What’s Hidden in YOUR (Bedroom) Closet? Finding the Perfect System
This might be the most difficult and arduous organizational task you’ll do, ever. But the good news is, with a little help from us, it can be done so that you only have to do it in a big, large-scale way one time. Of course in the book, we outline how each type should go about making their bedroom closet easy to navigate and organize, but for purposes of brevity, we will outline a few core instructions that can be useful for any type when it comes to this behemoth undertaking. Just remember, use what works for you and leave the rest. It’s that simple! Let’s begin. And where do us Pixies almost always do that? With Purging, of course!
Purge Your Closet
This is the most fundamental step towards achieving any sort of order within your closet. Purging your wardrobe can be a tedious and time-consuming task, but once you’ve done a big one, things will become radically easier and simpler. Rule number one of this step is this: If you haven’t worn something in over 2 years, you’re never going to. Don’t let it take up a minute’s more space in your closet — donate it or, if letting it go feels impossible, store it somewhere other than your closet, like the attic or even in a sealed bin in the garage. Start by taking everything out — and we mean everything— of your closet space and laying it on the bedroom floor, bed, etc. Try everything on. What works, put in the ‘keep’ pile. What doesn’t, divide into two more piles: donate/sell and store away. A little tip from us Pixies: Everything with holes, goes — socks, underwear, tee shirts, etc. Also: Don’t be afraid to ask a trusted friend or even a local stylist for help with this part. Sometimes a second set of eyes is very helpful.
Get Matching Hangers
We’ve emphasized this in other posts, but it makes a huge difference. First off, matching hangers help you to see exactly what is there clothes wise, and for many types, to see is to remember. They also bring a sense of aesthetic order to your space. Buy them before you purge, and get an extra 10-20 just in case. We love any matching hangers, but especially Huggable Hangers, which prevent clothes from slipping off and also won’t disrupt the natural shape of the clothing (those shoulder ‘bumps’ from hangers that aren’t shaped correctly are a big drag, no?).
Double Hang
This essentially means splitting your closet so you can hang two rods up and maximize your usable space. You know that arrangement with the rod near the bottom and the shelf at the top? There’s a wealth of space in between, just waiting to be utilized. We are big fans of Elfa closet systems, but if you’re handy and can design one yourself with modular items, go for it.
The point is to maximize the space while making sure you can see everything.
Fan Folding
If you are a type who needs to see everything to remember you have it (think Organic Structures and Freedoms), make your best effort to have as many hanging pieces as you can. If you have to use drawers for clothing storage, fan folding helps tremendously. (There’s a great picture in the book that demonstrates what this looks like.) Fan folding is simply folding pieces of clothing so that you can see just enough of them to recognize which pieces are what, and laying them out, one on top of but also aside the next, and so on. You can set the clothing up horizontally or vertically, just as long as you eliminate the guessing game of what’s what.
Shoe Shelves
Use either generic, stackable wooden shelving or Elfa adjustable shelving to store shoes. Got a bookcase you’re not using? Store your shoes on THAT. There’s a shoe placement tip in the book— but we aren’t giving another Pixie Tip away in this post (you’ll have to check out the book to find it)!
Multiple Hampers
Keeping multiple (usually 2, but sometimes 3) clothes hampers can be a huge step in terms of keeping your dirty clothing organized and where it’s meant to be. In other words, multiple hampers keep you (or anyone else in your family old enough to do laundry) from accidentally shrinking a favorite sweater or shirt. It also gets rid of the step of having to sort the laundry in the first place, and having to separate out the delicates every time you do a wash. You can choose to keep a third hamper for donations or things you’re saving for a clothing swap, etc. This 3rd hamper can work wonders for Classic Freedoms or Organic Structures who want order but don’t want to let go of anything that could still be viable.