Organize + Energize: 5 Questions To Ask When Decluttering Your Closet

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

 

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It’s that time of year! It’s time to take everything out of your closet, give it a good cleaning, purge and make way for winter clothes.  It’s time to move your summer clothes out of the closet and store them in seal tight bins or space bags and move them out of sight. Try to get them out of your closet by either storing them under the bed, in a designated spot for seasonal clothes or high shelves in the closet. Try not to mix your summer and winter clothes. You will have a much easier time when you open your closet and see winter clothes as opposed to rifling through all different seasonal clothes.

When you are getting ready to organize your closet, it’s not just about re-arranging the closet. Think about the clothes you are hanging onto. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Why am I hanging onto clothes that are too big? Have you recently lost weight? You probably have clothes in your closet that are too big. Holding onto these clothes allows your mind to think that there is a chance that you will go back to that size. These clothes may be holding you back from your weight loss goals. These clothes are a reminder of what you used to be. Are you still that person?  Mentally, these clothes may be holding you back from moving forward. Will you really miss these clothes if you let them go?
  • Do I have clothes that are too small? On the other hand, you may have clothes that are too small. Be realistic. If you know there is no chance in the next 2 years that you will fit into these clothes, get rid of them. If you are a few sizes away from fitting into them, then by all means keep them as long as they are still in style and are in good condition.
  • Is it in good condition? Are there stains on these clothes or are there holes in them? Why are you holding onto them? Get rid of them.  Take a good look at each piece of clothing and make a decision whether toss or keep.  The same applies for shoes. 
  • When was the last time I wore these clothes? Some say the rule is if you haven’t worn them in a year to get rid of them. I use a 2 year rule. Use this rule only if you love the piece of clothing, but you just didn't get around to wearing it last season and you know you will definitely put it on this season. Now when next year rolls around, if you haven’t worn it, get rid of it.  
  • Why am I holding onto these clothes? Are you holding onto these clothes for the memories? Ladies, why are you holding on to maternity clothes if you know you aren’t having any more children? It’s ok if you are holding onto sentimental items like prom and wedding dresses, but they don’t need to be stored with your everyday clothes. Make a plan to store these in another area. 

Cleanse yourself and start fresh this season! Too many of you are hanging onto clothes that you aren’t wearing. They are taking up room in your closet that could be used to house new clothes for the new you!  Think about the clothes you wear. There is a statistic that states we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. Do you fall into this statistic? Refresh, revitalize and energize your closets!

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Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on http://www.talkstreamradio.com.

 

Related Slideshow: Organizing Products For Your Closet

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Flip flop organizer

How many flip flops do you own? Are they thrown all over the closet floor? How long does it take you to find a match to one of them? Bed Bath and Beyond has a $9.99 flip flop organizer that holds 6 pairs of flip flops and hangs nicely in your closet. This is a must-have if you have more than 5 pairs of flip flops. I’ve purchased these for my clients and they work great!

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Scarf organizer

You love your scarves, but it takes you forever to locate one and you have to throw 5 around to find the one you are searching for. Use a scarf organizer and you will be able to see all your scarves and find them at a moment’s notice. Bed Bath and Beyond has a few different types of scarf organizers, including this one for $9.99.

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Belt organizer

How are you storing your belts? Are they in a tangled mess? Purchase a belt organizer for a cheap solution—they can be as inexpensive as $6.99 from the Container Store.

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Tie organizer

Keep your ties organized and hanging on a tie rack, or keep then rolled in a drawer organizer. Whichever way you choose to organize them, treat them with care. To take care of both your belts and your ties in one fell swoop, check out this organizer from the Container Store.

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Drawer organizer

This is a must for your underwear, socks, bras, nylons, etc. Drawer organizers will help to maximize space in your closet. You won’t believe the amount of space you will have once you contain these items in drawer organizers!

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Jewelry organizer

Are you always trying to detangle your necklaces? Think about how you grab your jewelry and then purchase an organizing system according to how you function. Before you purchase your container, take inventory of what you own and purchase accordingly.

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Shoe rack

Did you know people who didn’t own shoe racks were 7 times more likely to show up late for an event? Are your shoes in piles on the floor? Get them off the floor and contain them in a shoe rack. There are many options out there, like this one from Bed Bath and Beyond. Choose the shoe rack that is going to fit what you need to hold and fit in the space you are working with.

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Hangers

Are you hanging your clothes on the wire hangers from the dry cleaner? Those hangers will ruin your clothes. Get rid of them and store your clothes on the hanger of your choice, but be consistent and stick with one type of hanger.

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Handbags

How are you storing your handbags? Are they stored all over your closet? Are they in bins or crumpled up on the floor? It’s time to organize your bags. There are many options depending on the space you are working with. You can stand them up on a shelf, you can hang them, or if they are small, you can store them in a canvas bin. The choice is yours. Think about how you function and develop a system from there.

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Baseball cap organizer

How many baseball caps do you own? How are they organized in your closet now, and how long does it take you to find one? The Container Store (pictured here), Bed Bath and Beyond, and other stores sell this baseball cap organizer. I have a few clients that have purchased them and they love them!

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Function over flash

There are many variations on these products. Choose the product that is right for you. There are some organizing products I would never use, but other people might choose to use them. Choose the one that is going to be the most efficient and productive product for you and your family. Don’t choose a product because it’s pretty, choose it based on functionality. Search online for different products before you rush out and purchase a product.  You may find that one store is more expensive than another. Don’t forget if you are going to Bed Bath and Beyond to use their 20% off coupons. If you don’t want to purchase these items, get creative and re-purpose items around the home, or make your own!

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Kristin MacRae

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on www.talkstreamradio.com.

 
 

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