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Step 1
Pull everything out of the closet. Yes, everything. If the rest of the room is a mess, you'll want to tackle that first so that you have space for the stuff you'll be pulling out. Besides, you'll need to have focus and mental clarity to cut through the junk.
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Step 2
Go through all of your kid's stuff. The most important step in closet organizing is getting rid of what doesn't get used. This means that worn out, stained clothing needs to go. Get rid of stuff that's too small. If it's in good shape, donate it, give it away to a friend or a family member, or store it somewhere else in the house to be used as a hand-me-down for a younger child. Broken toys and toys with missing parts also need to go. From now on, you should store toys somewhere besides the bedroom closet – unless it's a large walk in closet.
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Step 3
Choose closet organizers based on the items that made it though to the final round after the purge is complete. You can have a kids closet organizer designed specifically for your needs by taking closet measurements and noting what items will be stored in the closet. For example, small kids' clothes don't take up much vertical space, so a double hanger rod and some additional shelving for folded items might be a good idea. If you prefer to fold instead of hang clothes, clothing storage cubes and drawer units might make up the bulk of the closet organization system. California Closets and Easy Closets both offer good customized kids closet organizer options.
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Step 4
Once you've got your newly designed kids closet organizer in place, you'll want to maintain a clutter free closet by removing old items whenever something new is added. This will make you less tempted to buy stuff just because it's on sale, and it will ensure that you keep your child's wardrobe at a reasonably manageable level. Also, make sure to separate clothes by type (shirts, pants, skirts, and so on). Avoid tossing things on the closet floor; make use of plastic bins if necessary, especially bins on wheels.
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Step 5
Repeat the purging process periodically to ensure that your closet organizing efforts aren't in vain. Kids grow fast, so you need to stay on top of things by continually purging outgrown and worn out clothes, especially as new items are added. The good news is that once you thoroughly overhaul your child's closet organization system, all you'll have to do is maintain it. This won't take nearly as much work as the initial purge.
Comments
papaya42 said
on 2/12/2009 Great tips on organizing that I desperately need! 5*s
voliegurl said
on 2/4/2009 Wish I could do this to my entire house! 5* and recommendation!