The Final Touch on a Closet Purge

During the last Cure, we got rid of about two-thirds of our clothes. Since then we have never dressed better in our lives. Part of the problem was that we had clothes in so many different places: a tallboy dresser, a long, open hanging bar, in suitcases, in baskets, under the bed, etc.

We'd like to think that we could store out-of-season clothes, but it's never solidly one season or another in the Northwest. So when we got rid of so much, we were better able to see what we do have, and moved almost everything to the hanging bar.

But one long row of clothes can have comparable navigation difficulties to the insane "system" we had before, and without structure we're afraid we may soon lay waste to the careful order, by casual/work/dressy and color, that we worked so hard on. Enter these garment organizers from Simple Division (which we learned about via the Simply Stated blog from Real Simple). They're a simple plastic form that clicks onto your hanger bar, with space to put a label that will stick out above the clothes.

Now the hunt for a DIY, maybe non-plastic version....

Comments (16)

I'm turning 40, and recently gave the chic career wardrobe I built when I was in my early 30s to my stepdaughter. I took excellent care of my clothes and invested in great natural fabrics (silk, wool, cashmere, etc). Though I still love the clothes and think that they are classic enough to still be stylish, they are still more suited to a younger professional than to one just arriving at middle age. It feels FANTASTIC to lighten my load and rid my closet of the reminder that I'll never look hot in that size 4 pencil skirt again. Now I look hot in new linen trousers instead. :-)

Me, I just hang long sleeves together (kind of organized by turtlenecks, jewel necks, blouses, jackets) and short sleeves/sleeveless together (vests, t-shirts, blouses, jackets). These are on two hanging shelf/rods over one another. Pants are folded on the shelf. One small section is for the few long things I have: pant suits, party dresses (the only kind I ever wear, and then rarely), kimono, etc. Underwear, socks, and miscellaneous things (swimsuit, shorts, scarves, etc.) are in the dresser.

Labels aren't necessary if you maintain the system, and wouldn't work on my "Rubbermaid" style shelf/rods, anyway.

When I review my wardrobe every spring and fall, I actually put things in their categories by color (like some do books) but that part of the system falls apart as I do laundry.

Here's a question for Danielle -is there anything you regret having gotten rid of?

The garmet organizers are too OCD and a waste of plastic...Can't people just remember the section where they keep the long sleeve blouses? I think real simplicity would be to not use this 'organizing device' and just not care that much. LOL

Tobermory -

Not a single thing. :)

I love a good purge....just makes opening up the closet doors a real joy.

I agree with ButterfluyBleus -- way too OCD. Staying this organized would take more time and effort than it's worth. Also, I don't think my fiance would ever stop teasing me. The only way I'd ever do this is if there were no other cleaning or organizing left to do, and everything else was perfect. So...never.

If you want flat plastic for DIY projects, try the 3 to a package cutting boards IKEA sells. They are pretty thin and they can be cut with a scissors.I've used them to stiffen the bottom of a fabric tote, keep bottles upright on metal shelving and put between the bottom sweater and my Elfa shelving so I don't get indentations in the sweater. They are also great for taking food on planes. You can cut them down to fit any container. And you can attach a metal clip and make any size clipboard you need. I always have them around and they are always useful. (Good under the cat food, too. They go in the dishwasher.)

I think this is a great tool if more than one person is doing laundry/putting it away in your household. My hubby is wonderful about doing the laundry, but then there's a whole couchful of my clothes waiting to be put away that just sit there... I think for households with similar issues, this could be a good tool. Or for helping kids learn to organize their own closets.

I agree with some above - garment organizers are a little silly. I would think you can look in a closet and see where you keep your long sleeve blouses for instance. Garment organizers are for children who need to learn some organization - and even then about 12, they wouldn't need them any longer.

On the topic lkspiper brings up, I do all the laundry in my home - and what isn't mine, I stack the clean clothes in the fiance's desk chair so he puts it away when he gets home. Lately I've been helping out and putting away anything that goes into drawers for him.

Yes, if there are more than one person doing the job, or if you are teaching your kids, this would be a good idea. But if you're doing it for your own closet, it's just stupid.

Why do you need a label to organize your clothes? I mean if they are jackets, they LOOK like jackets, and they should be hung with other jackets. Do you really need to write it down?

Seriously, if I were dating someone and found out they did this in their closet it would be a GIANT red flag. And after I stopped dating him I would always refer to him as "the closet label guy". Just say no.

mskk - LOL agreed. If the guy can't figure out that jackets go with jackets or is this OCD, I'm sorry but I don't need to be with this person.

Garment organisers are not for me-it wouldn't feel homely. Maybe for kids (especially if they were designed in a fun, kiddy way).

Way over-the-top. I don't need to be this organized.

Uh, I live in the Northwest, and we have definite seasons, but I don't have so many clothes (fortunately?/unfortunately?) that I have to switch everything out a couple times a year. I sometimes try to organize my closet by the type of thing hanging up, but I wouldn't need labels to tell me what I was looking at. Geez.