Closet Reorganization

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Rachael Severino is an incoming high school senior at Sachem North High School in Sachem School District. This aspiring writer has a knack for the written word. She has penned short stories, poetry and is developing an impressive body of work. 

With the start of 2019, it is best to clean and reorganize various aspects of your life to ensure the kick off to a spectacular new year. One of the easiest ways to tidy up is to empty out your closet and build a spotless space for your clothing. 
    Organizing your wardrobe should begin with an assessment. Evaluate what you have: clothing, shoes, jewelry, and bags; decide what you want most and donate the rest. 
    One popular trend to consider is starting a capsule wardrobe, or a collection of thirty-eight items made of mostly basics and a few versatile statement pieces. This is a great option for those who shop often and are looking for a way to cut down on spending. The truest form of this wardrobe is having all your clothing and accessories apart of the thirty-eight-piece rule, though there are a few who raise the number to fifty or exclude accessories from their number. 
    If you are unwilling to ditch more than half your closet, you can stick to a deep clean. Get rid of destroyed clothing and items you no longer wear. Try on everything in your “maybe” pile to make sure the pieces fit the way you want and you know you’ll wear in the future. Whatever you purge in good enough shape, consider donating to a local shelter or organizations like Dress for Success and Goodwill. 
    After that, physically clean the closet space, dust off any shelves you have, vacuum the floor, and shine any metal racks. 
    Next, consider how you want to organize your garments. Color coding and item-specific organization (shirts first, sweaters next, and then dresses) are popular choices, though many opt for a combination to create an incredibly structured closet. 
    Place whatever you can on hangers; this is the best way to avoid wrinkles. If you have a limited number of hangers, hang up dresses, work clothes, coats, polyester, cotton, linen, and rayon. This will help avoid wrinkles. The remaining which cannot be given a hanger, fold neatly and place on an available shelf area. Sweaters, pants, and sweats are best for this. 
    Now is the best time to consider purchasing a shoe tree,  over the door pocket organizer, and collapsible storage bins. These are great options for storing shoes and various accessories. They fill empty space and provide a neat place for all your accessories
    Take simple steps to maintain your newly spruced wardrobe. It is unreasonable to assume the wardrobe will remain as perfect as when you finished, but you can take steps to maintain order. Give yourself a set day to do the laundry, separate your whites from your colors, air dry your shrink-prone articles, fold and put away your clothes as soon as possible. Stick to the rules of your closet, keep the reds together and your sweaters folded.  
    A closet cleanout is a fantastic way to start 2019, it will leave you feeling refreshed and organized!