Like with like with like with like….

One thing I’ve noticed with organizing is I don’t always go in with a plan. Yes, I can see the end result in my head, but that doesn’t mean the specific items are placed where they will eventually end up. I just know it can look better than it currently does and as I go along in the organizing process, the layout order comes as a natural part of the progression.

I recently did some work in a master bedroom closet. The owner has a great space, but it wasn’t being used to its full potential, and clothes were just shoved in wherever there was space. My thought was, ‘Why make figuring out what to wear even harder by not knowing what all you have?’. So I set to work. I started with the hanging items first. I knew getting TOO organized (color coordinated) would never last, but keeping similar styles together (again, like with like – can you guess my favorite organizing tip?), i.e. long sleeved dresses, 3/4 sleeve dresses, short sleeve dresses, tank dresses, strapless dresses, definitely gives an organized look without being too restrictive and making the homeowner even more overwhelmed after I’m gone. I did the same thing with her shirts (long sleeve -> tank tops) and pants (pants -> shorts). There can be so many different sub categories in those general categories, but for the average “not OCD about organizing” person, I’ve learned these are good, and even more importantly easy to maintain, categories.