Make Space For A Closet Glow Up

It’s September, which means it’s Fall even though it doesn’t really feel like it yet. Thanks to my multiple-decade career in fashion merchandising I am internally programmed to freshen up my closet for the upcoming season, regardless of how the current weather is presenting. Giving your closet an organizational glow-up can be a fun little project and will make shopping for what to wear easier and more enjoyable!  Here are the key elements you’ll need to organize your closet for Fall.

The Seasonal Edit

The first step in the Glow Up is a quick seasonal edit. You are going to want your Fall clothes to be more accessible in season so they need to come forward. But before they do, flip through and do a quick assessment; is everything you have serving you? It doesn’t take very long to identify the few things that you haven’t worn forever and set them aside in a donation bag. You don’t have to go through every single thing you own, this is just a glow up so we are looking for a quick edit of the things that would be relevant to wear for the upcoming season (save the huge purge for another time.) This is also a good time to make a quick note of items you may need, keep a list on your phone so you can refer to it the next time you are indulging in some Retail Therapy, it’s always better to shop with intention! Once you’ve edited, bring the current season’s items forward into the most accessible sections in your closet.

The Shoe Swap

Regardless of whether warm temperatures last into November, it’s fairly certain that sandals should move to the background and boots move forward to occupy the prime real estate in your closet. Some shoe styles are evergreen, like loafers and sneakers, but there should be a swap of the truly seasonal styles. In my closet boots hibernate in their boxes starting in the Spring and so when I pull them out it’s like a reunion with friends I haven’t seen in forever. I keep a couple of key/versatile pairs of sandals accessible but the rest are relegated to their boxes and stored on the upper shelves until next year.

Denim By Detail

Fall is when denim becomes the foundation of 75% of OOTDs. Whether you keep your denim collection folded or hanging a great way to freshen your collection is to categorize by wash and/or length. Wash and length are the biggest two decision-drivers when you are picking a pair of denim to wear, so keep your choices organized accordingly and it will be easy to find just what you need when you need it. Grouping by wash is aesthetically pleasing and easy to spot. Grouping by length is a bit trickier visually but some subtle labeling can help you keep the crops separated from their full-length friends.  If you fold your denim on shelves make sure the back pocket is at the top of the fold. This makes it easier to identify the brand and style when you are flipping through a stack. Give your denim some love now and it will work hard for you all through this season and beyond!

New Hangers

The last step is the most time intensive but the result is super satisfying and really makes your closet a fun place to be. Uniform hangers for everything in your closet is the centerpiece of a glow-up, bringing a sense of organized calm to a space that sees a lot of action. There are many hanger styles to choose from: wood, velvet, metal, acrylic. You can select the material that best aligns with your aesthetic but I do have a favorite when it comes to versatility and functionality and that’s velvet.  The velvet hangers come in multiple colors and metal finishes so you can personalize your choice.  They grip shoulders well so things don’t slip off and they accommodate every style except skirts. Another feature I like is the velvet hanger’s low profile; they don’t take up much space themselves and so are good when closet space is tight. I recently switched my own closet to bone velvet with rose gold finish and love how it looks. One very important tip is not to purchase anything until you have determined (i.e. counted!) how many you need. Most styles of hangers are sold in different-sized bundles and the bigger the bundle the better the price. But you also don’t want to buy more than you need. So EDIT first and then COUNT.

I brought a little Pumpkin Spice to my hanger-swap party and it went swimmingly. Even though it was 80 degrees outside I was feeling the Fall vibes wash over me and it felt good! Getting organized is a great way to start a new season fresh and a closet glow-up is an easy and fun way to do it!