiest way to keep an organized closet is by grouping your clothing into categories. Keep tops in one section and bottoms in another. Keep all of your shirts in order from tank top to long sleeve and bottoms from shorts into pants into skirts into dresses. Separating clothes from work attire to lounge attire and workout clothes can be another system that works for people, that way when they’re dressing for a certain occasion, you’ll know which section to easily look in to find an outfit. It makes putting your clothes away easier when every item has its own category. It also makes getting dressed in the morning easier when you can visually see each part of your outfit and can easily throw one together. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, color coding within the sections adds an extra element of tidiness to your closet!

More Spring Clean Out Tips and Tricks

Hang all of your clothes going the same way, when hanging back up, place the hanger the opposite way. At the end of the season or year, assess the clothes you didn’t wear and decide whether to keep or donate the items.

Keep a sturdy bin in or near your closet at all times, the next time you try something on and don't like the fit, toss it in the donate bin. Let the container serve as a collection spot for clothes, shoes, and accessories and easily take the bin to donate when it's full.

Rotating your Wardrobe

An easy way to free up space in your closet and to ensure you’re wearing all of your clothing, consider storing out of season clothing and shoes outside of your closet. Long and thin bins with snap closures are the perfect place to store thick sweaters and corduroy pants during the warmer months. They can easily be tucked under the bed or in a storage closet somewhere else in your house. Let the changing seasons be the perfect time to open those bins and rotate out last season’s clothing. Before storing last season’s clothes, ensure you like the fit and that there aren’t any issues such as holes or stains. Follow the Spring closet clean out tips, and you'll be well on your way to having and maintaining an organized and tidy closet!

Contact us for a Free Design Consultation at (313) 884-1818, and make sure to like our Facebook Page for Spring cleaning tips and more organization ideas!