Keeping a house clean is a year around task, however many bigger cleaning projects are saved for when the seasons change. Washing windows, cleaning upholstered furnishings and washing outdoor furniture many be some chores on your spring cleaning checklist. Getting your closet organized is also an important task as we go into spring and here are a few tips to help you get started: 
Store. As you transition your wardrobe closet from cold-weather clothing to warm-weather clothing, make sure that you store sweaters, coats and pants away in zipped bags that protect your garments from moths and other pests. And before you store, make sure your garment is cleaned. The Container Store has some great storage options and a spring organization sale going on now.
Give. Donate clothing that you do not wear to a local charity. Don't know one in your area? Excess Access will match you with a charity organization in your zip code. They link each donation with the wish-lists of your nearby charities that can provide pick-ups or will accept drop-offs. And donors get tax-deductible receipts.
Organize. If you have a large or walk-in closet it's best to organize it into zones by season or garment type (i.e. work, casual, formal). Next arrange the clothing into sections for each category (i.e. blouses, dresses, pants, etc.). Then arrange the clothes in each section by color from left to right (i.e. black, blue, brown, red, orange, yellow, ivory and white). This makes it much easier to find outfits and is more pleasing to the eye. Wouldn't you agree?
Function & Style. To help keep shirts, shoes and sweaters arranged neatly I recommend stackable boxes with clear fronts like these tweed drop-front boxes. The clear drop-front allows you see what's inside and to access items without having to unstack them.
Plan. The Today Show recently highlighted Closet Lite, a high-tech clothing organization/planning application for your iPhone. It allows you to organize your clothing, create outfits, plan them for certain days and view them. This app can even create packing lists for any upcoming trips. Love this!
Speaking of trips - are you taking a vacation for spring break? If so, here are some more tips on packing for a trip.
Happy spring and happy organizing!
*images courtesy of House Beautiful, Martha Stewart, Canadian House & Home, Making it Lovely
great tips! i have been purging my closets of all things i haven't used in a year. sold clothes at plato's closet and the items i couldn't sell i donated to goodwill. its a great feeling! i try to do this at least every quarter.
ReplyDeleteThis looks wonderful. It does feel great to organize. I am afraid that I am a bit overwhelmed by how much has to be done. I guess it would help if I just focused on one thing...like my linen closet. Can never get the sheets to look as good folded as they do in magazines!
ReplyDelete~jamilyn
the very last picture...wow. takes my breath away!
ReplyDeleteUgh. I seriously need to do something about my closet! It's large, but doesn't have near enough shelving/storage for shoes and accessories.
ReplyDeleteI wish! I have a huge walk-in closet, which is fairly organized. Although, I always try the color coordinating thing, yet somehow it never lasts much longer than a couple weeks. I think I'm about due to give it another go, though!
ReplyDeleteYou're really good at this organization stuff!
ReplyDeleteI read your post on packing for a trip and it was excellent as well! Great tips... thanks so much!!
xo
What lovely photos! I'm lucky in that my clothes are fairly limited, I'm a ruthless purger (is that a word?), and my closet is therefore not too high on my list of anxieties.
ReplyDeleteNow, our home office on the other hand, is looking really bad. Paperwork is under control, but somehow crafts, photography and supplies to repair the window frame have all crept in there and are causing chaos!
organized spaces are what turn me on!!! :) seriously though
ReplyDeleteOh, how I wish my closet looked like one of these examples! I keep it pretty organized, but it's not pretty like these are. Maybe I need to spruce it up!
ReplyDeleteYour post is a gentle reminder from me to clear up my cluttered closets. Thank you for the beautiful images and advice.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend.
Cheers
Susan
Thanks for the inspiration. It would be great to have these clean orderly spaces.
ReplyDeletehttp://livinginbeautyandcomfort.blogspot.com/
I was just complaining about our closets the other day....my husband thoroughly enjoyed listening, I'm sure. Your post today is truly inspirational. Thanks! I think I have a project for this Easter weekend ;)
ReplyDeleteWow, I thought my closet was pretty good until seeing these photos! I really like the color-coding idea. I do that with my books, so why not with my clothes? I smell a weekend project...
ReplyDeleteNow, I'm off to check out that iPhone app!
I love those tweed boxes, and stare at them most days when I am at work. I just need to stop staring and buy them. :-)
ReplyDeletelove those tweed boxes...i've got to get them. i recently moved and i sacrificed more overall space for less closet space. i'm disorganized to begin with so even getting dressed in the morning is proving to be a challenge! thanks for the tips.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment on my blog today. I was HAPPY to find you!! This iPhone app looks amazing. An absolute must on my end. Managing organization in our house has been the hardest task. Your blog is a fantastic resource!
ReplyDelete