Are you ready to own your closet, like a BOSS?!
Alright. First thing’s first.
Yes, pull everything IN your closet out and just lay it all out in the open. Right there on your bed, in your floor…
…in allllllll it’s glory.
Your closet should be covering itself from it’s nakedness by the time you’re done pulling it all out! Empty the clothes rod, shelves, floor, everything.
Go. RIGHT NOW.
- Grab some trash bags or boxes.
- Go through every single thing that was in your closet and anything that you don’t want or doesn’t fit anymore needs to go into trashbags for donation, trash, or yard sale.
- Everything that’s left, can go back into your closet…BUT.
- Use the backwards clothes hanger method.
Hang everything up backwards. In 6 months time, anything that’s STILL hanging with the hanger facing backwards – needs to leave.
Give it away or put in a yard sale bag for the summer sales. If you haven’t touched it in 6 months, you’re not going to wear it anyway.
Instantly take out those trash bags or boxes of clothes, shoes, purses, accessories. Put them in your vehicle before articles of clothing magically jump back into your closet, unbeknownst to you! I ended up with over 6 bags/boxes of trash and donation items!
Don’t put ANY one thing BACK into your closet that does not belong.Â
Now that you have an empty closet, look at this as your blank slate! Like an “arteeeest” with an empty canvas and a full palette of pretty colors!
- Dust and vacuum out the empty space!
- Slap on a fresh coat of paint, if it needs it.
- Get organized NOW!
Do you hang most of your clothes?
Do you have a lot of shoes? How about purses, scarves, belts?
Think about what you have and the sort of space that you need to accomodate those things. You also really want to USE the space in a smart way. My husband and I have to share a closet, so I have to be really frugal with my space.
The BEST Closet Storage Ideas
You can find all sorts of closet storage solutions just by using things you already have, like milk crates! I had some in the garage and I use 3 in my closet.
- One holds purses
- One holds extra blankets, sheets, and pillow cases.
- One holds summer/winter pajamas (depending on time of year).
Now, put your containers to use. More importantly, make sure that you’re taking advantage of the space in your closet with these storage containers.
I ended up buying a hanging closet organizer to keep pajamas and teeshirts, socks and undies in. That freed up one whole dresser!
I also grabbed a shoe rack to keep our shoes organized instead of just laying in the bottom of the closet floor.
Here are some other great closet storage ideas that you can use. All can be found on Amazon if you’re having trouble finding things you already have around the house.
Double Rod Closet, Silver – $35 with free shipping
(this is perfect to use as an insert inside your own closet if you don’t already have shelving and want double rod space)
Drawer Dividers Closet Organizers Bra Underwear Storage Boxes 4 Set – $16
Hanging Closet Organizer – $17
Click to see more closet storage organizational items here.
Our AFTER Photos:
My side of the closet (cause remember, I share my closet with my husband. Ugh.)
His side of the closet. Okay, some of my shoes are on his side, lol. I have more shoes than he does.
Want Simple Closet SPACE SAVING Tips? Click the NEXT button Below NOW and I’ll Give Them to You!
Jenni
Jenni here! I'm the owner and primary blogger here at Sweet Pennies from Heaven. Married to my better half for 17 years and mom to one awesome little boy. We have 2 dogs, Pepper and Izzy. My favorite thing to do is nap. I love sweets and coffee. Sweet coffee.
Follow Me:
the chick behind this blog! I'm your ordinary, everyday wife and mom to an incredible pair of stinky guys! I am a self diagnosed coffee addict with a ginormous sweet tooth, preferably baked goods!! My hope is to help you, teach you, and entertain you on your way to a more thrifty and frugal lifestyle! Along the way, you'll find awesome recipes, great tips, and tons of randomness! We have loads of fun, so ya'll come back now, ya hear?!
My wife and I are looking to organize our closet, so while my eyes are glazing over a bit :), I’m passing this on to her, because I have a feeling it might can help “us” in our endeavor. We’ll definitely be going for the frugal option too.
Everything I do is on a frugal scale Bryan!! haha. Good luck to you guys and your closet cleaning endeavor!
I’m eternally organizing my closet. This year I’m trying the tactic of turning all my hangars backwards, as I wear my clothes I’ll hang them back on the hangers the proper way, and then in June, all the clothes that are still hanging backwards… TO THE GOODWILL!
We’ll see if I have the willpower to clean out that much in June. 🙂
Thanks for linking up with Spread the Love!
That’s a GREAT idea with the hangers backwards. I’ve never thought of that!
Some great ideas! Sometimes it just seems so overwhelming, so doing a huge full-scale tackle might just be the way. (Seen on It’s Party Time link up.)
Sometimes you just have to break down and do it. I’ve tried doing it in smaller increments but it ends up just getting all cluttered up again. Pulling it all out and getting rid of a ton of stuff is what helps the most! Thanks for stopping by!
