An organized closet is good for your clothes: they can breathe without wrinkling or stretching. But it’s also good for your peace of mind. You know what’s in your closet, can easily get dressed for any occasion, and know what pieces you still need to add to your collection. Start taming your closet with these helpful wardrobe organization strategies for both men and women. We cover how to sort through your clothes, the organizational tactics that work best for hanging clothes, and where to put your sweaters and shoes so everything is tucked away nicely.
Wardrobe Organization Strategies for Men
Want your closet to be less chaotic? We recommend these three strategies so you can easily find what you’re looking for and quickly piece together the right outfit.
1: Sort All Your Clothes by Season, and Store Off-Season Clothes Away
Start by cutting the amount of clothes in your closet by half. Separate your blazers, suit jackets, and shirts based on season. Carefully fold away off-season clothes or hang them in a separate closet. As you prepare them for storage, make sure they’re entirely enclosed in dark bags and include cedar blocks and sachets to keep moths away.
Benefits
- Instantly have more room in your closet to minimize clutter and visual distraction.
- Give your in-season clothes more space so they don’t wrinkle.
- Protect off-season clothes from wrinkles, moths, and light exposure.
2: Organize Your Clothes by Type
Next, split your closet into sections. Hang suits together in a specific section, and put your sports coats next to them. Then create sections for casual shirts, buttoned shirts, trousers and jeans, and sweaters (which will be folded instead of hung). Organize your ties near the shirts for easy color coordination and, depending on the layout of your closet, hang shirts on the top rung and pants on the bottom.
Benefits
- You can easily view each article of clothing within each category at once.
- It’s easy to move from section to section.
- You won’t have to waste time looking for a specific tie, shirt, or pair of pants.
3: Organize Your Trousers and Shirts by Color
For extra organization and an easy start to your day, sort the clothing within each category by color, especially business clothing like shirts and professional trousers. This simplifies color coordination and makes it much faster to locate specific items.
Benefits
- There’s less visual clutter.
- You can find exactly what you need.
- Color-matching outfits and accessories are easier.
4: Organize Your Socks and Shoes
Finally, organize everything that can’t go on hangers: shoes along the bottom of your closet or a separate closet, socks (mated in pairs) in a drawer, and sweaters carefully folded on shelves. Having a dedicated space for each thing will simplify your morning routine.
Wardrobe Organization Strategies for Women
There are also several different strategies for organizing women’s closets. We recommend these simple steps if you don’t know where to start.
1: Declutter!
Take out everything that doesn’t fit, has a style you no longer like, or has fallen out of fashion. Bag up these items for donation. You can use decluttering tactics, like turning around hangers to track what you want to wear. But by getting rid of what you don’t wear anymore, you can gain lots of space in your closet—and make shopping and dressing more fun.
Benefits
- More breathing room in your closet
- Less visual clutter
- Donating clothes to your favorite charity or organization
- Identifying gaps in your “real” wardrobe
2: Sort for the Seasons
Just like with men’s closet space, there are a lot of advantages to sorting your clothes seasonally. Sort everything by season, and pack away all of your off-season clothing. We recommend ironing, dry cleaning, and carefully folding or hanging everything in dark bags. Store them somewhere with plenty of space so they’ll be ready to unpack and wear when the seasons change.
Benefits
- More closet space
- Makes it easier to piece together seasonal ensembles
- Protects off-season clothes from wrinkles and damage
3: Organize by Color and Type
Next, sort your seasonal clothes by type: sweaters, jackets, dresses, trousers, shirts, etc. Give each clothing a specific section in your closet or drawers. Then, within each category, arrange them by color. Also, have set areas for your shoes (along the bottom of your closet or in a dedicated shoe holder), scarves, hats, and belts.
Benefits
- The closet is well-organized and visually calm.
- You can easily locate any specific piece of clothing.
- Create a methodical morning routine for choosing your outfit and getting ready.
Wardrobe Organization Makes Getting Dressed and Staying in Style Easier
When your closet is peaceful and organized, going through your clothes is less of a chore and more of a relaxing start to the day. And if your organizational efforts reveal holes in your wardrobe, Family Britches may have exactly what you’re looking for. Browse our selections to find high-quality seasonal pieces, or learn more about our custom tailoring services so you can enjoy your favorite clothes season after season.
Want to learn more about our seasonal selections? You can also contact us for assistance filling in your wardrobe!
