The Perfect Wardrobe: 15 Practical Tips

1. Deep Clean

Start with the hardest part: decide to get rid of unnecessary clothes. Sort all your items into three categories: keep, store until next season, and get rid of (disposing is not mandatory — you can donate to charitable organizations). Put items in the last category that you haven't worn for over a year. Remember: according to statistics, people regularly wear only 20% of all their clothes.

2. Seasonal Items

Store seasonal clothing in a long-term box (as an alternative — in a suitcase) where it will remain untouched until its time comes. These temporary storage spaces for clothes should preferably be kept outside the closet.

3. Sorting Clothes

Invent a clothing storage system — this will help you find the right items quickly. Two main ways to organize clothes are by color and by type (one box for t-shirts, another for skirts, and so on). Decide which clothes should be hung on hangers and which can be stored folded. Fold items in not too large stacks, placing more bulky clothing at the bottom.

4. Hangers

When choosing among numerous hangers, prefer wooden ones: they best preserve the shape of clothes and deodorize them. For space-saving, it's better to use narrow plastic hangers — they work well for light fabric garments. Remember that identical hangers are the key to a neat-looking closet.

By the way, you can determine when it's time for another deep clean by the number of hangers: if there are no free ones left, consider it.

5. Door

The door of a closet or wardrobe, on both sides, can be used to hang scarves, belts, and gloves. Wall shelves placed one above the other or shoe pockets also come in handy here.

6. Footwear

Footwear should be stored separately from clothing — so that boot and shoe fasteners won't get caught in fabrics. A slim cabinet is a compact and spacious option for storing footwear. Shelves with multiple levels also work well. Place pairs in compartments with socks facing opposite directions — this way, each pair takes up less space.

7. Heel Shoes

Heel shoes can be stored in an original way: attach a narrow rail to the free wall of the closet or even the inside of the door and hang the heel on this support.

8. Socks and Stockings

Wire boxes with adjustable compartments (i.e., they can be made very narrow) are suitable for small items: socks, stockings, undergarments. Another option is hanging shoe pockets. Fold pairs together (one sock inside another) so they don't get lost.

9. Tie

Ties are better hung almost flush against the wall: this way, their hanger will take up very little space. By the way, this hanger also works for keeping scarves in order. Another compact solution for ties is a rotating round hanger.

10. Everything Visible

Clothing should be arranged so you don’t have to dig through it. Everything must be visible — meaning you can immediately reach the item you need. Thus, try placing items you wear most often at the front. Put clothes for special occasions on the upper shelves, which are used less frequently.

11. Bags and Scarves

In the bathroom, you can hang bags on curtain rings and store all sorts of things inside them to prevent clutter on the floor and shelves. The same rings will be an invaluable helper for scarf collectors: you can arrange all your scarves on one hanger so that the right one is easy to find.

12. Transparent Boxes

Transparent containers and boxes will help you not only organize clothes (for example, put clothes of a certain color into one container) but also quickly find everything you need without sifting through tons of items and opening the correct compartment. But if the box is large, it’s better to sort inside by compartments as well.

13. Internal Atmosphere

Lighting inside the closet is not just a stylish whim, but a necessity. For space-saving, use built-in wall or ceiling lights. You can also use special air fresheners for wardrobes to keep the scent of clothes fresh.

14. Additional Hangers

You don't need to call a master to add an extra hanger to your closet using a drill and other manipulations. A convenient and modern solution is a bar that hooks onto the top shelf using thin rods. It works well for storing short clothes.

15. Digital Assistants

It would be strange if in the age of high technology people didn't come up with apps to organize a wardrobe. And they exist! Stylebook (around 160 rubles in the iTunes Store) and Stylicious (free in Google Play) — these are virtual wardrobes that will help you track how often you wear certain clothes and advise how to arrange items in your closet.

If you’re eager to reorganize your wardrobe, now is the time to download the Houzz app. It offers a huge collection of original photo ideas and tips from professionals. Another pleasant feature is that it can be downloaded for free in both the iTunes Store and Google Play.