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    My Inexpensive Clothes Closet Organizing Ideas

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    What’s behind your clothes closet door? Are there neat piles of folded sweaters and orderly rows of shoes? Or do you have a single, straining closet rod filled with smashed together clothing and one long shelf filled with toppling stacks of sweaters and t-shirts?

    Most of us like the sound of the first scenario, but live with the second.

    I love the above quote and try to keep the contents of my closet in tune with it by seasonally editing what is in my closet and keeping it organized. Doing this not only keeps the space uncluttered, but also lets me find what I want right away.

    I did one of these “clothes closet editing sessions” recently when waiting for the paint to dry when making over my primary bathroom.

    I had gotten lazy and was just leaving my shoes on the floor when there are shelves for them and not keeping my clothes organized by the season.

    I like my walk-in closet. It isn’t huge or fancy with wallpapered walls, a chandelier and center island like you see closets have on Instagram, but it is all mine. It was one of the selling features of the house that I liked.

    When Ed and I were touring the house with the real estate agent 9 years ago, after seeing the view of the lake from the house and then walking into the bedroom and saw the two “his and hers” walk-in closets, I turned to the agent and said, “Where do we sign?” 🙂

    Before having a closet to myself, I have always shared my clothes closet with my sisters growing up and then Ed. In college I had a tiny little space with a folding door to hide it.

    Cleaning Out My Clothes Closet

    I did a thorough clean-out of every item in the closet – contents of the drawers, what was hanging on the rods and stored in boxes on the shelves. I found I didn’t need the pink boxes and their contents anymore so out they went with a big pile of clothes that I no longer wear, like or that don’t fit anymore.

    The leopard print shoes were hard to let go, but I can’t wear flats anymore. I have high arches on my feet and need to wear shoes that support them so I don’t get a flare up of plantar fasciitis.

    The pink boxes fold flat so I will keep them to use somewhere else in my house. I took the clothes to my local thrift shop.

    Here are all all the empty hangers that were holding the clothes I took to the thrift shop. I moved them into Ed’s closet where he has an empty closet rod on one side.

    See the mirror leaning on the wall? That is one of the two that were above the sink vanity in the bathroom that I no longer needed.

    Once I had cleaned out the closet and reorganized everything, I put the mirrors to use again by hanging them on the back wall of the closet.

    Having mirrors on the walls makes the space look bigger and brighter. My closet also has a floor to ceiling wall of mirror tiles which make it easy to see if I like an outfit or not when getting dressed.

    Now I have all my clothes organized once again by the season. Winter to the left and summer to the right.

    I need to wear hats with wide brims whenever I am outside to protect the white vitiligo patches on my face. Since it is a must, I have tried to embrace it and have collected a few hats that look nice and have wide brims. I can easily grab one now right off the closet shelf.

    I spray painted the hatbox navy blue for a new look. It had a black and white pattern on it before.

    I made new labels for the baskets that I made lids for. I add lids so I can easily stack the baskets. To find out how to make the lids, check out this post: How to Make Lids for Storage Baskets.

    To learn how I make the storage basket labels, see this post: Decorative Free Printable Labels for Organizing

    My shoes are all where they should be now.

    As are my totes…

    …jeans, and folded clothes on the shelves and in the drawers.

    Picking out what to wear and getting dressed is once again easy to do now that I have cleaned out and organized my clothes closet.

    If you haven’t cleaned out and reorganized your closet recently, I highly recommend it. It feels so good to now like everything I see in my closet just as the quote at the beginning of the post stated.

    Inexpensive Closet Organizing Ideas

    Here are a few inexpensive closet organizing ideas that may help you create a clothes closet you enjoy going into every day.

    With so many affordable closet organizing solutions and options nowadays, it is easier than you think to upgrade your closet no matter the closet size or your budget.

    Install a Closet System

    Inexpensive closet organizing systems are made for every size closet from small to a large walk-in closet.

    I refitted my closet in my previous house with a DIY closet system called Easy Track. It was affordable and easy to install in an afternoon. If this doesn’t fit your needs, look into Easy Closets or closet and shelving units from IKEA that will allow you to design just what you need while keeping the cost down.

    Add A Double Rod

    I have a double rod system in this closet, but you don’t need a closet organizing system to have a double rod or any DIY skills.

    Home stores sell affordable hanging rods like these that fit over existing rods so you can create a double rod… literally in an instant. They are ingenious.

    Use Better Hangers

    There is a reason wire hangers are free… they are not made to hang clothes for a long time. If you want to prolong the life of your clothes, don’t keep your clothes on wire hangers. Use more substantial hangers that will maintain the shape of your garments.

    I use the clear style hangers that retail stores use to hang clothes on the racks. When I buy clothes I always ask to keep the hanger.

    Label Storage Boxes and Baskets

    As I mentioned above, I add labels to storage boxes for smaller items like scarves, handbags, and other items I don’t use frequently.

    These boxes are from IKEA

    Labeling each box helps me know what I have at a glance.

