How to Clean Out a Closet

So you're a pack rat? Set aside a couple of hours to clean out your closet. All it takes is a little organization to bring order to the chaos.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cardboard Boxes
• Clothes Hangers
• Lidded Storage Bins
• Plastic Storage Drawers
• Closet Organizer Parts & Kits
• Closet-organizing Systems
• Markers
• Multi-purpose Labels
• Markers
• Cardboard boxes

1. Start with a clean room, or you'll make an even bigger and more intimidating mess as you clean out the closet.

2. Choose one area of the closet to focus on, such as a shelf or the floor, and begin there. It will make the task seem less daunting if you break it up into manageable parts.

3. Get three boxes and mark them 'Garbage,' 'Out of Place' and 'Charity' or 'Garage Sale.'

4. Buy some stackable plastic bins with lids.

5. Evaluate each item you remove from the closet. Ask yourself if you have used the item in the past 12 months. If not, it's time to think seriously about getting rid of it.

6. Put things for Goodwill, the Salvation Army or another charity in the Charity box. Or if you have enough stuff to warrant a garage sale, set it aside in your Garage Sale box.

7. Stash things that belong in other rooms in the Out of Place box. (Give these things the 12-month test, too.)

8. Put as much as possible into the Garbage box. It's cathartic!

9. Sort the items you want to keep into categories, such as 'High School Memorabilia,' 'Johnny's Artwork' or 'Winter Accessories,' and store them in the bins. Be sure to label the bins.

10. Label one bin 'Odds & Ends.' In it store found parts, orphaned gloves and other things that may eventually be reunited with their counterparts.

11. Stack the labeled bins neatly on the shelves and floor of the closet, making sure the ones you need to get into regularly are accessible.

Tips & Warnings

• Give yourself a time limit. If you plan to spend 1 1/2 hours cleaning, don't do more than that. It will still be there later.
• Some charitable organizations will come to your house to pick up unused items.
• Get permission to throw away things that do not belong to you personally.

on 11/22/2005 After you've cleaned out that closet. Make a vow to give away or donate another piece of clothing when you buy new ones. Keep the tags of new clothing on until you wear it. If after the season is over and you haven't worn it - return it!

on 11/22/2005 This one is for growing kids. Ever get an item of clothing you absolutely hate as a gift? And then your mother won't let you throw it out or give it away because it's still perfectly useful? All you have to do is keep items like these in a rolling bin under your bed and wait until it's too small for you. Empty the bin out periodically and see if you have outgrown the nasty items or if something still fits and has come back in style.

on 11/22/2005 If you have a lot of different types of items stored in large containers or boxes, label each one with a number on each side and the top! Then create a "master list" in a notebook or on the computer that inventories what is in each one. This is especially useful for that spare bedroom closet filled with all the stuff you need to store!

on 11/22/2005 Break down the job into smaller parts. Tackle three shelves on Monday, two more on Tuesday, your hanging stuff on Wednesday and leave your shoes and other stuff for the weekend when you have the time. Also, do this every week. Tidy and generally clean up so that you don't have a huge job at the end of the season or whenever. It makes life so much easier!

on 11/22/2005 Before buying clothes, make sure you're purchasing something you love more than what you have at home. Buying a white cardigan? If you don't love the way it looks on you MORE than the white cardigan you have at home, guess which one you're going to pull off the hanger every time? If you love it more than the one at home, then go for it! And...give the one at home away! ;)