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Closet Organization

What's in your closet?

Edith Head wrote a wonderful book in 1967 called How to Dress for Success, and many of her points are still relevant today. (Though not all her points: one chapter title is "How to Dress to Get a Man, and Keep Him." But, it is surprising how much less the "working girl" of her day had in her closet than we have today. Or, at least it's surprising how much less she should have in her closet if she followed Ms. Head's advice.

The recommended morning attire was two shifts or smocks or breakfast coats or robes. Work wear consisted of two suits, six tops (blouses, shells or sweaters), two dresses and a separate jacket or cardigan, two skirts and one coat. For after work, one costume (formal evening ensemble) one cocktail or short dinner dress, one dressmaker or cocktail suit, one coat.

At home entertaining: one hostess gown or hostess pajamas, one at-home skirt or pants, three tops for above, two dresses; at home not entertaining: one housecoat, one set lounging pajamas. I count 31 items, not including accessories. She mentioned that spring/summer fabrics differ from winter/fall, so we can assume that we could double that list and come up with 62 items of clothing, including coats, and not including undergarments or formalwear.

That may at first sound like a lot, but I'm sure I have at least three times that amount. And, while I don't own a single pair of lounging pajamas, I have five pairs of jeans. I dress "business casual" for work, which allows for pants, skirts, dresses and that type of thing, and I think I have at least 12 pair of "work" pants. Three are khaki! And when your closet is as full as mine, you might as well not iron things before you hang them up because they get squashed.

In other words, time to attack that closet. Here are some tips, culled from the experts. (I really must do this, seeing as I have a 1920 home with so much character, so little closet space).

Get rid of anything you don't need.
This is how you start. Those pants that you bring out each fall and store again each spring without wearing might be greatly needed by a local charity. We have an organization that helps people in homeless shelters find work and they are always looking for office wear.
Use the closet only to store clean clothes.
Tennis rackets can go in the basement, blankets in the linen closet and dirty clothes in the hamper or laundry room.
If you bring something in, take something out.
If you buy new clothes, or like me have a sister who gives you great clothes she doesn't want any more, don't just push everything else over and jam them in. For every piece you add, you must also subtract. If you get a new pair of jeans, give an old pair to the Salvation Army.
Remove out-of-season clothes.
Store them in a seldom-used closet (like a hall closet) or in a box under your bed.
Keep some things in drawers.
Lots of sweaters get misshapen if hung on a hanger, even a padded hanger. Consider putting one of those small three-drawer chests in your closet for belts, scarves and the like. You can get inexpensive plastic or cardboard ones at stores like Target.
Organize by item.
Shirts go together on a pole, and under that should be another pole, since shirts are short. Pants can go on the one underneath.
Organize by color.
Within the items, organize by color. It's the easiest way to find things.
Keep out the moths.
Use lavender sachets to discourage moths.
Add storage.
Hang storage hangers on the backs of doors for robes and pajamas—things you aren't likely to put away because you use them frequently. Or add some of those items made just for closets–sweater organizer that hangs from a pole, back-of-the-door shoe organizer.
Be realistic.
We all love vintage clothes, but if you really never will wear it, put it on just one time and have your picture taken, then donate it or sell it on Ebay. Lots of time we hang onto things for nostalgia, memories or other emotional reasons. Taking a photograph sometimes gives permission to "let go" of something that's just taking up space. The other part of being realistic is: if you really like something no matter how impractical, keep it.

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