Photograph courtesy of Vicki Kirbo
1. Declutter
“Obviously this is the first step,” says Kirbo. “You won’t wear it if you can’t see it.” Pull everything you haven’t worn in three months out of your closet and create four piles: trash (old socks, lingerie, and pieces that are too worn, torn, or moth-eaten for repair); donation (Kirbo takes hers to Agape Youth & Community Center); consignment (good-condition luxury goods can be taken to Labels locally and the RealReal online); and repairs (items you’d wear if they were altered). Sentimental items (your mother’s wedding dress) should be stored elsewhere.
Illustration by Laura Ljungkvist
2. Use the hanger trick.
Trouble deciding what to toss? Hang everything backward on the rack (with the hanger hook facing out). After you wear an item, replace the hanger to face the typical way. In six months, evaluate the items you haven’t worn. Plus: Invest in quality, uniform hangers. “It’s worth it for the tidy look,” says Kirbo.
Illustration by Laura Ljungkvist
3. Compartmentalize
“You can spend a pretty penny at the Container Store,” says Kirbo. “But their storage and organization tools are wonderful.” Opt for clear boxes for out-of-season garments and accessories, label them, and store them on the highest level of your closet (or better yet, somewhere else). Employ dividers to separate anything folded on shelves, and towel hooks for bags, belts, scarves, and hats. Baskets are a chic way to hide extra hangers, garment bags, and shoe bags. Organize garments by color and type.
Illustration by Laura Ljungkvist
4. Shelve it
If at all possible, find shelf space for your shoes, rather than stuffing them on the floor. (This may mean relocating shelved items to drawers or hangers.) It will help keep them clean and visible. Kirbo recommends pointing the toe right shoe out and the left shoe in—“It gives twice the space,” she says.
5. Maintain it
Spend five minutes each day tidying your closet. You’ll better appreciate the things you have. And consider the one in, one out rule—when you buy something new, something you already have must go.
This article appears in our Spring 2019 issue of Atlanta Magazine’s HOME.
