Establish These Daily Habits to Keep Your Custom Closets in Great Shape

Matthew Brown • Jul 10, 2023

You know how it is when it comes to cleaning: If you get behind, it’s harder to catch up than it would have been to stay caught up in the first place. Your custom closets are no exception. When you work on a little bit each day, your closet system will stay tidy without a lot of effort on your part.

Here are some daily tasks you can do to make sure your custom closets stay in good shape on a consistent basis:

Tidy up every morning as you get dressed
Put items away in their designated places each evening
Use closet organizers to maximize your space
Follow the “one in, one out” rule
Remove what you aren’t using

Read on to learn how to start putting these tips into practice right away.

Tidy Up Every Morning As You Get Dressed

You’re going to be entering your closet to get your clothes, so while you’re in there, make it a point to straighten out your items. If you take a blouse off of a hanger, make sure the ones nearby are still hanging neatly. If you try on several pairs of shoes to find the footwear that’s perfect for your ensemble, make sure you put the rest away where they belong.

This is also a great time to make mental (or written) notes on things to make your mornings simpler. Are you straining to reach the purses you have on a high shelf? Make a note in your phone to find a better place to store your handbags. Have you noticed your necklaces are hard to untangle? Take some time to think about how you can improve your jewelry organization.

Spending just a few minutes each day on these matters can add up to a more streamlined closet overall.

Put Items Away in Their Designated Places Each Evening

At the end of a busy day, you don’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning up. Still, taking a few minutes to put dirty clothes in the hamper, hang up your jacket, put your purse away, and ensure your shoes are in the right place will make tomorrow easier.

So, empty your pockets and put those items away or in the trash. If you used a purse you normally don’t, take everything out of it before you put it away. Resist the temptation to leave your tie draped over a chair; put it aside for cleaning or hang it back up on a tie rack. In short, take two or three minutes to put everything away where it belongs to avoid clutter later.

Use Closet Organizers to Maximize Your Space

If you have a custom closet system, you probably have a nice selection of closet organizers to keep your space in good order. If not, you can still use accessories to make your closet function better.

Hooks on the wall allow you to hang items like scarves, ties, belts, and lightweight (and empty) purses. If you have extra shelves or empty drawers, taking just a few minutes each day to move items around to better use the space will pay off in the long run. You don’t have to do it all at once; you can spend as little as 10 or 15 minutes each day on a project like this to see great results.

Follow the “One In, One Out” Rule

You’ve probably heard a variation of this idea: Every time you bring something new into your home, let something else go. When it comes to your custom closets, this rule will keep your storage space in a tidy state even after you’ve gone shopping and added items to your wardrobe.

The guideline is simple to apply. If you’ve shopped for a new sweater, look through your old sweaters that very same day and decide which one you want to donate. While a one-for-one trade is ideal, though, sometimes you won’t want to do that. Miss Minimalist suggests mixing it up if needed; if you really need more sweaters, you can eliminate a pair of pants or a jacket instead. The point is to keep the number of items in your wardrobe roughly the same.

Remove What You Aren’t Using

If you are in your closet and you notice you’re simply not using a certain item, it’s time to let someone else enjoy it. By paying attention to the state of your closet each day, you’ll notice which clothing doesn’t get worn. Rather than let these items accumulate dust, start stashing them in a bag. When the bag is full, drop it off at your favorite thrift store or charity.

Of course, this doesn’t apply to items that are torn or stained; if you have something in your closet that nobody would want to wear, consider it garbage. Don’t leave it in your closet to take up precious room and to contribute to clutter.

Conclusion

Getting your closet in order is one thing, but maintaining it is quite another. By following these tips, you can enjoy neat and tidy custom closets without devoting an entire weekend to cleaning them out once or twice per year. Just a few minutes each day can lead to excellent results over time.