by Dan Keizer

Created on: November 26, 2011

Some people just don't know how to organize their stuff.  Even after putting all their stuff away as neatly as they know how to they still can't find anything in the closet when they need it.  Here are some helpful tips on how to organize a closet.

First and foremost, a person organizing a closet needs to get rid of all the crap that they don't need.  Define "don't need" as things used less than daily.  A person can only wear one set of clothing at a time, so there is no excuse to have a half dozen shirts and sweaters and coats and pants hanging up in the closet.  Throw it all out in the garbage, and throw some paint on those clothes first so they won't end up cluttering up anybody else's closet.

Now that all the clutter is gone, an organized individual should have one set of clothes and a pair of shoes and the closet should be looking pretty good.  (Don't prepare for cold weather, studies show that normal people buy new clothes at the change of season even when they already have appropriate clothes at home.)  But the work is not done.  The closet must be dusted and vacuumed in order to remove the foul stench of clutter from the now-organized person's home, lest those putrid habits return.  When finished, throw the vacuum out rather than let it take up space in the organized closet.

If there are any organizational tools such as collapsable hangers, shoe sorters, totes or any other stackables, now is the time to discard them.  Now that there is nothing in the closet but what is needed, the now organized closet owner won't be needing any of that nonsense.  Be sure to recycle if possible.

Remember, the goal here is to keep the closet clean, welcoming and orderly.  Anybody who has ever gotten a hotel room knows the feeling when they open up a closet and there is nothing in there but five clothes hangers.  Life is so easy and fun when the closet opens to reveal nothing but the owner's favorite outfit and his or her best and only pair of pajamas.

People with organized closets are known to have lower stress levels, less likely to procrastinate and are generally more successful in life, so don't hesitate to get rid of all that junk and get to business.

Learn more about this author, Dan Keizer.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.