<p>One of my most hated chores - switching the closet out with seasonal clothing.</p>
<p>I would love any closet/clothes storage tips on ways to stay more organized, keep clothes/shoes in good condition, avoid holding on to clothes you don’t REALLY need (that’s probably another thread )</p>
<p>I typically put off season clothes in Rubbermaid containers. I am never sure whether to put shoes in them too, because I store them in the attic and I worry the temperature changes are not good for them. </p>
<p>What about handbags? In the back of the closet, or in their own container (although I don’t have THAT many)?</p>
<p>In summer I wear a lot of dressy T shirts. I usually end up hanging them on hangers but then my closet is way more crowded. In contrast, my winter sweaters are folded on wire shelving, so fewer hanger items.</p>
<p>I find I don’t keep many things in my dresser. Everything seems to smell so musty after a very short time in there. For now it holds socks and undies and exercise clothes.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for your collective wisdom</p>
<p>I have a walk in closet. It is able to hold all season clothes. I have two sets of shelves above the hanging racks. The top shelf holds off season things…so right now…winter slacks and sweaters. In winter…it holds shorts, capris, and summer tops. </p>
<p>I have a set of six wire drawers in the closet. Nice and airy. And hanging things for the shoes and handbags.</p>
<p>I only keep what will fit IN that closet (see the bag a week thread). </p>
<p>My first step would be to clean the dresser to get rid of the musty odor. Could you set the drawers out in the sun and give them a good scrubbing with white vinegar, then clean the dresser interior as well? After it’s clean, you could put DampRid or one of the volcanic rock odor absorbers in the bottom of the dresser to help ensure that the mustiness doesn’t return. A few scented sachets in the drawers would be nice, unless that sort of thing triggers allergies. Then you could store your fold t-shirts in the dresser and free up closet space.</p>
<p>I keep my out of season clothes in plastic bins with clear drop-down fronts and store them on high shelves on either side of my closet. Shoes are kept in small clear plastic bins on low shelves, with out of season shoe boxes placed behind the current season. It’s so hot and humid here that I don’t store anything in our attic. If you don’t want to build in extra shelves, there are hanging shelves that could hold folded clothes as well as your purses. </p>
<p>I bought inexpensive colorful Bigso boxes from Amazon and Crate & Barrel last year since I have more shelves than drawers. They hold socks, panties, bras, camisoles, etc. and each is labeled.</p>
<p>Dh has more clothes than I do, so he moved two of his closet rods higher in order to install lower rods to double his hanging space. If you are not able to reach a higher rod, there are pull-down rods available from Rev-a-Shelf and other companies. If your current rod is high enough, you might be able to use a hanging rod with holders that just loop over the top rod so you can hang t-shirts above and shorts/skirts below.</p>
<p>Since I am not a naturally tidy person, I found that treating myself to some very pretty drawer liner paper and color coordinating the storage boxes to some favorite art prints has encouraged me to keep my closet organized.</p>
<p>One big advantage of being an empty-nester is that we have three bedrooms that no one lives in, so we get to use those closets. I have handbags and boots in one closet, good work clothes (that I don’t need much anymore) in another, and DH uses one for all of his warm-up suits. (He teaches tennis outdoors.) </p>
<p>Handbags are best stored in their dustbags (or pillowcases, if you don’t have dustbags. Do not store leather items in tightly closed, air-impermeable containers like Rubbermaid tubs. Prior to putting your purses in their “sleeper bags”, stuff them so they would hold their original shape, but do not overstuff them. </p>
<p>I store my shoes in their original boxes on shelves. Each box is labeled with a picture of what is inside - learned that trick form a fancy resale boutique. Tidy and easy to locate!</p>
<p>Get some scented soap - like lavender - to put in the dresser drawers. My wife does this. It works. </p>
<p>If you have space in your closet, consider doubling the hanging space. There are lots of organization systems that do this, from cheap DIY to custom closet design companies (but I can’t recommend Jay’s and Claire’s company on Modern Family … because it’s fictional). Makes a big difference. </p>
<p>If you have room, maybe even in some other bedroom, consider putting in a chest or dresser there because I think it’s much easier to shift the contents of drawers from place to place than to go through the mental hassle of digging out storage containers. </p>
