How I’m Spring Cleaning My Closets

Clutter drives me crazy and helps guide me when it’s time I purge and reorganize closets. This includes the standard closets in the bedrooms that are overflowing with clothes and junk, the bedroom I converted into my dressing room and closet, linen closets and drawers.

With this extra time many of us have at home, now is a good time to organize and de-clutter.

Take EVERYTHING out of your closet

To properly assess and clean closets, the biggest tip is to remove EVERYTHING and assess items as you go through to put back and re-organize. Items that I haven’t worn in over a year (two if they’re pretty seasonal like shorts), I set in a pile for donate or sell. You can also set aside items that need to be dry cleaned or brought to the tailor.

Once I return everything I want to keep in the closet, hanging and folding in shelves, I comb through my purge pile. Anything Lululemon goes up on Instagram or Poshmark for sale since those items go quick and I really don’t have the patience to wait for things to sell for months. Usually the rest goes to nieces and a couple friends and if I truly have a ton of shit–I host a sale at home inviting colleagues and friends to pop over to snag things at $3-$15.

I use this same method when cleaning the linen closet and vanity drawers–anything I’m not using or don’t like goes in a bag for friends and family. I never resell used beauty/skincare or anything new I might have and don’t want.

Closet and Drawer Essentials

One of the ways I’m able to organize my closets is to rotate out last season clothing for the next season. I’ll be working on putting away winter coats and heavy clothing the next month and I do so with storage bags, bins and clothing racks.

I bought these storage bags and they work great to tuck away winter sweaters and I also have this freestanding closet rack with a fabric cover in the basement to store winter coats and jackets.

To help organize your closets and drawers, try these rotating organizer trays–works for more than just food! Stick your skincare products in these in a linen closet. These bins are a little prettier for organization too–I use these for products in my closets and under the sink too.

For the vanity, I love this plastic drawer organizer, this five compartment organizer, lipstick acrylic organizer and stackable cosmetic organizers.

Store Your Jewelry & Accessories

I don’t own a ton of jewelry, but I do organize what I have a couple different ways. First, I hang necklaces using a key rail. I also use dishes for rings and earrings, any small bowl will do but these $3 ring dishes are adorable. You can also snag a pretty travel case.

For shoes and bags, I like this white cubby shoe organizer, this shoe shelf organizer (similar to what I have) and this shelf from Ikea.

I also love floating shelves! I have them all over my house like these and these.

For hat storage and display, snag some 3M hooks.