January is a perfect time to think about editing and weeding out clothing and stuff that doesn’t work, feels old, out-dated. and useless. This doesn’t have to be a big ordeal, just a quick re-organize and edit. Invest an hour and reap the benefits of an organized and freshened closet.

Start small.

A shelf or a drawer is a perfect place to start. Remove everything. Organize by themes or categories.

Evaluate. Purge like you mean it.

Touch everything. Ask, has it been worn or used, do you like it, does it function in your current life style?

Keep an outgoing black plastic bag or bin for discards.

When something doesn’t work, toss into your discard bag. Remember, if it didn’t work  on Tuesday, it won’t on Wednesday.

Freshen up.

Take the time to vacuum and clean your closet before you add your clothes back in. Wipe down the walls and dust the rods. Add a bag of lavender to keep your closet smelling fresh. To eliminate the odor from smelly shoes is to pour a little baking soda into the shoe to absorb moisture and smell. If your shoes really smell, place the shoes in a sealed ziplock bag and freeze overnight. The freezing temperature will kill the odor causing bacteria. Shake out baking soda before wearing.

Rehang. The right hangers make all the difference.

Make sure your hangers are facing the same direction and they are of the same style. Your clothes will look better and you will love looking at your closet.

Remove and store your holiday clothing and decorations properly.

There is a small window for holiday clothes and just like your Christmas decorations they need to be stored away for next year. This is true any clothing that is seasonal.

Re-think your storage.

Closets get messy when you don’t have enough room to store everything. Think up. Can you stack bins or containers on the shelves of your closet? If so, have a step stool handy.

Organize your sweaters, scarves and blouses by color.

A pop of color can really brighten an outfit. hang your bright colors together. Also, hang your scarves, so they are easy to see and you will be more inclined to wear.

Make new outfits.

Once you are able to see what you have, chances are that your creative juices will kick in and you will be able to create some new looks and outfits.