Custom Closet Makeover? Yes, please!

Where do you start and end each and every day?  If you’re like most of us, it’s in your closet.  Research has shown that how you start your day can strongly influence how your day will go.  And we all know that nighttime sets the routine for the following day.  It’s a vicious cycle.  So what happens when the place where you begin and end each day is in a constant state of chaos?  What does that mean for how your day will go… or more importantly, for your overall mindset?

I subscribe to the belief that you reflect what you surround yourself with.  Kind of like you become what you consume.  And if every day, you’re waking up like you’ve been shot out of a cannon, digging around in piles on the closet floor for that matching shoe, and grumbling over wrinkled clothing that has been crammed into too-tight spaces, you’re surrounding yourself – and consuming – chaos.  Did anyone ever tell you that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different outcome? Groundhog Day has come and gone, my friends – you don’t have to live it every single day.  Today is the day to start fresh.  And the best place to start, is at the beginning. 

A well-organized closet can transform your daily routine, making it easier to find what you need and keeping your wardrobe in top shape. Whether you’re working with a small space or have a walk-in closet, optimizing your storage with custom closet solutions can make all the difference.  You don’t have to have Carrie Bradshaw’s closet or wardrobe to maximize the space you have and love the clothes you own. 

Start with a Clean Slate: Declutter Before You Organize

The first step to an organized closet is decluttering. Start by emptying your entire closet and sorting through your clothes, shoes, and accessories. Create three piles: keep, donate, and discard. Be honest with yourself—if you haven’t worn an item in the past year, it might be time to let it go. Can’t quite pull the trigger on some sentimental pieces you think you’ll use again?  Use this trick:  turn the hook on your hanger backwards, and hang it back up.  If after a year, or 6 months – you set the time table – it’s still hanging backwards, you have your answer – out the door it goes.

Once you’ve pared down your wardrobe, it’s easier to see what you have and how much storage you’ll need. Decluttering not only makes organizing simpler but also ensures that your closet will cater to your current needs, not just a collection of outdated items.  It will also help someone like me, come in and see what you actually need, rather than just filling your walls with a bunch of shelves and racks, without regard to your personal style.

Enter Custom Closets: Tailored Storage Solutions

Now I may be biased, but custom closets are a game-changer when it comes to organizing your wardrobe. Unlike the standard one rod/one shelf that comes in every closet, custom closets are designed to fit your specific space and storage needs. Whether you need more hanging space for dresses, shelves for shoes, or drawers for accessories, a custom closet can provide the perfect solution.

Adjustable shelves and rods help your closet evolve with you.  I particularly love these features for children’s closets – they need to grow with them.  Built-in drawers and cabinets can help keep your closet looking tidy by concealing items like socks, underwear, or workout gear. For those with extensive shoe collections, custom shoe racks or cubbies can keep your footwear organized and easily accessible.  And just wait til  you see them illuminated with a sleek LED light strip going up each side of the shoe tower.  You WILL feel like Carrie Bradshaw then.

Maximize Vertical Space: Use Every Inch

Most of the new-build homes I’m in are filled with cavernous white box rooms with sweeping ceiling heights.  It makes a space feel spacious, but it’s not terribly usable, when the closet rods still stop at  8 fee high.  When organizing your closet, don’t forget to think vertically. Often, the space above your clothing rod goes unused, but it’s prime real estate for additional storage. Installing shelves or cabinets up high to store out-of-season clothes, luggage, or items you don’t need on a daily basis will free up valuable real estate down below for your daily go-tos.  Pull-down wardrobe lifts are another ingenious feature to maximize those tall ceilings.  They’re great for coats and jackets, and other out of season items. If you want, you can even swap them out by season.

For smaller items like scarves, belts, or jewelry, consider adding hooks or hanging organizers to your closet walls. These solutions keep your accessories visible and accessible without taking up valuable shelf or drawer space.  Alternatively, pull-out belt and scarf racks are a perfect way to tuck these items into a space if you’re short on wall space.  

Organize by Category and Color: Simplify Your Morning Routine

This is probably my all-time favorite closet hack.  So simple, yet so overlooked.  The first part is a no-brainer: group similar items together. Hang all your pants in one section, shirts in another, and so on. But here’s the kicker: within each category, arrange your clothes by color—from light to dark—creating a visually pleasing and easy-to-navigate closet.  That way, your favorite black top doesn’t get lost in the shadows between a navy and dark green shirt.  And if you know you’re going to need a crisp white blouse for tomorrow’s meeting, you know just where to find it, alongside all your other white tops.

This method not only makes your closet look more organized, and simplifies getting dressed in the morning, it helps you make good choices when it comes time to shop.  You’ll quickly be able to see what you already own, and know whether you need another grey cashmere turtleneck to go with the other three you already have hanging there. 

Use Drawer Dividers and Baskets: Keep Small Items in Check

Drawer dividers and baskets are essential tools for maintaining an organized custom closet. Use dividers to separate items like socks, underwear, or ties, preventing them from becoming a jumbled mess. The Container Store and Amazon have lots of viable options depending on your budget and aesthetic.  Baskets are great for storing bulkier items like sweaters, gym clothes, or scarves, keeping them neatly contained and easy to access.  I love our pull-out baskets that attach to the closet on full-extension drawer glides.  This is another option I love for children’s closets because, let’s be honest, none of them are folding their clothes anyway.  At least in a pull-out basket, they can see what’s in there rather than picking up the same green t-shirt on the top of the pile every time it’s washed and put back in the top of the drawer.  They’re also great for swimsuits and other items that don’t neatly fold. 

Maintain Your Closet: Regularly Refresh and Reorganize

Now, creating the masterpiece is one thing.  Maintaining it is quite another.  But the time you spend periodically refreshing and reorganizing will pale in comparison to the time wasted digging around looking for something in your old model.  Regular maintenance is key to keeping things organized and orderly. Set aside time every few months to reassess your wardrobe – seasonally perhaps – declutter items you no longer need, and refresh the basics or seasonal accessories. By staying on top of things, you’ll prevent clutter from creeping back in and ensure that your closet continues to serve you well.

I know it’s easier said than done, but trust me – this is the kind of self-love you can’t afford not to do.  With Valentine’s Day upon us, give yourself the gift of time, space and sanity, with a closet makeover.  It won’t just look better, it will serve you better.  The gift you’ll see is a beautiful closet, but the gift you’ll receive is so much more – calm and pleasant starts to your day, control over the things you can control (because goodness knows there’s plenty out there we CAN’T control), and a peaceful ending to each day, in a space that should be your sanctuary.  This is where the “you” that is public-facing to the world resides.  Treat it as you would like to be treated by the world.  I promise, it will help you treat yourself better too.