Dreams. We all have them. Dream vacation. That gorgeous pic of the pristine water of the Maldives. Dream houses. That celebrity house that makes you say, “THIS is the house I’m getting when I’m rich.” Dream cars. Whether it’s that ’69 Camaro to start a kick-ass collection; or a luxurious and comfortable car to make your commute less of a grind. Dream closets. That perfect looking closet, where clothes and shoes are a form of art.

Well our company, Modular Closets, realized that having a beautiful quality closet doesn’t have to be a dream. We developed a system of modular closet organizers that can be configured with each other to create that custom closet look; yet no one comes to your place to measure or install so you save thousands! All you need is some space (and a Philips screwdriver☺).  

To help you get that dream closet makeover, introducing... “Messy Mayhem to Dream Closet!” a step by step mini-series taking you from a messy closet to a beautiful Modular Closet

Part One: Clean out your existing closet.

Ugh, I know. Cleaning out a closet seems like such a mission.

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But it doesn’t have to be. Really. It can actually be super fun. We’ve spoken to professional organizers from around the world and they shared some useful tips that can turn clean up time into a fun yet organized activity.

#MODULARSUPERTIP!: Invite a friend. Everything is more fun with friends! Well how in the world are you going to manipulate your friend into this? You can pull off the, ‘that’s what friends are for’… but why waste that when you can offer free clothing! Just tell her she gets dibs on anything you’re not holding onto.

Cleaning out a closet is about taking inventory, getting rid of stuff you don’t need. We asked Chelsea Smith of theorganisingplatform.com, a Professional Organizer based in Melbourne, Australia, for the way she best recommends beginning the cleanup:  

“Remove EVERYTHING from your space. Clearly mark washing baskets (or any boxes you may have laying around) with the following: 1. KEEP 2. THROW 3. DONATE 4. SELL. As you pull out each item of clothing, ask yourself what category it falls under.’’ A popular method to help determine which pile it goes into is to use a grading system. For every item give it a score from 1 to 10.

The 6 Questions

There are 6 questions that, when answered honestly, can help make the process more effective.

1. Is it stained, damaged, or completely worn out?

This should be your very first question. No matter how skinny those jeans makes you look, no matter how much you spent on those shoes, if their ripped beyond repair, or permanently stained, you will never wear them again. It’s time to get rid of them. But don’t just toss them in the trash to end up in a landfill. According to planetaid.org,

“we are collectively generating 14 million tons of clothing waste annually, and only 2 million tons are being donated, recycled, or reused”.  

They accept clothing donations even if they are stained or torn.

Anything that can be mended or repaired should be separated. Sometimes it’s as easy as replacing a button. Make sure to wash anything that is dirty and can be cleaned before putting it in the keep pile.

2. Can I and would I wear it this week?

If the answer is yes, this is really simple, it’s a keeper! If not, it’s time to continue probing to find out why not. 

3. Is it seasonal?

#MODULARSUPERTIP!: Of course, you wouldn’t wear that scarf that’s sitting in your closet drawer in middle of the summer; nor would you wear those flip-flops in for a snowstorm. So, it’s time for a little game called Playcation! Plan trips to vacation spots that currently have different climates than your current location. Is it January time in Boston? Plan a beach vacation to Hawaii. Anything that you would pack if you were going today can be held onto. You can plan multiple Playcations. Make sure to plan your trips to places that have the same weather as you would experience at home. Don’t plan a skiing trip to the Swiss Alps if you live in Cancun.

4. Does it fit?

If it never fit, and you just convinced yourself when you bought it that it does, or that it could, give it to your friend. Donate it. Don’t talk yourself into it again.  Did it fit in the last three months? Be truthful with yourself to help yourself!

5. Is it currently in style? Does it represent my style?

If not, then move on.

6. Is it nostalgic?

We all have things that we only hold onto because of the memories it brings. Does that dress remind you of prom? Do those shoes make you a recall a first date? This is one of my favorite tips: take a picture. You can even frame it. But throw out that space hogging piece of nostalgia! Another cool idea for old t-shirts is to sew it into a patchwork blanket.

Follow Our Journey!

Did you find any of the tips particularly useful? Do you have a favorite tip of your own? Please let us know in the comments below.