Cleaning Tips for Your Closet from Barbara Reich

I love having my closet organized but that's tough to maintain when everything doesn't fit and I keep accumulating more stuff. My office at my apartment is more like a second closet. I need to stop procrastinating and get organized and spring/summer is the perfect time to start!

Everyone has their own organizing methods, but it's always good to try some different cleaning techniques, especially to get you motivated. Barbara Reich of Resourceful Consultants has provided some simple closet tips to help tackle clutter!


Barbara Reich

"The One Hour Plan"

* Take it out and shake it out.

o Take out all heavy winter coats and sweater.
o Take out any clothes/shoes that you didn't wear last year and can't see yourself wearing this year.
o Take out any clothes/shoes that don't fit, are in poor condition, will never fit, and are no longer in style. Be ruthless...

* Maintain and move

o Assess whether any clothing maintenance is required on winter coats and sweaters...do buttons need tightening, do the coats need to be washed or professionally cleaner, are the sweaters pilled?
o Consider moving heavy clothing to another closet (rack in basement, another closet under bed storage)
o Make piles to donate, discard, take to cleaners, wash

* Group like things together

o Put all of your spring/summer sweaters together. Fold or hang by color.
o Do the same for pants, short sleeve tops, long sleeve tops.
o Hang as much as possible, it's the easiest to see what you have.

* Put what you wear most in "Prime Real Estate"

o That means the things you wear most should be in the place that's most accessible and easiest to reach.

* Make a list

o Never buy without a plan.
o Did you discard something that needs to be replaced (e.g., white button down that was looking gray, white cardigan)?
o Is there something you really need?

- Kim Weling