We love fall for myriad reasons, from colorful scarves to woody, spicy scents.
But when it comes to the summer-to-fall closet transition, things can get messy.
The good news: We’ve got just the tricks you need to keep your closet organized now and through the season.
Step 1: Think in zones
Ready to put those fall outfits back into your closet?
The best way to streamline them is to section off zones, says organizing expert Julie Morgenstern.
Think: professional, leisure, formal, date night and more.
That way, you’ll know exactly where to go to every time you open your closet. Bonus: For a beautiful, pleasurable look, organize each section by color.
Step 2: Hang outfits together
Cut out the early-morning decision-making by selecting your work outfits just after you’ve done laundry.
Clothespin two hangers together (one for the blouse, one for the accompanying pencil skirt, for example) and file each outfit labeled by day.
All we can say to Jen for this nifty trick she posted to her blog, I Heart Organizing, is: thank you!
Step 3: Sort your shoes
First, make the tough calls. Look at the condition of the soles and heels of your shoes.
If they fit like worn-in baseball gloves, that’s great — but if they also look like them, it’s time to make a trip to the cobbler (a best-kept secret of city dwellers) or toss them.
Organize good pairs into a shoe organizer you can hang on the back of your closet door.
Step 4: Hang your jewellery
We love this idea, recently posted by Carmel on her blog, Our Fifth House: From your local fabric store, pick up something that speaks to you, whether it’s zebra-print chic or yoga-spa tranquil. (You can also mix and match several scraps of fabric you already have around the house.)
Then, line one wall of your closet with the cloth, and use it as a ginormous pin board to display necklaces and earrings.
You can hang a string between two pins and hang earrings, or drape necklaces over two pins stuck close together.
Step 5: Bundle and store everything else
If you have that odd, stray space above where you hang clothes, use large storage bins — you can find pretty ones at Pottery Barn or Target — to bundle items that can’t be folded or hung, such as underwear, socks and T-shirts.
Toss ’em into the basket and affix a label for easy scouting.
All done?
Don’t forget to spray with a seasonal air freshener scent (we love pumpkin harvest and fall) to get rid of any musty odors of storage and usher in fall.
Oh, and if you need to organize your baby clothes too, this article is full of helpful information on the best ways to organize baby clothes.
Now you can just enjoy and use your well-organized closet!