Closet Tweaking

I love my closet organizational system. As organized as I’m able to keep my closet, it still requires the occasional purging and modifications. Especially with my shopping habit.

My mom and I shop as part of our bonding. We both love to use coupons and find good deals. My sister once said we turn shopping at the mall into a blood sport. Our shopping excursions are not for the faint of heart. Because of this hobby, I have to have a pretty strict “One In One Out” rule. However, I hadn't really been following my own rule lately. I just bought more hangers instead of dealing with the problem. Did I mention I had clothes hanging above my dryer that I forgot existed? *hangs head in shame*

It was time to be ruthless. I did this project right after Laundry Day and gathered the long lost clothes that were above the dryer. I wanted to have all of my clothes in one spot so I could get a feel for how much I had and how much I could actually fit in my closet. This gave me a better idea of how much I should get rid of and if I had any duplicates.

It took me about 20 minutes to purge these clothes. If there was any question, into the donate pile it went. I also went through my accessories, which I rarely do. Here’s the nitty gritty of what didn’t make the cut:

• 3 pairs of shorts
• 2 pairs of jeans
• 10 tops
• 1 sweater
• 3 dresses
• 1 tank top
• 1 jacket
• 4 necklaces
• 2 pairs of earrings
• 2 bracelets

After my clean out session, I organized my clothes by color and refolded the mess of shirts.

Look! Space! This closet system was a gift from my mom on my birthday. I know it may not seem like the most exciting gift ever (Mom seemed surprised when I asked for it) but trust me, it’s been awesome. I mean, look at it!

We picked up this system from Target. It consists of one 2 door cabinet, and two vertical organizers on top. I also grabbed a closet extender from Bed Bath & Beyond for $20 (can't find it online) to give myself more hanging space. I stacked the cabinets in the center of the closet to divide the space. Pants and tops on one side, dresses on the other. As you can see, I keep folded clothes in the open cubbies, divided by type. PJs and undies are concealed behind closed doors. That stuff could be embarrassing if left in the open. I also have a bin that was a gift from a friend on the floor, under my dresses. I put clothes I intend to get rid of in there, so there's no excuse really.

Here's a closer look at the top of the closet.

The top two cubbies contain my makeup and some of my jewelry on a small tray I painted blue.

On top of the cabinets, I have all of my hair products and tools in a garden tool organizer I received as a free gift for donating to charity. This makes it easy to grab what I need to style my hair and then store it away when I’m done, leaving my countertop free of clutter. It’s a small countertop, so it couldn’t hold much.

 Saving nature and keeping my hair looking fabulous? Definition of winning! Someone tell Charlie.

True says, "Save the trees, man."

The canvas bins on the very top shelf are from Wal-Mart, available here. They hold my small clutches, belts, scarves, and hats. I keep my purses stored in the two larger bags you see in the upper left corner.

I plan on taking my large pile of clothes to Plato’s Closet to (hopefully) make a few dollars. Whatever doesn’t sell goes straight to Goodwill. It feels good to have a little extra breathing room. I also feel like I have a new wardrobe because I rediscovered some items. I have dresses! Yay!