6 Steps to Get Control of the Chaos in Your Closet

By Fran Campbell - February 12, 2012

Get a handle on the chaos with these 6 steps to declutter your closet for good!

These easy and low cost tips from Rubbermaid can make your closets functional, organized spaces - allowing you to find what you need, when you need it.

1. Declutter
Start by emptying EVERYTHING out of your closet. The general rule of thumb is to keep items you've worn or used in the past year and toss or donate everything else. Separate everything into piles by category: seasonal, keep, repair, donate and toss. This exercise is going to introduce you to storage space you never knew you had.

2. Plan Your Layout - Use every square inch of space and consider installing a closet organization system.Watch this short video from Lowes for useful tips on designing your space and planning your layout.

3. Organize Your Accessories
Bins, shoe boxes and hanging organizers provide functional storage options for your accessories, shoes and seasonal items. This short video will inspire you and show you an easy way to get control of the clutter by using bins and a labeling system.

4. Put it All Together
Once you're ready to restock your closet , put the least-used items on the high shelves and clothes or items that you use often at eye level. Store shoes toward the bottom. Hang all your clothing with the hangers facing toward you. Sort your wardrobe by season, clothing type and/or color so you can find what you need quickly.

5. Hangers Make a Difference
Use padded hangers for delicate fabrics, plastic hangers for shirts and pants and wood hangers for suits. Get rid of wire hangers and remove clothes from dry-cleaning bags.

6. Maintain the Calm
Once you have everything organized and put away, don't revert to your old habits. As you wear and launder your clothes, hang them up. As you use take items out for use, put them away when you are finished with them.

For some REAL inspiration for organizing your whole home, check out this video from Professional Organizer Alejandra Costello ... the most organized home in America!