Get Closet Savvy

With a little imagination and a lot of help from our organization experts, your closet doesn’t have to be a nightmare every morning. “A major culprit of stressful mornings is the closet, especially for women,” says Amy Purcell of Schulte Distinctive Storage, a leading supplier of innovative home storage and organization products. “People stand in front of their closets wondering what to wear, and as soon as they figure that out, they can’t find that special piece of clothing to complete the look.” She says the trick to getting organized is to find a plan and a system, and stick with it. Here’s some more advice to get your closet in gear for the changing seasons and beyond:

Sort and sell (or donate)

Before you even think about organizing your closet, sort. It’s one of the most important steps in the process. Ask yourself, “Does it fit, does it flatter, and will I ever wear it again?” “And let’s face it,” says Purcell, “we all hold on to things that we love, but will absolutely never wear again.” In fact, Americans wear only 20 percent of what is in their closet. The general rule is if you haven’t worn it in a year, you probably never will. Pitch clothes that are torn, outdated, stained or simply don’t fit anymore. Pieces that need mending should be placed out of the way. All discarded clothing can be donated to a local charity like Dress for Success, a nonprofit organization that helps underprivileged women make a professional transition into the workforce. If you’re looking for a little extra cash, post your old belongings on an online auction house, have a garage sale, or take them to a re-sell shop.

Pick a system

Before you toss everything back into your closet, commit to a closet organization system. These are not only an excellent investment for your home, but also for your sanity! They can be purchased at stores like Organized Living and can be customized to include shoe racks, shelves, drawers and accessories. According to Purcell, choose the system with the greatest flexibility; it will save you money down the road because it can be easily reconfigured for seasonal wardrobe changes and every fashion trend you care to follow. “Adjustability is key to an organized closet. Make sure you’re able to move things around as your needs change,” she adds.

Select something with style

If you’re fashion conscious, a basic wire storage system might not suit your tastes. Instead, look for today’s newer systems -- wood finished in white, maple or cherry with stylish, coordinating hardware. They last forever and you won’t get tired of them.

Design your own system

“Try on” a number of closet designs before purchasing by visiting www.schultestorage.com. The site’s Design It Yourself feature allows visitors to design their closet based on the space’s exact measurements in five easy clicks. The site will provide you with a variety of options, including configurations and accompanying parts, as well as price, which makes it easy to shop. “When it comes to fashion, changing your mind is a woman’s prerogative -- the same goes for closet designs,” Purcell says. So, when you’re designing, ask yourself: Do you need more shelves for your wool and merino-blend sweaters, additional shoe and boot racks or several more rods for all of your hanging garments? Do you need extra hooks for belts and leather bags? Everyone’s needs are different, according to Purcell, but with today’s extremely functional systems, everything from scarves to ties to evening wear has its place.

Hang and fold (for the season)

After you’ve installed your newly purchased closet organization system or modified your existing system with additional components, you’re ready to put your closet back together and get your wardrobe in order for the season. For fall, place swimsuits, flip-flops, sandals and sundresses in plastic storage containers or fold and stack these items on the upper-most shelves in your closet, out of the way to make room for comfy cool-weather clothes. Lightweight garments that must remain hanging can simply be pushed to the back of the closet (out of sight). “We recommend separating clothes by category,” says Purcell. “This is where adjustability is essential. You can easily move a shelf here and there without taking apart your entire closet.”

Group your dress pants together, blouses, trousers, skirts and so on. Go a step further by organizing by color, too. For winter, push lighter colors to the back of the line-up and bring warm tones like gray, chocolate and black to the front of the closet. These are pieces that you will likely wear more often anyway. To further maximize closet space and wardrobe accessibility, Purcell suggests the following:

* Be sure you have plenty of double-hang space in your closet; double-hang is two sections of hanging rods stacked vertically. Doing this instantly doubles your storage space and is perfect for hanging your favorite tees, jeans, trousers, camisoles and blouses that often get lost at the bottom of a drawer. You’ll wear them more often and they’ll look better, too.

* Put bathrobes on hooks, along with ties, scarves and purses (the more hooks the better).

* Separate everyday outerwear like parkas, overcoats and windbreakers (consider a coat closet or offsite closet in a spare room for these pieces).

* Fold sweaters (to prevent hanging marks) and shawls for easier storage.

* Add drawers to your closet design -- it’s the perfect and convenient place for undergarments, socks and workout gear. This also saves you valuable floor space in the bedroom.