Spring has arrived and with it, a feeling of rejuvenation and excitement for a fresh start. But as the weather begins to change and your family calendar starts to fill up, just the thought of spring cleaning makes you feel anxious. So much so that when you try to commit your time and effort to get the job done, not knowing where to start can make spring cleaning feel impossible. Afterall, the last thing you need on your to-do list is to spend the better part of your weekend cleaning out your closet. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. A recent survey by Merry Maids found that more than two-thirds of people view spring cleaning as an overwhelming and time-consuming chore.
The great news is you don’t have to do it alone! Over the years, we’ve worked with thousands of homeowners just like you to better organize their closets. Thanks to that experience, we’ve created an easy-to-follow Spring Cleaning Guide to help you tackle any closet in your home. Our tips will show you how a customized closet can be easier to maintain, support your style through every season, and help you streamline how you manage a periodic purge. Even better? You’ll find yourself feeling joyful, motivated and of course, inspired.
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The tradition of spring cleaning is centuries old and was important in frontier homes to remove the accumulation of built- up soot from winter fires. Today, the practice continues and has expanded to include most areas of modern homes and garages.
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Do you have more room in your closet than you need for some things, such as hanging items, and not enough room for shoes and boots? You might think this happens because your closet is too small. Why? Because when you step into an overstuffed closet, instead of noticing the opportunity for change, your brain has trouble processing the lack of order which translates into stress, and that stress can quickly become overwhelming.
Maximizing your space means using every inch available, both horizontally and vertically. So, when you customize your closet space, all of your belongings will have their own dedicated place which in turn, creates that much needed “breathing room” that’s been missing all along. You’ll also be amazed at how much time you save when you can easily see what you own.
A custom closet professional is a specialist in space maximization and inventory, whose primary goal is to help create personalized solutions to help you get and stay organized. In other words, an expert designer who can offer not only advice but will work together with you to create the custom solution you want and need.
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Step 2:
Create A Closet That Works for The Way You Live
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Take a few minutes to think about how your lifestyle impacts what you store inside your closet. Do you shop online? Take charge of returns by creating a processing zone for your packaging and return slips so you can get them reassembled and back out the door. Do you love to travel? Store your packing cubes and suitcase in an accessible location, making it easy to pack up and go. Do you wear a handful of clothes but don’t know what to do with what you don’t need? Identify a “DONATE” shelf where you can stage these items for a monthly donation. All of these examples show that your goal is to identify and incorporate organizational techniques into your closet that support the way you live.
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Once your custom closet is in place, it’s all about maintenance. When asked about her top tips for spring cleaning and organization, Leslie says, “It’s important to recognize that organizing your closet is a process, not an event.” This means organization isn’t a clear-cut, one-or-the-other journey. Leslie’s process consists of a series of exercises to practice over time. Learning these 5 exercises on how to spring clean your closet now will help you create a routine that quickly becomes second nature.
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“Pittsburgher” Leslie McKee is a professional organizer with a career spanning over 20 years. An established industry leader on the local and national stage, Leslie is known for her masterful ability to help her clients quickly assess their needs and work closely with them to implement organization systems that help them feel calm and relaxed as they reclaim their closet.
Leslie encourages her clients to create a mental or physical image of spaces they love. For visual learners, a Dream or Pinterest Board is a great way to clarify what you want.
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You might want a closet that makes getting dressed easy by including only your favorite clothes and shoes. Or maybe you love how it feels to “shop your closet,” meaning just like your favorite store, instead of a few t-shirts or pairs of jeans, you have an abundance of options and need to seasonally rotate your clothes.
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In Leslie’s experience, most of us have one of the following styles:
Leslie says that one of the best ways to tackle cleaning closet organization is by assigning each of your belongings as an Active, Reference, or Archive Item. Here is what she means:
Things you use often.
Gym clothes
Go-to jacket
Accessories
Keep these items front and center.
Things you rarely use.
Out-of-season items
Formal wear
Dressier clothes
Move hanging items to the back of your closet and place folded items in drawers or out-of-the-way shelving.
Things stored in a seperate location.
Wedding dresses
Letterman jackets
Sentimental pieces
If the item makes you happy when you see it, keep it in place. Most pieces can be stored in a different area of your home, such as the garage or attic.
Determine what your definition of “enough” is for the items in your closet. For example, how many pairs of shoes are enough? Keep the number of your belongings in check with these closet cleaning tips.
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Step 4:
Keep it Clean
Now that you’ve maximized, organized, and adopted new habits to create order and structure in your space, it’s time to look ahead. The maintenance of your closet is infinitely easier when you set a realistic cleaning schedule. And when done regularly, these scheduled cleanings can increase the durability and condition of your space.
Divide your closet cleaning into biweekly, seasonal, and yearly segments. By sticking to your maintenance goals, you’ll break the cycle of having to dedicate entire weekends to clean and reclaim your sanity while you manage your time.
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Modern-day spring cleaning doesn’t have to be overwhelming and time-consuming. In fact, if you have the right closet system in place and commit to a few simple habits, you’ll significantly reduce the stress you’ve been living with due to not knowing how to manage your everyday closet organization.
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Now that you’ve read our guide on how to spring clean your closet, you can easily find the solutions you need to put a closet system in place, create a routine, and minimize your stress so that you can stay motivated to live organized all year long. We hope you feel empowered to transform your closet into a customized and inspiring space just for you. And the best part is knowing you don’t have to do it alone. Our closet experts are here to help you find tangible solutions that work for you, your family, and your life. Complete this form and we’ll reach out to get started.
Our designers are great listeners, and fabulous at what they do, too, so let’s talk. Oh, the best part? Our in-home design consultations are free. Yep. FREE! Let’s get started.
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