How to Edit Your Closet: A Professional Organizer’s Guide

By:

Liz

How To Edit Your Closet: A Professional Organizers Guide

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to edit your closet like a pro! If you’re overwhelmed by clutter in your closet or want to revamp your wardrobe, you’ve come to the right place. As professional organizers, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to transform your closet into a well-organized, functional space. Let’s dive into the ultimate closet editing tips that will make your life easier and your space more stylish!

Getting Ready To Organize

The first step to edit your closet....

Before diving into your closet, set the stage. Clear a space in your bedroom or living area where you can lay out items comfortably. Gather supplies like hangers, sorting bins, a full-length mirror, and a notepad for jotting down thoughts or creating a shopping list for any missing pieces. Garment racks can be super useful as well as a folding table or two. We don’t usually recommend buying organizing product at this point (unless you are us and you know exactly what you’ll need!). Once you’ve gone through everything – that’s when you will see what is needed. But check out our fave products at the end because these are almost always useful!

Categorize & sort...

Take everything out of your closet and drawers. Yes, everything. Lay it all out so you can see what you have. This step is crucial because it gives you a visual overview and helps identify items you might have forgotten about or lost track of. As you go through your clothes, shoes, and accessories, group similar items together such as all coats, workout wear, sweaters, shorts, etc.

Group like with like - all sweaters, coats, shorts, shoes, jewelry, pants, tops, etc.
Sort categories into smaller groups such as short sleeve, long sleeve, necklaces, rings, etc.
Sort by color within the smaller groups
Sort by use such as specific workout (yoga vs running), casual wear vs formal vs work, hobbies (gardening, riding, etc)
start the editing by tossing low hanging fruit like stained or dated items that don't require much thought

Sort & Purge

How To Edit Your Closet...

Clearing out the items that don’t serve you, work with your current style, or make you feel awesome is the key to editing. Think of it as curating a perfect collection of things you love.

Pro tip: be ruthless! Think of the 80/20 rule which applies to so many of us where we really wear only 20% of what we own.

The questions to ask yourself...

Now comes the fun part: editing! For each category, ask yourself these key questions:

Do I love it?: If it doesn’t make you feel amazing, consider letting it go.
Does it fit?: Clothes that don’t fit (and aren’t in the process of being altered) should be reevaluated.
Have I worn it in the past year?: Items that have sat untouched might be ready to move on.
Is it in good condition?: Clothes that are worn out or damaged may need repair or replacement.
Is it a memory rather than an item you’d wear? These should be binned up and kept elsewhere.

Use these categories: Keep, Donate, Toss, Repair, and Sell (but only if you actually will – and this isn’t as easy as it may seem). Don’t be afraid to let go of items that no longer serve you. Remember, your goal is to curate a wardrobe that supports your current style and needs. Our style, body, and life changes so many things that used to work for you no longer do.

Pro tip: if you are waiting til you lose weight to wear something that doesn’t fit – you and I both know you’ll want to get new clothes when that happens!

Organize Your Closet!

This is the fun part!

Utilize Vertical Space: Install additional shelves or use hooks to maximize vertical space, plus stacking bins or drop front shoe boxes can use the height.
Categorize by Use: Arrange items by frequency of use—daily wear in the most accessible areas and special-occasion pieces higher up, tucked in the corner or possibly in another closet - we often create specialty closets in a guest room.
Color-Code: For a visually pleasing closet, try arranging clothes by color. It not only looks beautiful but also helps in finding items quickly.
Invest in Quality Products: Slim, uniform hangers save space and keep your clothes in good shape, fabric lined bins keep items from snagging, and specialty organizers like clutch organizers, jewelry trays, or drop front shoe boxes make the difference between chaos and calm. Using bins to corral items keeps things under control - and you can use these as 'drawers' if you don't have enough!
Group by Type of Activity: create zones that may be for a specific hobby or sport or event.

See our post about using ROYGBIV in a closet & check out our favorite decanter products below --->