Written by Genira Lima
Image by @GildaAmbrosio
Moving into my own apartment at just 19, I had no choice but to learn – the hard way, how to keep my things in order. It was also in those early stages of my solo life, that I came to understand how a neat home is such a big part of your lifestyle. No matter how expensive and nice your belongings are, true comfort starts with organization.
If you’re anything like me, your closet is surely the hardest thing to keep organized. Because, yes: it’s quite easy to find genius closet organization hacks online, but the real challenge is to maintain the orderly disposition that you initially set for your stuff.
Here are some tips that worked for me and should work for you too!
You do you!
I know it may sound like a contradiction since my tips should work for everyone, but we all have different homes and closets so make sure that whatever method you decide to implement in your organization, actually makes sense for the space you have. For example, if you’re short on space do not go for the store display/walk-in closet sort of thing because this takes up a lot of unnecessary room that could be useful for other things – it might look good on IG but it’s not effective in real life.
Decluttering is key
Cutting down on items that you no longer use/need is the best you can do for your mental clarity and space. The fewer things you have, the more space you’ll have to properly store important/necessary items, and the faster you’ll go through it all: be it to pick outfits in the morning or just to find that one black top that you bought in 2012. When the time comes to select what to put away, keep in mind that a piece you haven’t worn in 6-12 months has little to zero chances to ever be worn again. Also, items that no longer meet a particular standard of quality, like stained shirts or faded black leggings MUST GO.
Keep high-use items closer
By keeping high-use items easy to access, you will avoid that (sadly way too familiar) nervous breakdown while going through your drawers, that simply ends all your immaculate folding and tucking in the blink of an eye. Make sure low-use items are out of the way so that getting ready becomes a methodic and simple task. It will save you time and also make your organization last longer.
Organize by color
If you’re as visual as I am, organizing your clothes by color is more than just an aesthetic thing, it’s a significantly useful tool to locate your clothes and shoes faster. In this case, instead of having dividers you just use colors as a way to section your clothes and easily get to whatever you’re looking for. This is usually applied for rack storage, but you can also do it on your drawers: divide it by color – on one side you put all your black/dark knits and on the other half you put your cream/neutral ones.
Organize by season
Before moving into my new home, I lived in an ultra-tiny apartment where space and storage were rather scarce. So scarce, that I couldn’t afford to have all my clothes in just one place. The one thing that worked was to only keep in my closet the clothes I was going to wear on that specific season. During winter, for example, I’d remove all my summer items – which were simply useless from October to May and store them in my storage unit. This left enough room for my winter wardrobe, which is usually on the chunkier side. When summer came, I’d do the exact same and put away all my coats, boots, and knits.
Invest in drawers and shelving
This is one of the best investments you can make in your home. Forget the deco and expensive candles and focus on effective storage solutions for your stuff! To me, an immaculate home where everything has its place is the nirvana of comfort! I am a fan of Ikea’s storage solutions, as you can custom plan them for your needs and space at an affordable price. I highly advise that you go directly to the store and plan your closet with one of their storage assistants rather than doing it on your own directly on their website, as it can get complex and they always have the best advice depending on what you’re looking for.
