De-cluttering a closet, this is a very deep seated fear for many of us. This is the place where we store our clothes, shoes, accessories, old Halloween costumes from 6 years ago, empty boxes (just in-case anything needs to be sent back for warranty), kitchen utensils, dust bunnies and… some horrifying creatures found on the Nature of Things (just for clarification – this last item was not in my closet). So how much of this do we really use and need in our closet? When I de-cluttered my closet I got rid of over half of it’s contents. Are you ready for some decluttering your closet tips? Lets get started:

1. Invest in a good set of sturdy hangers and a closet organization system. You don’t have to go all out and spend half your month’s paycheck here. If you go to your local home improvement store, you will find many sensible options. When choosing hangers try to avoid wire as they bend out of shape very easily. I prefer wooden hangers as they are aesthetically pleasing.

2. Gather fresh cleaning supplies including a vacuum cleaner. Completely empty your closet and clean your closet from top to bottom.

3. Sort all of the items into 5 categories: keep, donate, trash, repair and sell. Keep in mind the last time you’ve worn or used each item, anything not touched in over a year probably will not be worn or used again.

4. Group the clothing and accessories you’ve decided to keep. The grouping categories I chose for my closet space are: work, casual, formal and accessories. I put all of my accessories in baskets to reduce the appearance of clutter. After all your clothes are grouped by category, arrange them by color. Eg. Blues, Purples, Reds, Oranges, Yellows etc. Grouping your clothes by colour adds harmony to your closet.

5. Contact a local charity to donate the items you no longer wish to keep that are still in good condition and throw out anything that isn’t. Set aside items you wish to repair and sell, give yourself an attainable goal to fix or sell them. If you haven’t repaired or sold these items by your deadline re-asses if it is worth saving.

6. Prevent clutter from building up in your closet. After all, you’ve worked so hard to arrange this space. Try to spend 5-10 minutes every day at keeping things where they belong to maintain an organized space.

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