Organizing Your New Closet
Once your California Closets system is installed, you’ll have a stunning blank canvas to work with as you begin to place your items inside.
Naturally, you’ll want to ensure that your new space stays as streamlined as possible by properly arranging every piece of clothing. To keep your closet clutter-free, try the following expert tips from California Closets’ design consultants that will allow you to use your new closet in the most efficient way and keep your items perfectly organized.
Group similar items together: Before putting anything away, sort your hanging clothes by type. Start by dividing your clothing by casual, work and formal attire. Then, sort items by type (pants, shirts, dresses, etc.). Within those categories sort by length, from long sleeves to short sleeves and long skirts or pants to short skirts or pants. Arranging clothes by colour will make it easier when selecting an outfit to wear. Once you have your groups, hang them with a little bit of space in between each section for easy access.
Hang pants on top: Fold pants in half and hang them on the top rod and hang your shirts on the rod below. While it may seem odd to have these items hang the opposite way of how you wear them, doing this gives you the illusion of more space because your pants take up less space than your shirts. Depending on the amount of shelving and hanging space you have, pants can be folded and placed on shelves instead.
Stack sweaters: Little known fact — sweaters should not be hung because they may stretch out of shape over time and hangers can pull the threads at the shoulders. Instead, sort your sweaters by weight, then by colour, and stack them about four or five high on shelves. Creating short stacks will naturally break up your items by season, making it easier to find the exact sweater you need on a given day. Short stacks also ensure that your piles will not fall over and will rest perfectly between your new shelves.
Organize shoes by type: Separate your shoes by type (e.g. exercise, casual, business and formal) and then colour. Store them on shoe racks or shelves to keep them off the floor and to avoid damage.
Organize belts by colour: Separate your belts by colour, and then hang them in a low-traffic area to keep them out of the way but still accessible.
Section off scarves: Divide your scarves into types, from knitted to cloth. Fold your thick scarves and store them on a shelf or in a basket. Then hang lightweight scarves by colour, so they’re easy to find.
Add baskets: Baskets are perfect for keeping socks, clothing you only wear on vacation and other smaller items organized. Storing these items in baskets will create greater visibility, allowing you to easily find what you need, instead of keeping them in closed drawers.
Ban unworthy items: Review each item as you’re filling your closet and put aside clothes that are damaged, don’t fit, or that you don’t wear anymore. Consider donating old items, and store pieces you just can’t part with elsewhere.