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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Color Coding Will Help Keep Your Closet Organized!


So this is what heaven looks like?:
  






Did you know that color coding your closet will help you keep it organized?


 

Recently I organized my jewelry. I found that it was easier for me to categorize it by color.



I also do this when I organize my clothing in my closet.

This is not a new concept, and it might not work for everyone, but I have been doing it for years. 



closet closet closet!:



It makes getting dressed so much easier.



There are certain steps that need to take place in order to have an organized, color coded closet.

STEP ONE

Categorize your clothing by types
 
Tops
Jackets
Pants
Skirts
Dresses
Coats


I take this one step further by sorting by occasion…….

Casual
Dress
Fancy

Once you have categorized your clothing by type, and by what occasion you will be wearing it for, you will be ready to start color coding.

Everyone will have a different system. I know I differ from the most commonly recommended way to color code.

STEP TWO
 Color Coding

 CODING
Many professional organizers will use the following acronym?……

R-RED
O-ORANGE
Y-YELLOW
G-GREEN
B-BLUE
I-INDIGO
V-VIOLET

You will notice there is no, black, gray or white.

That is why I don’t color code in this order in my own personal closet.

I am going to share with you how I organize my closet.

First I categorize by….

Casual
Dressy
Fancy

Then I organize by type of clothing…..

TOPS
tank tops
sleeveless
short sleeves
long sleeve

BOTTOMS
Walking shorts
Crop pants
Long pants
Skirts
Dresses


The color order I use is……..
White
Cream
Black Solid
Black & White patterned,checks,stripes
Navy Solid
Navy checks,stripes
Light blue
Gray solid
Gray checked
Yellow
Green
Pink

 My closet is a walk-in, but narrow, and long so I can’t really get a good angle to shoot, but I will attempt to show you what I have done inside my closet......


CASUAL TOPS
My Closet 003


DRESSY TOPS
My Closet 009My Closet 008My Closet 007




My Closet 017
This is my side of the closet.


My Closet 010
I keep my Spring/Summer sweaters in a zipped cloth bag with shelves. You can see I place them by colors.


My Closet 011
At the end of my closet I hang my jeans, skirts, and dresses. 

These are my Spring/Summer items. I put my winter things in storage boxes on the top shelves.


My Closet 015
This shelf divides my clothes from my hubby’s.


My Closet 020
Top shelf holds decorative boxes, and two of my purses.

The gloves are vintage French driving gloves. They are so small no one can fit into them, but I love them so much I put them on display.


My Closet 021
The second shelf holds my long sleeve T-shirts, and casual tanks. Plus, a little black straw hat.


My Closet 016
On the very bottom I have a basket that holds flip-flops and every day mules. 

All the shoe boxes hold extra sandals, and my winter shoes that I don’t wear on a regular basis.


My Closet 019
I have a wall shoe rack that holds the shoes that I wear on a regular basis for Spring/Summer.

I also have my bangles, and some of my costume necklaces hanging here on hooks below a mirror.


My Closet 013
I have a small cabinet that I use to put extra jewelry in, and it also holds my daily creams on the top. Above it, you can see my other necklaces.


My Closet 017


Finishing Touches

  • I still have some tweaking to do. I am switching out all the blue hangers too white wooden hangers as seen on the top rack.
 

  • The storage boxes on the top shelves at the end of my closet hold out of season purses, and clothes. 

  • I would like to get all white boxes that match for that area. Then my closet will be all blue, and white.

  • Eventually I think I need a new light fixture, something that is pretty.

I am all color coded, and organized. Let’s see how long it takes for me to mess it up!?

I hope this has given you..... 
Ideas and inspiration

 

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I totally hate to organize but once I do one drawer or closet then it motivates me to do more. Love the way your organized your jewelry! xo

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

You are so organized I can't even believe it. I need to follow this plan to a tee and get things in shape. Love your closet and love you too. Hugs, Marty

Unknown said...

once a year or once every 2 years i'll reorganize my closets and draws - but it doesn't last long - if i had the time to keep it up i SO would - but it's all about being productive with my time and just getting things done

michele said...

color coding is what i have always done too and just makes everything easier! get down, kathysue!

michele

Sarah said...

