Start from scratch
Begin your cleanup task by emptying your closet completely and taking care to categorise each type of fashion staple - be they dresses, shoes, accessories - and separate them. You can place them in large plastic bags first, and sort through them slowly.
First step: Clean the space
Give your closet a good clean. Use a vacuum cleaner to make sure you get rid of all the dust, then wipe the surfaces, drawers, hanging rods, the entire interior with white vinegar solution to ensure your cupboard is free of mold and mildew.
Sort through your stuff
Take this opportunity to get rid of everything you don’t use anymore - old shoes, tops that don’t fit, accessories that aren’t in fashion anymore… You need your wardrobe to only contain the items you know you will use. Throw the rest or give them away! You won’t regret making space for new items.
Make sure items are in wearing condition
Located a collection of wrinkled shirts, tattered jackets, twisted coats, and stained items? Time to take them to get dry-cleaned, ironed, mended, and fixed. Everything you are about to place into your new closet must be clean and impeccable.
Organise clothes in categories
Organise clothes by type. Jackets and coats in one section, t-shirts and casual items in another, swimwear in a designated drawer… it’s best to keep things separated.
Have two different hanging rods in the closet
Arrange to have two heights of hanging rods to arrange skirts, jackets and pants on the lowest, and maxi dresses, overcoats, etc on the highest.
Swap out your hangers
Take this opportunity to throw away bulky-framed hangers and replace them with ultra thin and lightweight hangers.
Take care of the lingerie
For your delicate lingerie and nighties, choose a drawer to cover with a sheet of tissue paper, slightly sprayed with your favorite perfume. Fold your undies and pair them with matching bras. Do the same for your sock drawer.
Organise your shirts…
On the shirt shelf, place short-sleeved shirts on one side and long-sleeved ones on another. Stack them in order of size and colour to make pretty pyramids.
… and your sweaters too
The same applies to sweaters! Be careful not to make stacks too tall as they will slip off each other and fall each time you take one. Instead, multiply the piles you make.
Tackle the shoe issue
Storing shoes is always a real puzzle. If, by chance, your dressing room is very large, the best thing you can do is to leave them in their original boxes, or in new ones, labeled according to their designs. Alternatively, you can slip them into gauze bags to protect them - this will also allow you to spot them easily.
Prevent mold from setting in
With items that you might not use too often, such as certain leather handbags, special shoes, hats, and the like, provide boxes or cloth covers that will allow you to store them in less accessible parts of your closet (like up high, or right at the back).
Fold scarves, don’t hang them up
If you collect scarves and have a large number of them, save a little space by folding them into little triangles and putting them in piles, rather than letting them use up your hanging space.
Take measures to keep the area spotless
Invest in mothballs, or scented sachets that are meant to get rid of dust mites and other creepy crawlies from making a home in your cupboard.
A new luxury: light!
Here’s something to celebrate after you’ve given your closet a huge makeover! Wouldn’t it be really cool if you could properly see the items in your cupboard better? Especially in the morning at dawn? Set up some LED lights, fairy lights, or sensor lights so whenever you look for something, you will be able to brighten up your dressing space.
