We're told the ideal morning time-saver is to lay out our clothing the night before, carefully preparing what we'll wear so that after we wake and shower, we can just slip on the chosen garments. It's a nice idea, but most people don't enjoy the habit of laying out their morning outfit the night before. If your closet is organized, though, you can have essentially the same time-saver attitude and be able to stop searching for the right pair of jeans or trying to put together a power suit out of whatever's in that jumble of mess.
Organizing your closet can be tricky because just like music, clothes can bring back distinct memories. That dress that you wore on your honeymoon nine years ago, or that pair of stone wash jeans you had in the eighties can be hard things to part with, but some times you have to cut down on the memorabilia you want to preserve. Cleaning out your closet two or three times a year will help to decrease the clutter and help with decision making. Generally, you should give away anything that you haven't worn in a year or more. You can also give your clothes to a good charity, write them off, and feel better about yourself. There are specific places that take clothing donations in every city, but some of the big ones are: Salvation Army, Goodwill, Veterans Association, and Hubbard House (local domestic violence shelter). Another tip to keep in mind when you are disposing of clutter is to keep a "skinny" pile (just in case). My "skinny" pile consist of three pairs of jeans that I am convinced I will wear again at some point.
You're going to have to literally empty your closet. Take everything out. While this may seem like a lot of work, it's the best way to separate your clothing and place it again in a more organized fashion. Keep weekend wear together and office clothes in the same place. Try to categorize shirts and pants, dresses and jeans. The more you can group like items together, the easier it will be to find them later on.
Next, don't forget your shoes and drawers. I know that a lot of people save their shoeboxes, and this is a great idea if you don't repeat buy. However, if you own fifty pairs of Prada, this will be a problem. Ideally, you want to bite the bullet and buy clear shoe boxes and label them or place a Polaroid picture of the shoe on the outside of the box. The picture system works for a lot of people, but I find that a shoe rack works just as well (my shoes are probably not in the best of shape either). Your drawers should be organized as well. Underwear, stockings, and bras would be really happy if they didn't have to share a drawer. Your camisoles would also be happy being able to be independent from everything else, but if this is not an option, most large chain stores will carry dividers for your drawers.
We're all individuals, and we all organize our things and our lives in different ways to suit our personality. There is one thing that we all have in common, though: our lives can get so busy that we don't realize cleaning up a bit will end up saving time every day. While closet organization may seem boring at first, the benefits of having a neat cupboard pay off immensely.
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