    Adding labels also keeps me organized for the long run since I know exactly where to find or place everything after I wear it.

    My motto….  “If I have to hunt for it, I will probably never wear it.“

    Stacking shoe racks can be bought at stores like Target and Walmart. The stacking shelves fit nicely under clothes hanging from the rod above. The plastic shoe containers are from the dollar store.

    I like using see-through storage containers for my shoes so that I can see what I have at a glance. I label each with a description of the shoes that are inside. This keeps them organized so I will be a “shoe-placer” not a “shoe-tosser-to-the-floor” kind of girl 🙂

    More Clothes Closet Organizing Ideas:

    Replace the light bulb in the closet light fixture. See how a simple light bulb switch can remove the color cast it gives clothes hanging in the closet in this clothes closet lighting post.

    Use matching hangers so the rod looks visually appealing – just like your favorite clothing boutique.

    Treat your closet like your favorite clothes shop. Keep items categorized on rods – shirts, pants, skirts, jackets, and by the season.

    Keep items visible. If you don’t see it, you won’t wear it.

    If your closet is small, make more room by storing out-of-season clothes in boxes, under the bed or in another room and make sure to label each.

    Organize in a way that works for you and your budget. The dollar store has many budget-friendly closet organizers.

    If you have the room, consider adding a chest of drawers to the closet. so that all your clothes are in one place.

    Hang a mirror on a nearby door or wall.

    And lastly, if you enjoy your clothes and want to maximize the ways you can coordinate and accessorize them to come up with new outfits consider hanging a Fashion Coordinating Idea Board in your closet.

    Having one will help you save ideas you find in magazines or catalogs to coordinate your clothes into many different looks.

    By tacking a piece of paper and hanging a pencil from ribbon using a push pin or thumbtack will help you take note to write down outfit combinations you created and liked. Doing this will end the standing in front of your clothes and thinking you have nothing to wear syndrome.

    Ultimately when your closet is well organized and your clothes are in sync with your personal style, you should be able to walk into your closet blindfolded and pull out any shirt, pant, jacket, and shoes and walk out looking and feeling great!

    And remember….

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      The #1 Fashion Tip That Will Help You Dress Better

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      Do you have a clothes closet filled with beautiful clothes that you never wear only because you’re not sure how to coordinate and style the clothes to come up with new outfits or ways to wear each item so that you look your best?

      If so, I have the best how to dress better fashion coordination tip for you that will help you get better at styling your clothes. It is so simple, yet will eliminate “the getting dressed struggle” of putting separate items and accessories together into stylish outfits.

      If you want to get better at styling your clothes, consider adding a fashion coordination idea board right in your closet. It is the best place, better than in notebook or on an online app.

      By placing it in your closet right where you need it every day when you are getting dressed you won’t forget an idea as they will all be right there front and center in your view. Seeing them will not only inspire you, but also help you remember the looks and outfit combinations you liked.

      How to Organize Your Fashion Coordinating Ideas Board

      You can make your fashion idea board any size and organize it the best way for you. When you like the way an outfit is coordinated in photos in magazines, online and on social media, clip or print the ideas and start creating a fashion coordinating ideas or inspiration board.

      I have had the scarf tying book since college. It has many ideas that I always seem to forget. Having it handy makes it easy to come up with a new way to tie a scarf as I am getting dressed.

      Where to Put a Fashion Coordination Idea Board In Your Clothes Closet

      A fashion coordination idea board can be hung on the wall in a walk-in closet or on the back of the door in a small closet.

      Once Your Board is in Place Add a Valet Hook

      To help me coordinate my favorite pieces when creating new outfit combinations, I have a “Valet Hook” on the outside of my closet door.

      The hook comes in handy to simply hang clothes I plan to wear.

      I also have what I call my “fashion coordinating hanger.”

      When I worked in retail display I oftentimes had to coordinate separate items of clothing into stylish outfits to display on the end caps of the clothes racks to help shoppers see the coordinating potential of the clothes on the rack.

      I tied one end of a 12″- long piece of ribbon to the hook part of the hanger with a loop to fall at the end of the ribbon. This loop was to hang a second hanger for a skirt of pair of pants. This way a skirt/pants could be seen just as they would when worn.

      Doing this helps me have outfits for parties, vacations or my workday ready to go.

      How to Make a Fashion Idea Board for Your Closet

      The easiest way to add a fashion coordination idea board is to simply purchase a large memo board at an office supply store, hang it up and start pinning clippings and ideas to it.

      If you are like me and would like to make the board look more like a piece of wall art, you can add a bit of decorative style to a memo board with a large frame, a piece of foam board and fabric following the step-by-step instructions below.

      supplies needed:

      fabric

      frame

      (2) dollar store foam boards

      scissors

      straight edge ruler

      spray adhesive

      clear duct tape

      1. Measure opening on the back of the frame and cut two pieces of foam board to this size. Leave a 1/8″ short all around so when you add fabric, the foam will still fit snugly into the frame.  You need two pieces of foam for thickness and stability.