<p>I do have double racks on one side of my closet. BB thanks for the info on purses, I was planning to put them in a plastic container. Perhaps now I’ll just put the pillowcased bags in an under the bed box and leave the top off. I have room under the guest bed. </p>
<p>I realize I should also spend more time on the Bag a Week thread. Or I should start a Preventative thread-don’t bring it in until you know you have a definite use/space for it! </p>
<p>Just yesterday, I was wanting to wear black slacks. I tried on four pairs (of probably 10 I have), and I hated how they all looked! Legs just too wide. Soooo…poof into the bag a day bag. And now my slacks rack has lots of space! </p>
<p>Closet organizing tip #1 (as mentioned by thumper): take a large garbage bag and put it in the middle of your closet. Take an item of clothing off the rack, and if it is wrong size, color, shape, etc, put it in the bag. Otherwise, put it back on the rack. Repeat. After doing this procedure with every single item, tie the bag, take it to your car, drive to the nearest place that accepts donations, and drop it off there. :)</p>
<p>Same hangers make a big difference. I use my guest room closet as my off-season storage. At the end of one season if I haven’t worn it, it goes in a bag. As I’m moving in a new season, if I’m not excited about wearing it again it goes in a bag. I keep all similar items together (pants, skirts, short sleeve, etc) and I sort by color. Makes it easy to see what I have. I’m not a neat freak but I’m happiest when I’m organized. </p>
<p>I agree with the rule about if you haven’t worn it in a year, out it goes. I do make a couple of exceptions for some dressy or holiday items. I was a little more ruthless this year and also some things that have started to look dated helped me mentally do this. </p>
<p>I really want to only keep clothes that I LOVE. Not just things that fit but are just Meh. And the way for me to do that is to not bring something in to the closet just because it was on sale or I thought I <em>might</em> wear it. </p>
<p>I use mostly those flocked hangers. What a great invention! </p>
<p>I have different sections (long sleeved shirts, short sleeved, cardigans, etc). After I wear an item, I put it back at the beginning of sections. The items toward the end are prime giveaway targets. (My closet is fairly big, so I still keep them. They will be my “bring and leave” items on next trip abroad, so I can make room for souvenirs and gifts). </p>
<p>First of all…con’t convert anything into more closet space. One tends to fill up an empty space with more stuff. If you haven’t worn something for 2 or 3 years (except for evening wear, fancy or expensive shoes/purses…donate… Keep all shoes and purses in their bag with a picture of the contents… You don
t want to damage purses or dry out good shoes and/or purses. The closet companies are making a fortune…but I (and most of my friends) found that we didn’t have more space.</p>
<p>When we moved to this house I “knew” that we had too many closets…we don’t. In the master we have three walkin closets and a chest of draws. Totally filled…everything…Each bedroom has a walkin closet and 1 doublt deep closet ANE a cedar closet and (from the 30s) an evening gown closet…jammed to the gills.</p>
<p>@bevhills that is my feeling too. It’s like a law of physics, your stuff expands to fill the space available! I am struggling with keeping my shoes in their original boxes because it feels like it takes up so much space and I don’t want to put them in the (hot/cold) attic. I don’t think I have THAT many shoes, but shoe boxes are bigger than you think. I have my summer sandals in a pillowcase in a box of clothes and they fit much better there.</p>
<p>My DH is also part of the problem. He is still keeping old suits from a former job “just in case” even though they probably don’t fit or are out of style. :D</p>
<p>I agree with all of the advice above about getting rid of stuff and cleaning out to make for better organization. I think that kind of clearing out is essential, but another thing that really helps with space if you have small closets is to use one of the professional closet organizing companies. I did this a few years ago because even though I have a big closet–I just didn’t have the right kinds of storage spaces. I can’t believe what a difference it made. I ended up having the company outfit the other bedroom closets as well as two hall closets. I used a local company–not one of the chain/franchise places. It was worth every penny.</p>
<p>I was told to quickly look through my closet and get rid of the obvious items. Then grab one category like dresses or jeans, remove them all from the closet and try them on. The next day grab another group. This way it is not to overwhelming and mentally you can you can handle a half hour of tees or sweaters.</p>
<p>I like that idea a lot^^^ Makes it a smaller task and you are comparing like items. Kind of a “duh” moment when I read that (as in seems really obvious - why did i never think of that!!)</p>
)</p>