You are very organized. This is inspiring me to work on my closet. Our closet is a walk in, but a small one. I organize by item and then color much like you do. Makes getting dressed so much faster. I've lots of white shirts, so there isn't much decision to make. LOL

Libby said...

I have a question! Do you put any of your tops in drawers, or do you hang them all? It looks as though you hang everything..or at least it goes in the closet. Would love to know!
I fold and put all my t-shirts and most of my sweaters in my bureau drawers, so I don't really have half the amount you do in the closet! I basically don't have that many clothes, period... wow: this makes my clothes "collection" look anemic!

Barbara Bussey {The Treasured Home} said...

Hi Kathsue!, I'm so impressed that I featured your blog on my most recent post, since I did a closet clean-up yesterday, as weel! (www.thetreasuredhome.com)
Wonderful system!,
Barbara

The enchanted home said...

You are such an inspiration! WOW I am impressed, how clever the way you stored your jewelry on those shoe racks..got some good and MUCH NEEDED organizational ideas here! Thanks so much:)

Stacy CUrran said...

Ok, not only am I a tad jealous of your organized closet, but I'm in love with the vintage driving gloves AND the cute little bag beneath them! It looks great :)
Stacy

Sandy said...

I love the decorative boxes with blue ribbons. Do you know where they are available?

Barb @ The Everyday Home said...

Kathysue - when I "retire" from real estate in two months, my closet is one of the first things I plan on tackling. This is such inspiration. I agree with everything. The times when my closet has been organized, it has been by color and then season. I love all your ideas for organizing your jewelry. Very clever.

Love this post.

Hamptontoes said...

Kathysue you are singing to my heart! You know I love a well organized (and wallpapered) closet! This is an amazing game plan for someone who is looking to get organized and feel great everything they open a closet! xoxo

cotedetexas said...

wow!~ it looks great - we are in the middle of doing this too! lizzy did hers and now her dads and im next. i'm going to show her this post. it's fabulous.

Mary Ann Pickett said...

Beautiful work, Kathysue! I have mine color coded too...I bought a rug for the closet that my dog has ripped up and we have had a couple of quick trips...and now my closet is a mess since I last blogged about it. You have inspired me to clean it up.

Karena said...

Kathysue,

Perfect timing and your closet looks so organized. I just purged all of the Size 4's and some size 6's ( no I will not ever lose that much weight.)

I too color code. Shoes and sandals are always an issue. As well as jewelry. I use all white hangars, however not the wooden ones. I will be doing more thanks to your great tips!

Xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Janell @ House of Fifty said...

I adore your shoe and jewelry organizer, that could definitely be a plus in my closet. Love an organized closet and yours is fantastic! Janell

Julie Taylor and Danni Greenwalt said...

You are to cute! Such a brave soul to show your closet. If mine looked like yours I would to, but my closet is a mess! I once had someone come in and organize my closets. It was wonderful! I kept them up for about 6 months, but now they need help again.

Mona Thompson Providence Ltd. said...

I need you Kathysue...I totally do not have the time to deal with my closet right now...It is a real mess.

MaryBeth said...

Kathysue, was loving the blue hangers and wondering why you are switching to white wood? Also were are you getting those lovely white hangers? Thanks.

Kathysue said...

Hi Marybeth! Hubby is getting all blue and my side will have the white. I got the white wooden hangers at the Container store, I love that store. So many wonderful goodies there! If you email me I can answer you directly if you would like. KS

Pam said...

Like you, I divide my clothes by type, and then by color from lightest colors (starting with white) to darkest colors (ending with black). Then I put solids before prints. Then from strapless to spaghetti straps to sleeveless, short sleeves, long sleeves. I put knits before woven fabrics within each category.

What distinguishes a sweater from a knit top? I have traditionally kept sweaters separate from tops, but I have new hanging racks and am hanging some of my sweaters. It is becoming more difficult to know if I should hang something with my tops or with my sweaters, since so many knit tops are are referred to as sweaters, but they do not look like sweaters that look like they were made on knitting needles.

Also, where should I put cardigan sweaters? With my jackets (not outerwear jackets, but jackets that are part of the outfit, like blazers, jean jackets, or those big drapey cardigan-like things that have become popular in recent years),? Or should cardigans go with my other sweaters?

Should I hang my sweater vests with all my other vests (like leather and denim) or with my other sweaters? I have one separate hanging cabinet for my vests.

Pam