      2. Use spray glue to attach the two foam boards together to create one thick board.

      3. Lay fabric face down on work surface. If there is a pattern on your fabric, make sure it is centered before cutting. Center foam board on top. Cut fabric so you have enough to wrap around to the back of the board on all sides.

      4. Wrap fabric around board and secure with duct tape to the back of the board. Repeat on all sides making sure to pull the fabric taut as you tape it to the back.

      5. Use no-damage picture hanging strips to hang your style inspiration board to the inside of a closet door or wall.

      By making and hanging a fashion coordination outfit idea board in your closet will make coordinating your clothes much easier. Expect to start hearing…. “Ooooh…la…la you are looking stylish today”.

      More Fashion and Closet Organizing Ideas:

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      One Last Decorating Detail to Update

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      When it comes to making your house truly your home – every little decorating detail matters.
      I have pretty much transformed every surface in my house over the 5 years since we moved to the lake. I still had one small detail to update though. It was not a big deal in the grand scheme of updating and decorating a house, but for me getting this last detail updated by adding my own style was a very big deal.
      It is the last part of the house where the previous owner’s tastes still exists and it has taken me 5 years to get it done…. talk about procrastination!!!
      Before gearing up to decorate the house for fall, I thought I would finally get this detail updated.

      I am 5’5″ tall and only see the bottom shelf when I open my kitchen cabinets above the stove where the previous owner had blue and white shell motif Contact Brand adhesive shelf liner. Shell motifs were a thing in the house – both bathrooms also had shells as a decorating theme. 🙂

      When I made over the kitchen, I tried ripping up the adhesive Contact shelf lining paper, but only got a small section removed as it was not going to budge. At the time, I figured I would cover it eventually. 5 years is a very long eventually. 🙂
      There is never a time like the present to get something done, especially now that I am spending more time at home.
      To get the cabinet’s bottom shelf covered in something more to my liking, I went to my gift wrap stash and found the black and white plaid that I used to line the drawers earlier this year. That gift wrap also seemed like the right solution to line the cabinets.

      It took all of 10 minutes. 🙂
      This gift wrap is not like ordinary paper gift wrap. It has a vinyl component to it which makes it wipeable.
      You can find wipeable gift wrap at HomeGoods, TJMaxx, and Marshalls in many different patterns and colors. In my previous house, I used it to make a runner for my kitchen table.

      So nice now to see color and pattern that fits my personal decorating style.
      How to Line Cabinet Shelves with Gift Wrap
      supplies needed:
      Wipeable gift wrap or any decorative paper – sold at HomeGoods, Marshalls, and TJMaxx
      Iron-On vinyl or Clear Contact paper if using regular gift wrap or paper
      Scissors
      Tape measure
      Optional: glue stick

      Use a tape measure to figure out the depth and length of the cabinet interior.
      Cut the gift wrap to size with scissors.
      Place gift wrap into cabinet.
      If you want the gift wrap to stick, after placing it in the cabinet, lift the corners and add a few swipes of a glue stick on the underside of the paper.

      When I painted the kitchen cabinets, I didn’t paint the insides or the inner lip where the cabinet doors sit when they are closed. Keeping the lip paint free allows the doors to close all the way, with ease.
      Don’t Have Wipeable Gift Wrap?
      If you can’t find wipeable gift wrap or a color or pattern you like to line your cabinets, then the next best thing to use is any gift wrap you like which can be covered with clear Contact paper or iron-on vinyl as I did when I lined my kitchen drawers.
      Or line your cabinets using the real thing – shelf-lining paper. Here are a few stylish options:
      Stylish Shelf Liner Options

      Black and White Plaid Gift Wrap (similar to mine)
      Gripping Shelf Liner Non-Adhesive
      Contact Brand Cork Self-Adhesive Liner
      Wood Grain Shelf Liner
      Clear Contact Brand Shelf Liner
      Lining cabinet shelves is a small detail that may not seem worth the time, but adding your own style to even the smallest detail in your home does contribute to making a cohesive look throughout a room and entire home, even when behind closed doors.

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      A Peek Into My Party Closet

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      After my post on how I planned to entertain outside for the Fourth of July, a few readers asked me to please show what is in my “Party Closet”. Never heard of a party closet? It is a must if you host family, friends and others in your home. It is my #1 tip that […] More

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      Small Pantry Closet Makeover

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      Before and after small pantry closet makeover. How to make a small closet into a functioning pantry on a budget and basic DIY skills.  I finally am going to show you how I made over the small pantry closet right off my kitchen.  In my previous house I had a large double door pantry that […] More

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      What Is In the Hidden Closet Under My Foyer Staircase

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      Last month I revealed how Ed and I enclosed the area under the open staircase in our foyer with a hidden door to create a closet. What I didn’t show you was what we store inside the new closet under the staircase. I am revealing it today to help celebrate the 18th birthday of Swiffer.  You […] More