Ever heard of putting your closet on a diet? It’s one of the many closet organization and cleaning options – and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Ready to get started? Nia Spongberg, a professional organizer in Ann Arbor and owner of Spruced Up Spaces, LLC, gives seven tips to help you clean out this often-cluttered space this year – and keep it clean and organized forever. Once you’ve done this, it’s time to decorate a very special space in your home: the mom cave. Get tips for decorating your mom cave in our May issue of Metro Parent.
1. Start with a goal. Think about why you’re taking on this project and the goals you have for the space. “That motivation is going to be what helps them to make the difficult decisions,” Spongberg says.
2. Give yourself enough time. A major closet overhaul can easily take several hours so have realistic expectations and set aside some uninterrupted time when you can focus on the project.
3. It might be messy. Plan to take everything out of the closet first. “Mentally prepare that usually you create a bigger mess before you get it tidier,” Spongberg says.
4. Get the tools you need. Have boxes on hand to easily separate items to donate, keep or sell. Also consider a shoe rack or scarf or tie hanger, but don’t invest in elaborate closet storage systems until you’ve fully decluttered and know what you need.
5. Be honest with yourself. Ask yourself, “Is this item serving me or is it taking up space?” Spongberg advises. If it’s something sentimental, keep it in storage instead. “Those are things that don’t need to live in your closet,” she says. Martin says enlisting the help of a neutral party can also help you make the tough decisions.
6. Group like things together. As you re-organize, keep pants with pants, shirts with shirts and so on. It also helps to color-coordinate.
7. Plan to make it last. “This is a fresh start,” Spongberg says. “This is an opportunity to treat this closet differently moving forward to maintain it and keep up all the positive changes you’ve made in this space.” So when you buy something new, take something out that same day. Also plan to revisit your closet about four times a year.
