The Closet Series: Part 1, Clothes and Shoes!
Storage and Organizational items for within* my closet:
1.) Beige hanging shoe racks, about $10-$12 available at most common stores, Bed Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, Target etc. This is what I use to hang all my Converse, flip-flops, sandals, wedges, moccasin slippers, and flats. One pair of shoes fits in each nook. I have 8 of them which will hold 80 pairs of shoes altogether, so about 40% of my closet is shoes. ProTip* You can double up on flat sandals, two pairs per compartment, maximizing your closet space even more while staying visually organized.
2.) All white plastic hangers. A 20 pack is about $5 at Wal-Mart. Or you can find them at the dollar stores for even cheaper. To hang all my tops, short dresses, maxi dresses (with straps) and formal dresses. ProTip* Organize your clothes by color and then sleeve length. This helps you see what you own the most of so you don’t end up with a closet full of red, plaid button downs.
3.) Etc. Hangers ( i.e: skirt, pant, or clip hangers) $3-$10 at Wal-mart. To hang specialty items, I use clip hangers to hang my strapless shirts, strapless dresses, and maxi skirts. ProTip* Mine were free because I kept them from skirts I buy at department stores. If you ask to leave the hanger on, they will usually gladly give them to you. These are my one exception to having everything neutral colors; my clip hangers are clear or metal.
4.) A long and shallow, clear bin. (The kind designed to go under beds.) Wal-Mart has them for around $12 . I use this to store my purses. Two bins will easily fit stacked on top of each other in the top of my closet. It will hold multiple purses, if you can flatten your purses out for storage.
5.) Generic Wire Bins. (got them at a garage sale, so I’m not sure how much they are but they’re probably a couple bucks per bin) Mine are stackable, and since I am anti-dressers, because I like to see everything I own, I use these bins for bras, underwear, bathing suits, and socks. One bin per item mentioned, and they fit comfortably under my hanging shoe racks.
6.) Keep funky and cute shoe boxes over time. $0 and free with any shoe purchase! They double as not only storage for miscellaneous items that you might want out of sight, but decoration. It’s a fun way to add some cute color to your closet.
7.) Clear Plastic Balls, available at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Jo-Ann’s, and other craft stores for $1 each. These are perfect way to store panty hose, so they don’t rip or tear, but you can see which ones you have. ProTip* Wash your pantyhose inside a clean sock to get a thorough wash while preventing it to be ripped to shreds in the washing machine.
8.) Extra bar, that hangs from the top bar in my closet. Available at Wal-Mart and most common stores.
-OR-
Adjustable garment rack, set to the lowest setting, placed under your built in closet bar , this will allow for two stories of hanging space for shirts and short dresses. The gap between the edge of this bar and my hanging shoe racks is where I hang my floor length maxi dresses from the top bar.
9.) Command removable hooks (not necessary, just optional) or coated hooks. I like to put one on my door, to allow for a “showcase” piece, one per week. It allows me to add some free decoration in my bedroom from merely hanging a pretty dress or full outfit, its a fun way to bring a boutique display feeling into your own bedroom.
10.) Dress Bags, Walmart-$2.50 a piece: These are very inexpensive, but still offer you more protection than the plastic bags that your dress came in.
11.) Single Standing 3 Shelf Unit, they’re maybe $15-$20, but I got mine on closeout clearance for just $5. This is what I use for my pants, and bandage skirts, I cut out a piece of foam core board to act as a bottom shelf, and I placed my neutral pants in the bottom section, my colored pants and longer skirts in the middle, and my shorter bandage style skirts in the top section, leaving room on the top for a pair of my favorite shoes, which have their own special home because they are calf hair and I really don’t want anything to bump into them and leave them with a bad hair day. ProTip* Shop Furniture Liquidators or stores that are closing out, for some extra savings on organizational items.
