Home Organizing Tips & Organizing Solutions for Your NYC Closets

For many NYC residents, storage space is at a premium so eliminating clutter and making the most of your closet space is vital. The change of seasons is a good time to clean out and identify new organizing solutions to make your NYC closet space function more efficiently. If you have limited closet space (and even if you don’t), utilize these home organizing tips from The Organizing Zone, a New York professional organizer, to do a seasonal clothing swap for your closet, eliminating clutter and doing a little cleaning out in the process.

1. Check each item in your closet to determine whether it can transition to the next season. For example, tanks and camisoles can be layered under sweaters and jackets. Hang these multi-season items together in one area.
2. Take all items to be packed away out of the closet, placing them on a bed or table.  If clothing needs to be washed or dry-cleaned, do so before storing. Items with stains or tears should be repaired or discarded. Remove hangars and fold neatly if clothing will be stored in bins or other organizing solution appropriate for your NYC home.
3. Retrieve stored clothing from storage (an extra closet or storage bins). Replace it with clothing to be stored for the upcoming season.
4. Unpack stored clothing. If clothes do not smell fresh, wash them in cold water with one cup of white vinegar and the recommended amount of laundry detergent.
5. Review clothing with a critical eye. Items that do not fit properly or that have not been worn in several seasons can be donated. Consider donating professional clothing to Dress for Success, an organization that helps disadvantaged women build a professional wardrobe for interviews and jobs.
6. Hang like items together – dresses, slacks, blouses, suits, etc. This is one of our essential home organizing tips as it makes finding items easier when you’re dressing.
7. Decide which shoes need to be stored for the season. Collect and check for needed repairs and cleaning.  Place into a plastic storage bin. Remove any shoes from storage and hang them in a shoe bag or place them on a shoe rack. Unwanted shoes can be donated to Soles 4 Souls.
8. For kids’ closets, be sure check clothing sizes as you make the switch so that you aren’t taking up closet or other storage space with clothes that don’t fit.

The Organizing Zone, a New York professional  organizer, recommends scheduling time in your calendar for the closet swap.  This way you will get your closets ready so that it will be easier to step into your boots, sweaters and jackets for Fall as the temperature drops!