Revamp your closet this spring
Razorback Runway
Natalie Johnson
Issue date: 4/8/09 Section: Lifestyles
Switching wardrobes might not be on everyone's agenda this spring, but anyone's closet could benefit from a clean sweep.
Though this spring season in Fayetteville hasn't yet warranted an official spring wardrobe change because of the crazy weather patterns, now is a good time to clean out your closet. Many of us do not have separate wardrobes for the seasons, so a closet might never be cleaned out as long as you live in one place.
After the spring semester, many students move into a new place or go away for the summer. Just getting your clothes out of the closet or drawers is a good step for maintaining a fresh closet. If you don't switch wardrobes or move, the shelves, floor and even your clothes can get pretty dusty. I usually don't attempt to move all of my shoes to vacuum or move my clothes to dust when I clean the house, but I can tell the closet needs it at the end of the season.
Closet cleaning can be a feat for many households and the space is curiously looked over every spring-cleaning time, so closets often house unwanted or unfit clothes for a long time. A few professional organizers gave tips in Reader's Digest about ridding your closet of extra stuff and advise people to put hangers backwards on clothes you've worn to show what goes unused each season. The magazine advises that you pick out clothes you never wear so that you'd put them to good use this spring. It is easy to donate, give away, sell or swap your clothes once you complete the task of separation.
Last semester, I talked to Christopher Lowell, a well-known interior designer and TV star, about organization for a feature on his new book, "Seven Layers of Organization." Although the entire book is helpful for your home, I found layers two and four the most important when it comes to closet maintenance. Lowell suggests detaching yourself physically and emotionally from your stuff, then purge all of the clutter. You are creating space for yourself to work with, which experts say frees half of your closet or a third of your drawers, so you can really revamp the closet.
In layer four, "Sort and Contain," Lowell says the nearest is the dearest. When actually organizing your clothes and anything else in your closet, take your habits into consideration. Now that the unwanted clutter is gone, it should be easy to decide what needs to be easily accessible and what needs to be stored on the top shelf. Simple and cheap stacking boxes and shelves or hanging racks can make a big difference. Merely separating tops from bottoms or spring clothes from winter clothes can make them easier to use and to keep clean.
A closet tends to accumulate junk, so it becomes a place of unconquered, unused space. This season, take a little time to tackle your closet. Without much effort, you can make good use of your belongings, sanitize your living space and freshen your wardrobe.
Natalie Johnson is a staff columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. Her column appears every other Wednesday.
Though this spring season in Fayetteville hasn't yet warranted an official spring wardrobe change because of the crazy weather patterns, now is a good time to clean out your closet. Many of us do not have separate wardrobes for the seasons, so a closet might never be cleaned out as long as you live in one place.
After the spring semester, many students move into a new place or go away for the summer. Just getting your clothes out of the closet or drawers is a good step for maintaining a fresh closet. If you don't switch wardrobes or move, the shelves, floor and even your clothes can get pretty dusty. I usually don't attempt to move all of my shoes to vacuum or move my clothes to dust when I clean the house, but I can tell the closet needs it at the end of the season.
Closet cleaning can be a feat for many households and the space is curiously looked over every spring-cleaning time, so closets often house unwanted or unfit clothes for a long time. A few professional organizers gave tips in Reader's Digest about ridding your closet of extra stuff and advise people to put hangers backwards on clothes you've worn to show what goes unused each season. The magazine advises that you pick out clothes you never wear so that you'd put them to good use this spring. It is easy to donate, give away, sell or swap your clothes once you complete the task of separation.
Last semester, I talked to Christopher Lowell, a well-known interior designer and TV star, about organization for a feature on his new book, "Seven Layers of Organization." Although the entire book is helpful for your home, I found layers two and four the most important when it comes to closet maintenance. Lowell suggests detaching yourself physically and emotionally from your stuff, then purge all of the clutter. You are creating space for yourself to work with, which experts say frees half of your closet or a third of your drawers, so you can really revamp the closet.
In layer four, "Sort and Contain," Lowell says the nearest is the dearest. When actually organizing your clothes and anything else in your closet, take your habits into consideration. Now that the unwanted clutter is gone, it should be easy to decide what needs to be easily accessible and what needs to be stored on the top shelf. Simple and cheap stacking boxes and shelves or hanging racks can make a big difference. Merely separating tops from bottoms or spring clothes from winter clothes can make them easier to use and to keep clean.
A closet tends to accumulate junk, so it becomes a place of unconquered, unused space. This season, take a little time to tackle your closet. Without much effort, you can make good use of your belongings, sanitize your living space and freshen your wardrobe.
Natalie Johnson is a staff columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. Her column appears every other Wednesday.
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