Storage and Organizational items for within* my closet:
1.) Beige hanging shoe racks, about $10-$12 available at most common stores, Bed Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, Target etc. This is what I use to hang all my Converse, flip-flops, sandals, wedges, moccasin slippers, and flats. One pair of shoes fits in each nook. I have 8 of them which will hold 80 pairs of shoes altogether, so about 40% of my closet is shoes. ProTip* You can double up on flat sandals, two pairs per compartment, maximizing your closet space even more while staying visually organized.
2.) All white plastic hangers. A 20 pack is about $5 at Wal-Mart. Or you can find them at the dollar stores for even cheaper. To hang all my tops, short dresses, maxi dresses (with straps) and formal dresses. ProTip* Organize your clothes by color and then sleeve length. This helps you see what you own the most of so you don’t end up with a closet full of red, plaid button downs.
3.) Etc. Hangers ( i.e: skirt, pant, or clip hangers) $3-$10 at Wal-mart. To hang specialty items, I use clip hangers to hang my strapless shirts, strapless dresses, and maxi skirts. ProTip* Mine were free because I kept them from skirts I buy at department stores. If you ask to leave the hanger on, they will usually gladly give them to you. These are my one exception to having everything neutral colors; my clip hangers are clear or metal.
4.) A long and shallow, clear bin. (The kind designed to go under beds.) Wal-Mart has them for around $12 . I use this to store my purses. Two bins will easily fit stacked on top of each other in the top of my closet. It will hold multiple purses, if you can flatten your purses out for storage.
5.) Generic Wire Bins. (got them at a garage sale, so I’m not sure how much they are but they’re probably a couple bucks per bin) Mine are stackable, and since I am anti-dressers, because I like to see everything I own, I use these bins for bras, underwear, bathing suits, and socks. One bin per item mentioned, and they fit comfortably under my hanging shoe racks.
6.) Keep funky and cute shoe boxes over time. $0 and free with any shoe purchase! They double as not only storage for miscellaneous items that you might want out of sight, but decoration. It’s a fun way to add some cute color to your closet.
7.) Clear Plastic Balls, available at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Jo-Ann’s, and other craft stores for $1 each. These are perfect way to store panty hose, so they don’t rip or tear, but you can see which ones you have. ProTip* Wash your pantyhose inside a clean sock to get a thorough wash while preventing it to be ripped to shreds in the washing machine.
8.) Extra bar, that hangs from the top bar in my closet. Available at Wal-Mart and most common stores.
-OR-
Adjustable garment rack, set to the lowest setting, placed under your built in closet bar , this will allow for two stories of hanging space for shirts and short dresses. The gap between the edge of this bar and my hanging shoe racks is where I hang my floor length maxi dresses from the top bar.
9.) Command removable hooks (not necessary, just optional) or coated hooks. I like to put one on my door, to allow for a “showcase” piece, one per week. It allows me to add some free decoration in my bedroom from merely hanging a pretty dress or full outfit, its a fun way to bring a boutique display feeling into your own bedroom.
10.) Dress Bags, Walmart-$2.50 a piece: These are very inexpensive, but still offer you more protection than the plastic bags that your dress came in.
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12.) 5 tier Book Shelf, Wal-Mart for $35. Now technically this is physically outside of my closet and positioned on my bedroom floor but I consider this part of my closet because it is used every day when I get ready and I’m picking out my outfit. This is literally a book shelf, but I use it to display my high heels, accompanied by little Command removable hooks on the side, that I use to display scarves that I’m currently wearing. (For how I store the rest of my scarves, make sure to look out for Part 2.)
ProTip* Make sure you stick to one color theme as much as you can when buying your organizational items, is leaves a very polished and clean look to your whole closet so you can focus more on what’s IN your closet. Its not only visually pleasing but it’s extra organized looking.
*Now MY closet has everything IN IT that is relevant yearly and I wear every day. My accessories like jewelry and belts and my miscellaneous like p.j bottoms and bandanas are kept outside the closet. Seasonal specific items are kept outside of my bedroom in storage bins, like winter coats and winter boots.
