In university, I envisioned my life would be like Carrie Bradshaw’s”obviously”from her leisurely life in the Big Apple, right down to her expansive walk-in closet in a beautiful Manhattan apartment. Fast track to today: living in a tiny bachelor apartment, where opening the closet door is basically inviting an avalanche. There MUST be a better way to organize your closet than squeezing in an extra hanger and praying that the rod doesn’t break, right? Marie Mercurius, founder of The Closet Maven, shares her tips on staying organized so that finding your little black dress is actually easier than finding a needle in a haystack.
Maximize your space
Are all of your garments fighting for space on the rod? Better get two. If you have enough ceiling height, I suggest raising the existing rod and shelf and adding another rod below to double your hanging space. Look for one that hooks right onto the upper rod, explains Mercurius. When you think of the length of your shirts and skirts hanging, it only makes sense to double up.
There’s no such thing as too many shoes
Obviously, you can never have too many shoes”you need sensible work heels, ridiculous stilettos that hurt your toes, short boots, tall boots, the list goes on. This seems like common knowledge, but it seems as though someone forgot to relay this to whoever built my closet. Mercurius suggests: Make use of the back of a bedroom door with an over-the-door shoe rack. They hold about 24 pairs of shoes. This way, you avoid that frightening pile-up and digging for your favourite pair last-minute.
Protect your bras
What’s the sense in investing in a decent bra if you’re going to shove it in a pile where it’ll get all bent and twisted? Your bras should lay flat with the backs fastened…not folded. Layering them neatly in a drawer will help to keep thŽeir shape and make it easy for you to see what you have, says Mercurius. Seeing what you have is key”as we tend to wear our favourites more often (read: over and over again), they’ll wear out faster. By keeping a good rotation, you’ll preserve the life of all of your under things!
Divide and conquer
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just think: show me the skirts! and your closet would magically manifest all of the skirts you own? Well, if you organize your closet, this could almost be a reality. Divvying up your items will help you plan your outfits, since you can see all of the possible combinations. Group like items together. All dresses, all pants, skirts, tops, et cetera. Within each section, you can organize everything by colour, like all white tops together, all blue tops together. After that, if you’re feeling ambitious, you can group your tops, dresses and skirts by length, recommends Mercurius.
Consult a pro
If the mere thought of trying to sort through your clothing has you running for the hills, consider bringing in some professional help. It can be hard to get perspective, especially when you come face to face with that sweater you can’t live without, or those pants that haven’t fit you since high school, but you just can’t seem to part with. Skillful, detatched editing is key. A consultant can help your sort through and edit your wardrobe so that you’re left with pieces that you love, feel confident in and are comfortable to wear. From there, they can create a space that is functional, organized and your belongings are properly stored so they last for years, says Mercurius.
