I love contributing to a “how it all works” article for professional home organization. Almost as much as I love helping my clients clear their clutter and finally get organized! Get the answers to your organizing FAQ’s, from good questions to ask to how much it costs. Perfect if you know you need the help, but feel unsure of how it all works.
“Home organizing is a little different than other service industry businesses in that, by the time someone has booked a consultation with you, they have generally already checked out your website, social media feeds, client reviews, and portfolio,” says Moore. “The most commonly asked questions that I hear from my new clients are ‘How long have you been organizing?’ and ‘Can you please make my closet look like this picture I saw on your Instagram?'”
It’s true that an organized home is visually appealing and most home organizers display their work on social media, but the following questions are invaluable to helping you choose the right professional for your project.
If you need a hand creating lasting organized system in your home, we’re here to help! Are you local to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and surrounding areas? Contact Organized Jill for a complimentary consultation.
Does your closet feel a little overstuffed? Do you find yourself searching for what you need a little too much? Your closet plays a big role in your daily routine. We get dressed everyday. We may help family members get dressed every day. We do laundry often. Those clean clothes have to go somewhere, right? Dealing with a disorganized, messy closet every single day is likely adding unnecessary stress and overwhelm to your day. The good news is an organized closet is something you can have. With a simple plan, a little focus and the right strategies, you can create a calm, functional closet you will love using. Even better news? We have the professional organizing strategies to help you achieve the closet of your dreams!
Declutter Your Closet
The thought and process of decluttering can truly feel overwhelming. You may feel like you don’t even know where to start. You can’t organize clutter. So the first step to organizing your closet is to remove anything you don’t wear, use or love.
Give Yourself Time – Decluttering is a process and you will need time to sort, categorize and make decisions on what items to keep and what items need to be donated or discarded.
Empty The Closet – We know, we know, but this is the best way to really see what you have and do a thorough job. Make sure you have a spot to place everything and take all of your items out of the closet. This allows you to make better decisions as you sort through all the things.
Quick Clean – This is a perfect time to remove cobwebs, wipe down shelves and clean the floor. It will feel really good to place your keep items back into a fresh, clean space!
Sort & Categorize – As you work through all of your things, separate by category like t-shirts, blouses, pants, jeans, work clothes, leisure wear and athletic wear. The categories will vary depending on your wardrobe.
Let It Go, Let It Go – Have your donate, sell and discard bins or bags ready as you begin to sort your items. This tends to be the challenging part of the process. As you sort your clothes, ask yourself these questions. Any no’s, let it go!
Have I worn this in the last year?
Do I like the way this fits?
How do I feel when I put this on?
Would I buy this again today?
Shall We Organize?
Decluttering is complete and you are left with only the clothing items that fit you well and make you feel fabulous when you put it on! Now the fun part begins. Let’s create an organized system that makes your closet work for you! This step will feel so much lighter and doable with less stuff to organize.
The goal here is to create an organized closet system that works for you, your lifestyle and the way you go about your daily routines. Start with those categories of like items you created when decluttering. Now we want to sort those categories by how often you use or wear the item. We want to keep more frequently used items front and center and use your higher or lower areas for those items you only use occasionally.
As you return items to your closet, create zones or sections in your closet for the categories like work, casual and activewear. You will love how quick and easy the process of putting laundry away becomes with this system in place!
Add Space and Structure
To help maximize your closet space, consider storing your off season items outside of your primary closet area. You can use a spare bedroom closet, space in your attic or garage or even utilize your under bed storage. If your closet is still too full, clutter will likely creep back in. Give your clothes and accessories space and room to breathe.
Closet organizing products are great tools to help you maintain your organized system and maximize your closet space. Matching hangers are a game changer for any closet. Slim, non-slip hangers save space and create a lovely, visually appealing look. Bins and dividers work well for folded items like sweaters and t-shirts, handbags and other items you store on your shelves. You will need a shoe system. Shoe shelves or cubbies can work well. Clear, stackable shoe boxes or an over-the-door shoe organizer are great options as well, especially if you are working with limited space. You can also find a lot of options to organize your belts, scarves, jewelry and other accessories.
And just like that you have a clutter free, highly functional organized closet! Plan to do routine closet resets. It can be once a week, once a month or whatever works with your schedule. This is important to maintain all of your hard work and organized closet bliss! Small maintenance sessions prevent major redos later.
If you need a hand decluttering and organizing your home, we’re here to help! Are you local to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and surrounding areas? Contact Organized Jill for a complimentary consultation.
Do you stare into your closet full of clothes and feel like you have nothing to wear? You have so many items to choose from, maybe things are a little cluttered, that you struggle to decide on your outfit each day. Here comes the stress and overwhelm, right? You know we are all about decluttering and organizing, but it’s important to understand the concept of a sustainable wardrobe. You are working toward having a wardrobe that has clothing items that are made with care and last a long time. A well-organized closet isn’t just about looking pretty, although that doesn’t hurt. It’s also about making intentional shopping choices and streamlining your items in a way that keeps your closet working for you with less stuff. Let’s explore the steps to take your closet from chaotic to functional, sustainably.
Start Where You Are
We won’t be tossing everything and starting over, but knowing what you have is a key piece of this process. Pull back on shopping and making new purchases while you take the time to inventory your current wardrobe. Take everything out of your closet and place them in categories. Think t-shirts, blouses, shorts, slacks. As you sort through the categories, consider how often you wear each item. Does it fit? Do you feel good when you wear it? Is it in good condition? For anything you don’t like or wear, it’s time to let it go. Donate or sell as much as you can to reduce what goes to the landfill. You may be surprised how much space you actually have once you remove the items you don’t use.
Organize & Care
Having a closet that is decluttered and organized helps you see and know what you have. Use an organizing system that makes sense for you. Maybe you sort and hang by category or you love your items sorted by color. Finding and using a system that you like will help you maintain it. Plan to declutter seasonally. This is a great time to sort through and make sure you are only keeping what you wear before switching your wardrobe for the new season. Choose breathable storage options when putting away seasonal clothing items. Extend the life of your clothing with proper care. Use quality hangers, fold delicate items and avoid over washing. Line dry when possible to avoid extra wear and tear from the dryer. Bonus – you save on energy costs!
Shop Intentionally
A little retail therapy just feels good sometimes. When it’s time to add some new items to your wardrobe look for pieces that lean more toward versatile and less trendy. Choose items that are well-made and durable. They will last longer and you can easily mix and match for variety in your outfits. Consider secondhand shopping. Thrift stores and consignment shops are great ways to add to your wardrobe. Don’t forget the “One In, One Out” rule! For every new item you bring in, you let one go. This rule can benefit you throughout your home, not just your closet. Shopping can be fun, but doing so mindfully will help you keep your clutter under control and save you money!
Curating a sustainable wardrobe has so many positive benefits. You will remove the stress of choosing what to wear or even just putting the laundry away. Shopping mindfully will help you continue to enjoy your clutter free space and save you money and time. All while contributing to a more sustainable environment. Start with small, intentional changes toward a more organized and sustainable closet. When it comes to clothing, less really can be more. After all, we can only wear one outfit at a time, right?
If you need a hand decluttering and organizing your home, we’re here to help! Are you local to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and surrounding areas? Contact Organized Jill for a complimentary consultation.