A big difference!! Thanks for the suggestions.
That’s a big difference! I love the hanging closet organizer. It looks like just what I need to organize my daughter’s closet. Thank you for the inspiration and ideas.
This is great, Jenni! I’m SO with you on doing laundry, and I recently had to redo my closet as well, so I’m glad I’m not the only one… haha! Totally live by the “make your system work for you” tip, too! Thanks for sharing on the Titus 2 Tuesday Link Up this week at http://cornerstoneconfessions.com/!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one Ronda!! Since my closet re-do, doing laundry doesn’t bother me anymore cause I can actually get in there and put clothes away!
I always think my closet is not that bad, since we just moved here a few years ago, but the reality is, it could use an overhaul. There is stuff in there that does not need to be there.
Great ideas! I cannot wait to reorganize my closet. We have entirely too many clothes we don’t wear. Visiting from Pinterest Party.
http://momssmallvictories.com/free-weekly-planner-printable-based-on-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people/
I think my closet would make your pre-organized closet look clean lol. I sooo need to do this. It’s on my things I need to do but purposely avoid list…
Thanks for the motivation!
LOL Carie! I totally avoided doing it too. Until the day that I threatened my husband’s life when I had a pile of his work clothes that simply WOULD NOT go in the closet. That was it for me…I was DONE! The rest of the evening, I cleaned, organized and continually gave him the stink eye! 🙂
Great job! My closet is a tight mess too because it’s so small (old house). I really didn’t think much could be done about it, but you’ve given me new hope. Your closet doesn’t look huge either. I feel a spring project coming on!
Thank you Elizabeth! It is a small closet and I have to share it (eye roll) with my husband. I truly hated to do laundry before I organized it. Not like laundry is my favorite thing on earth to do, but now at least I can put clothes away! Shew!
Nice job! Our closet is always getting out of hand. It is mostly because we lack for storage areas in our home. This sounds like a great project for next week.
Thanks for the helpful tips!
XOXO
Hope to see you at Mommy Monday this week 🙂
I organized the <a href="http://stolenmomentsbypam.blogspot.com/2013/07/my-organization-obsession.html")bottom of my closet and the top of my closet over the course of the past few months and I really like walking into my closet now. It’s amazing what an organized closet can do! I really like how well yours turned out and that you shared the before pictures. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Great tips! Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up with us again this weekend, I’d love to see you there 🙂 Have a great weekend
I can vouch for the backwards hangers tip! I’ve done this for a couple of years now and it’s so helpful. The trick is to NOT second guess yourself when you pull something out that’s still backwards when you do a clean out. Just donate! Found you over at Suburbs Mama and will be following!!
We have those hanging closet organizers (or some like it) in every closet in our house and they are awesome!! I have been looking for something to organize socks/underwear/bras/belts – I love the organizers you’ve shared here. I need to apply some of these techniques to my linen closet – it’s a DISASTER.
Thanks for linking up to Wordy Wednesday!
It is a very list of great ideas to tidy up the closet. I really like how it looks very tidy. Thank you very much for sharing in Pintastic PInteresting Party.
Great tips!! my closet is a complete mess at the moment. Featuring this post on tomorrows Serenity Saturday party
Seeing an organized closet every morning starts my day off happily. Thanks for sharing at Inspire Us Thursday on Organized 31.
I really like the drawer dividers idea, and oh, how I need something like that in my drawers. Helpful tips for organizing, thank you ~ Amy
These are some great tips! My closet is always a mess, but now I know what to do with that big mess 🙂
I know I should tackle this, but I am sooooo afraid that there won’t be a step 2 after step 1 LOL. I like the drawer divider idea, even if I don’t have drawers. I might try this for my socks, as they are now al in one box and I cannot seem to find a decent pair when I’m looking for them.
What a great tip. I have a large closet but this still help me get it organized.
I would love for you to share this at my T.G.I.F. Linky Party 🙂 Have a great Memorial weekend!!
Great tips. I agree with pulling everything out and nesting things to save space.
Thanks so much for linking up at the Pintastic Pinteresting Party!!
Awesome tips! We have such small closets, and I’m totally unorganized…I need all the help I can get!
Wow. I would love to do this, though about all my hubby and I could do is go through things and try to make things neater. Our closet is even smaller than yours – by far!!! We couldn’t use an organizer either because out clothes take up the entire hanging space, and that’s with a dresser plus Chester drawers filled with clothes too! Nonetheless, you’d inspired me to do what I can with the top of or closet which needs some TLC.
At least you can USE your side of the closet!
My good clothes have to go into a wardrobe in the hall!
Two reasons: 1. There isn’t room for the longer stuff.
2. The boyfriend hogs it! I can’t even fit an empty hanger in his closet! I’m hoping this will change soon since he no longer needs all those chef’s clothes!