Back to school is here: New clothes, shoes and supplies have been purchased, and everyone is ready to get back on a schedule. But, have you taken a look at your kids’ closets? Over-stuffed mess? Yeah, we hear you. So, before you look at the sales and head out on a shopping expedition, let’s do some cleaning out and reorganizing. These tips, provided by Heather Aiello of The Organized You, will help you unload that closet and keep it more organized through the school year.
Tip #1: Take everything out of your closet.
· Yup, everything: Clothing, shoes, bags, bins and baskets, and hangers. This will give you a better idea of the amount of space you have to work with.
· Did you find some strange, non-closet items like change, hair fasteners, or last year’s lost library book? For now, deposit all of these items in a catch-all basket so you can deal with them later.
Tip #2: Clean the closet, top to bottom
· Vacuum or dust mop every corner
· Wipe down shelves and baseboards
· Clean the light fixture and replace burned out bulbs
· Dust bins and baskets.
Tip #3: Keep, donate, discard
· Now let’s start sorting. Create different piles for items you plan to keep, items you can donate or pass down to a younger sibling, and items you can throw away.
· Make sure items in the keep pile still fit and aren’t stained or torn.
· You may also want to sort clothes by season, putting winter items away in bins for storage.
Tip #4: Sort by category
· You should be left with only the items that fit, are in good repair and you really like.
· Categorize them by type, and separate them into piles: Shoes, outerwear, play clothes, school clothes and dress-up clothes for example.
· Is one pile too big? Maybe there are more items you can donate or discard.
Tip #5: Create a place for everything
· Assess your closet and the space you’ll need to put things away neatly and easily.
· Do you need to add drawers or a whole closet system? Big box stores, like Lowe’s for example, have do-it-yourself closet kits you can use to transform the entire storage space.
· On the other hand, perhaps a few bins and hooks will do the trick to keep items accessible and off the floor.
Tip #6: Put everything away
· Make sure items used every day are within easy reach
· Place seasonal items in labeled bins or boxes.
· Organize the items in a way that makes sense to the user, for example by color or by outfit. Utilize the closet walls by installing hooks for bags or backpacks, robes and nightclothes
· Put closet doors to work holding an over-the-door shoe organizer.
· Is there room for a small clothes hamper? If possible, get a hamper with a lid rather than a laundry basket. A lidded hamper will keep dirties contained and off the floor until laundry day.
Now, let’s make a shopping list!
Let’s take a look at each clothing category: Are shoes needed? Are there six red shirts but no pants in the school clothes category? Maybe those jeans should be worn for play only.
Make a list of items your kiddo will need moving into colder weather, and watch for sales.
That doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Your child will start off the school year with a tidy, organized closet, and you’ll save money because you’ll know exactly what items your child needs. Have a great school year!
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