Today I’m joining a group of amazing bloggers to talk about closet organization and styling!
Can you believe they invited me to participate in their design series again?
Pinch me!
You’ll find all their blog links at the end of this post. So, be sure to visit each and every one!
Closet organization! A subject near and dear to my heart.
Nothing makes me happier than an organized closet. Ok … a trip to Paris makes me happier, but you know what I mean.
I recently reorganized Snowberry’s master closet.
When we moved in, just over a year ago,
I unloaded all of our clothes as fast as I could so that our movers could take the wardrobe boxes away.
Then I got busy unpacking the rest of the house.
At the beginning of the year, I realized it was time to revisit the closet in order to make it function better for us.
Our closet isn’t tiny, but it’s not one of those large, luxurious Pinterest-worthy closets either.
I wanted to maximize our storage space while being able to see and easily access everything. Oh, and make it look nice too.
With this in mind, here are my six ideas for creating an organized and pretty closet.
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No. 1 – EDIT
This past year has taught me a lot of things. Not the least of which is I don’t need (wear) about 90% of my wardrobe. Exaggeration? Perhaps, but not by much.
A year into varying stages of lockdown, most of us have cleaned our closets and donated, sold or tossed things we no longer need or use. It’s really an ongoing process of asking the questions … do I love it? Do I wear it? Does it fit? If the answer is no … out it goes. I keep a basket in the garage to accumulate items for donation.
I don’t wear theses shoes, but I love them so they stay!
Hello Girls!
No. 2 – MAXIMIZE YOUR SPACE BY ADDING SPACE SAVERS
Uniform Hangers
Slim, velvet covered hangers not only help maximize space but look nice too. I use them for tops and dresses.
I group hanging pieces in sections. Dresses & Skirts, Tops and Pants. Then I group by color and sleeve length. For example, sleeveless, cap sleeve, three-quarter sleeve, long sleeve.
For pants, I use a traditional wooden hangers with a no-slip grip.
Jim keeps his good shirts on their hangers from the dry cleaner. Sorry.
Shoe Boxes
Clear shoe boxes protect your shoes from dust AND allow you to OWN MORE SHOES! My shelves are spaced to accommodate three shoe boxes up and across … that’s nine pair of shoes per shelf. Hello?!
I use a standard shoe box for most of my shoes. For booties and Jim’s shoes I use a men’s shoe box size.
Acrylic Organizers
I bought two different acrylic organizers for my clutch and evening bags that fit perfectly in our Fidalgo Island closet. How lucky am I that they work in this space too … one on top of the other. I can’t remember where I found them … they came from two different places. The Container Store has similar options here and here.
Jewelry Organizers
I’m a fan of jewelry drawer inserts. California Closets makes the best. Our drawers are a custom (ahem … weird) size, so I’m using a variety of shapes and sizes from the Container Store’s Stackers collection. It’s a bit like piecing together a puzzle.
These Kendra Scott jewelry t-bars are a recent addition. I ordered them in antique silver. They come in rose gold and antique brass too. I use thelarge bar for necklaces and the small bar for bracelets.
Robe Hooks
We added two-pronged robe hooks in all four corners of our closet. These came from Restoration Hardware and you can find similar hooks here and here.
Robe hooks are not just for robes. I use mine for scarves, bags and long necklaces.
Jim uses his to hold lanyards from big events he’s attended. It’s fun to see them every day and remember when we could go to sports events and concerts. I hope we’ll be doing that again soon.
Baskets
Catch-all baskets are always a win win … pretty on the shelf and great for items not needed every day and/or unruly to store. I keep my casual summer sandals in this lidded basket and belts (that are rarely worn) on an upper shelf.
Closet Hardware/Accessories
Valet pulls, belt and tie racks and the previously mentioned robe hooks are great additions to any closet.
Jim and I each have a valet pull … great for holding clothes just back from the cleaners and planning the next days outfit. Remember when we used to do that?!
Oops, I forgot to take photos.
