Organizing the Closet - YouLookFab Forum

I had a fairly quiet weekend so put the time to use by ironing and steaming a massive pile of clothes. I now feel the need to organize my closet but am not sure how I should go about it. I have a smallish walk-in that is about 5' x 7'. One side has a single hanging bar with a shelf above. The other side has two hanging bars and a shelf. On the back wall is a shelving unit with five shelves.

Right now I have a few dressier dresses, then office/casual dresses, suits, and two hanging shoe racks on the single bar side. I moved formal dresses and gowns to a spare room closet.

On the other side, I have jackets/blazers, then blouses, then other tops on the bottom bar and cardis, pants, shells/knits, and skirts.

I put hooks on the entry door (inside) for belts but haven't moved them all over yet. I have jeans folded and piled on one of the shelves. The bags are in a tub on the top shelf above dresses but it is pretty high so they need to be more accessible if I am going to try to rotate bags instead of using the same one for a season.

There is a section that is behind the door when I walk in that I think should be the clothes I don't use as much and it is the side with the double hanging bars. I am not sure how to arrange all of the tops, skirts, and even dresses to make the closet more usable.

How do you organize tops, skirts, dresses? Is it by color, sleeve length, fabric?

14 years ago

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I just did a search and found a number of blog posts. Off to read them. Sorry but I don't think I can delete the post or I would.

Queen Mum

Only because I am anal about categories, In your closet I"d probably hang jackets, caridgans, and vests (if you have them) all on the same upper bar plus your skirts I guess, and then blouses, and other type "tops" on the lower bar. In my mind I wouldn't separate what I call "toppers" (jackets, cardis, etc) on different bars,and I'd keep all my "base layers" (blouses, pullovers, etc) on one bar. But of course you have to look at how much space each category takes up.

My closet goes like this..
dresses
jeans
skirt (yes, only one
camisoles
tank tops (shells)
short sleeve/sleeveless blouses
3/4 and long sleeve blouses
pull over sweaters
cardigans
vests
jackets
junk wear

everything is on one long bar (except dresses that are on a bar that goes perpendicular to the long bar) and every category is arranged from light to dark color groups.

modgrl

QM, I want to visit your closet of perfection!
I need a closet makeover after reading this!

QM, you are a woman after my own heart. At one time, my tops were organized by type and then color and sleeve length. It went white button fronts with long sleeves, medium sleeves, and short sleeves followed by white button fronts with color detail and then the colored shirts by sleeve length. Maybe that was not so bad an idea.

I will start soon and move all of the top layers to one shelf. I will also clean the shelves I do have and fold the scarves to put somewhere else. Perhaps I will clear the floor so the Roomba can get in there and do his thing too.

Thanks. If anyone has any more ideas, I would greatly appreciate it.

MsMary

I have separate hanging sections in my new closet for skirts, cardis, pants, and jackets. My tops have their own closet and are organized by color first, and within each color by type: tanks, sleeveless, short sleeve tees, short sleeve collared, long sleeve tees, and long sleeve collared.

I posted before on this, but I think my HS job in retail has me forever following the same rule in organizing clothing. First sleeve length, then color, neckline/collars, then prints. I tried to go more for color grouping lately but still stay roughly with the sleeves first (that goes for shirts, dresses, and jackets!) I also try to go from most casual to dressier from the center out, since I wear a majority of casual and dressier is less often.

Heather

Mary has a Closet Cadillac!

Good Luck with your organization!

rae

Hm, I like categories. My closet gets organized like this:
Capsule (work, casual, party)
Garment type (vest, top, sweater, jacket, dress)
Sleeve length or hem length
Color
Pattern

Mainly, I think I just like to see the repetition of similar colors and shapes. It is also functional, though, because I kind of get dressed in that order (where am I going, what pieces do I want to wear, what's the weather like, what matches the rest of my outfit...).

Aida

I think a mix of organized categories and not-so-organized can help stimulate creativity. I have different layers mixed together because I don't want to constrain myself to only using certain things in certain ways, but I do always hang everything up in the same order so I can find anything quickly and easily. I have a long bar, a long shelf, and a couple drawers for all my stuff (photo below for you!); camisoles, socks/tights, leggings are all in the drawers. Hoping to redesign my closet soon though

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Thanks everyone. I ended up with dresses and suits on the single bar. I put cardigans, one one end of the top and jackets at the other end with lightweight knits in the middle and pants, skirts, button fronts, and non-knit bottom layers on the lower shelf. I put all the scarfs rolled in a box. I decided to put the shorter stuff on the top so I could put bags or small clear tubs on the shelf above the bottom bar. So far so good.

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