Some people seem to keep their closets completely clean and organized, day after day. What’s their secret?
The truth is, there’s no single secret to keeping your closets clean. It takes a combination of smart storage strategies. Here are four expert tips from the pros at Diplomat Closet Design.
1- Do a Full Closet Purge
Start your new closet cleaning plan by completely emptying the closet and looking through what’s stored inside. Examine everything – and we mean everything including the smallest items- to decide what you need to keep in the closet, store somewhere else, or get rid of.
If you’re stuck, ask yourself: Have I used this item in the past year? Items that haven’t been touched for 12 months should either be moved to long-term storage somewhere else or donated/recycled/trashed. Learn more about storing rarely-used items in our articles on garage storage systems and basement built-ins.
Working item by item, narrow your closet’s contents down to just the essentials. At this point, you should have a much more manageable set of stuff to organize.
A full closet purge like this is a bit of a hassle, but you shouldn’t have to do it more than once a year. Plus, if you follow our other three tips below, you might never have to do a major closet purge again!
2- Start a Seasonal Rotation
Closets don’t have to stay the same all year long. They’re much more useful when you can rotate some of the contents to serve your seasonal needs for summer, winter, and so forth.
Take a moment to think about your main coat closet near the front door. Wouldn’t it be more useful if you could store coats there during the winter, but switch to outdoor recreational gear during the warmer months?
Designate somewhere else in your home where you can swap out seasonal gear as the year goes on. Set a reminder on your phone to rotate your closet contents periodically and make it easy with clear, lightweight bins that allow you to see and store your stuff.
3- Use an Array of Creative Storage Solutions
Creativity goes a long way in maintaining closet cleanliness. Consider adding custom storage features that freshen up your closets and keep your most-used items at your fingertips.
Customized Clothing Racks
Tired of having too much clothing clutter? A closet designer can rethink your clothing storage and add savvy solutions. Maybe you need two closet rods instead of one, a fold-away tie rack, or custom hooks and grabbers to hold all of your kids’ sports gear.
Adjustable Shelves
Flexible shelving makes it easier for your closets to match your lifestyle. An adjustable closet storage system allows you to move shelves and drawers around to fit your belongings perfectly.
Door Instead of Floor
A pile of shoes makes your closet feel cluttered. Rather than allowing shoes to spread out on the floor, arrange them on the door – or anywhere else in your closet – with a special shoe rack.
Hidden Storage Spots
Keep jewelry, watches, and other valuables in a hidden storage compartment tucked inside a closet. This is also a smart solution for iPads, laptops, and phones, which can even have hidden charging stations tucked away in your closet.
4- Keep it Fresh and Well-Lit
Lighting isn’t always the first thing people think of when they think of reorganizing closets. But bright lighting is extremely important for consistent closet organization.
Your closet is easier to keep clean when it looks bright and inviting. Light makes it easier to reach your stuff and you’ll be less tempted to allow piles of clutter to build up.
So go ahead, add that beautiful chandelier you’ve had your eye on! Install motion-detecting lights that pop on every time you reach inside the closet. These features make it a pleasure to keep your closets clean every day.
How to Get Fresh, Clean Closets
If you’re ready to freshen up your closets and keep them tidy, reach out to the experts at Diplomat Closet Design. We’re devoted closet organizing pros with plenty of innovative ideas for keeping your closets clean.
Contact us today to start designing your new closets!
If you live in Delaware County in towns such as Bryn Mawr, Chester Heights, Havertown or Media, contact us today.