SHOP CLOSET ORGANIZERS –
No. 3 – USE EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY
Fun Fact
The idiom ‘nook and cranny’ originated in the 14th century and it combines ‘nook’,
being used from mid-1300’s which means – a distant corner,
with ‘cranny’ in usage since 1440 which means – a crack or gap.
In the shelf below my blouses, I squeezed in five pair of flats.
On the shelf above are some of my frou frou shoes. Will I ever wear them again? Who knows … but they make me happy. Plus, they were an investment and I’m keeping them. They’re décor!
And, more clear shoe boxes stacked on the shelf below my hanging pants.
The larger shelves above our dresser hold my bags. I love straw bags. Can you tell?
No. 4 – FOLD LIKE MARIE KONDO
Early on in quarantine, at the encouragement of my niece, I tried the Marie Kondo file-folding method. I started with t-shirts and soon I Kondo’d everything. It’s amazing how much more can fit into a drawer. A year later I’ve been able to maintain the folding system and I’m hooked.
Marie is also big on drawer dividers for all things and I found these mix and match organizers at the Container Store.It’s funny how our needs change, a year ago who knew we needed space for mask storage?
No. 5 – CREATE VIGNETTES
If you have the space, create a vignette or two to display pretty things like a favorite bag, scarves, books, framed photos and other meaningful pieces. Not only will it elevate your space, but it creates a boutique like feel that will make you smile each time you open your closet door.
I made room for two little vignette moments …
A tray is always a good idea. Grouping items makes them look and feel more special. It’s true that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
This pretty silver tray holds a previous photo of our beloved dog, Sasha. Seeing her pretty face in the morning gets my day off to a good start.
I also added a Wedgewood bowl as a trinket dish, a candle and a pretty scarf. Oh, and an extra pair of reading glasses. Can’t have too many of those hanging around.
Another fun vignette idea … books on style, a special bag and a fancy shoe box. Voila!
SHOP VIGNETTES –
SHOP STYLE AND ORGANIZATION BOOKS –
No. 6 – ZHUSH IT UP
If you can, a beautiful light fixture, a statement rug and a chair, bench or ottoman create a boutique like feel in your closet. A full-length mirror is nice too.
I’m glad we opted for a full-length mirror rather than more shelf or hang space. Although additional clothes storage would be nice, having a tall, wide mirror makes the closet feel bigger and brighter. We also added a mirror over the dresser.
We don’t have room for a bench or ottoman … but this cute jute pouf from our last house works well. It makes a perfect perch to put on shoes or rub Pippa’s tummy. It’s also a great step stool when I need to reach the upper shelves. Let’s be honest, it’s most likely to hold the clothes I wore yesterday.
The blue and gray runner from Caitlyn Wilson is another hold over from our Fidalgo Island house. I’m so glad I saved and stored it because it works beautifully in our closet. Pippa recommends it too.
Closet lighting is everything and I adore these blingy flush mounts. Our contractor was concerned they wouldn’t create enough good light. Relax grasshopper. Not my first rodeo. I used these lights in our last closet and they’re fabulous. I chose the polished silver finish and they’ve already started to tarnish creating a lovely patina.
Adding art would be nice too.
SHOP DECOR –
No matter what size your closet there are so many fun options to keep it organized and make it feel special.
So, there you have it … my six ideas for creating an organized and pretty closet.
Now off you go to visit my partners in crime and see how they’re tackling their closet projects.
PIN THIS POST TO SAVE FOR LATER –
Oh, hey there … I’m just hanging out in the garden wearing a cute dress from Target!
It has a smocked waistband and shoulder detail.
It comes in several pretty colors and I ordered it in black and white check too.
I added a cashmere cardigan because it’s still a little chilly.
Looks like this will be my Easter outfit.
SHOP THE LOOK –
As always, I appreciate your visit and welcome your thoughts in the comments below.
I’ll be back next week with another edition of Spring Things.
Until then, cheers from Snowberry!
Photo credit: Monica Vargas Photography
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