Clothes Closets Chaos
by Ronda Asta - rondaquilts@bellsouth.net

Description: Tips for downscaling and organizing your clothes closets and dressers.

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"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials. " - Lin Yu Tang

Interesting quote for those wanting to get organized. We often get so flustered because we think of all the things we "should" be doing or "should" own. Who says we "should"? Who says we need a different outfit so we don't repeat ourselves (our outfits) during a two-week period or during the month?

This month we'll look at downscaling and organizing our clothes closets and dressers. With a doublewide phone booth to hang my clothes I don't have much room to work with. A dream is to have two walk-in closets built on the bedroom. First let's take every piece of clothing out of the closet and lay it on the bed. (Hopefully you're one who can find their bed.)

One by one look at each piece. Make a pile of those items you no longer wear because they are out of style, don't fit correctly or you never really liked. (They looked great on the hanger at the store, right?) For those items that are too small you love, box them up and indicate the size and date of storage on the box. This is just for those items that are one or two sizes too small - if you're working on getting back into them. In six months, if you haven't made any progress on the weight loss it's time to recycle. I know, I know it hurts. I have a couple of outfits I just can't part with but I also can't wear today. You can give this pile to charity, give it away to someone who would use it or have a yard sale (watch for a future article) to get back some of your money. It's a liberating feeling to see the closet less cluttered.

Let's continue with our piles. Make one for out of season items, one for those items you love to wear but haven't because they need repair or alterations. I'm sure you'll run across an item or two you even forgot you owned. I did, the first time I did this. Rehang each item in the closet that you love to wear and plan to keep. Box up and label the out of season items and store them under the bed. Hang your items by category (skirts, blouses, pants, jackets, suits, etc.) Since you're hanging items by category you should be able to add a lower hanging rod if you don't already have one. This will add hanging space and give your clothes room to breathe when you have space to spread them out.

One way to get the most for your money when it comes to clothes is to mix and match. If you have one or two core colors to work with and buy items to work with those your fashion dollars will stretch further. As you work through the closet exercise, jot down what item or item(s) you could add to your wardrobe that could bring a number of pieces together in workable outfits. Shop with a purpose in mind next time instead of picking up something just because you love it when it won't go with anything else you own. This cuts down on both the costs of your wardrobe and the clutter in your closet and drawers.

Now let's work through the drawers. Empty all the drawers on the bed and toss those threadbare intimates and add that item to your shopping list if you decide you really need some. Begin to make the same type of piles use used in the closet cleaning. Some items may not even be worth passing on to charity so just toss them out. Categorize what is left over and place them back in the drawers neatly. It's a great feeling not to have to cram the drawers shut. When we give our clothes room to breathe it also means we don't have to iron everyday because things get so wrinkled crammed in closets and drawers. Let's take a look at the children's closets. Homebuilders usually put the hanging rod up to an adults eye level. Putting a lower rod where they can reach it allows them the opportunity to keep their own closet neat and tidy. Kids outgrow items so quickly that we should be going through their closets every 6-9 months. Clothing exchanges are very popular in my area and it's a great place to pick up good used clothing for children and yourself and make a little money on what is no longer needed in your house. Thrift stores and consignment shops are also great outlets for recycling your used items and finding great nearly new pieces to round out your wardrobe.

Reprinted with permission.

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