How to Organize a Child's or Teen's Closet
Clean Out Clothes, Arrange Shelves, Get Organized Before Fall
Organizing a closet isn’t necessarily on anyone’s Fun Things To Do This Summer list, but the results are worth it – outfits are easier to find and a larger of variety of clothes actually get worn (who knew that cute top was hiding on the back shelf?) Plus, it’s an activity for a parent and their teen or child to do together. So block out an otherwise lazy summer afternoon and get to work!
First, before organizing, make the all-important three piles: Keep, Donate and Toss. If anyone in the peanut gallery objects to tossing an item that’s old or worn, remind them that getting rid of clothes makes room for some new fall purchases. But do take a moment before throwing that old T-shirt into the Toss bin: is there anything about it that can be salvaged in a different way? For example, a sequined tee that’s otherwise ragged and losing its color may still have all its sequins intact. Cut out the sequined portion and sew it to a pillow, on the back of a denim jacket, on a cloth tote bag... voila!
Clothing Chart: What to Wear?
It’s a common suggestion that clothes should be hung or put away as full outfits, so that it’s easier to get dressed in the morning. However, this tends to promote wearing the same pieces together each time. Instead, try making a chart to keep in or near the closet. Poloroids of different clothing pieces are ideal to mix and match, but since that’s an expensive option, simple descriptions will do. Make a chart with three columns: Bottoms, Tops, Accessories. For every bottom (say, “cropped black pants”) list at least five tops that complete the outfit. Then jot down any accessories – bags, shoes, jewelry – to complete the look.
Hanger Organization
Pants and tops that need to be hung should be grouped by color and by seasonal fit (long-sleeved, short-sleeved, sleeveless.) Since dresses and skirts are increasingly multi-season – a summer dress can be appropriate in the winter worn with tights – arrange them in order of casual to fancy. Keep casual dresses for school or fun closer than the nicer dresses worn for special events or the holidays.
Folding Organization
The rest of pants, jeans and sweaters should be folded. Stack pants and jeans on top of one another, the heaviest ones on the bottom. Consider folding nicer sweaters, especially wool and cashmere, with a piece of tissue inside to help keep the fabric nice and in shape.
Fold shirts and tank tops and arrange in piles according to sleeve length and color. The final result should resemble a store, where one glance at a pile reveals all the color choices.
Shoe Organization
There are several options for storing shoes. If space in a closet permits, a multi-tiered shoe rack can hold many pairs of shoes. But for limited space, a hanging shoe organizer does the trick. Just slip pairs of shoes into the plastic insets. For nicer shoes, especially fabrics that can dirty easily such as suede, keep them in their original shoebox. This will help protect them from dust or stains.
Bags and Purses
For a child with a few bags, space on a shelf is sufficient. Fill soft bags with tissue to keep their shape when not in use – this works for hats, too (though some hats, such as knit beanies, can simply be stacked without the tissue.) But if a teen has a purse fetish, one shelf may not be sufficient. A good way to organize bags is a free-standing tiered shelving unit, available at most furniture or organizer stores. Place larger totes on the bottom and work the way up to the tiniest of purses. Nicer bags should come in a soft draw-string bag to keep them clean; keep them in these bags.
Jewelry and Accessories
Jewelry boxes make for great organization, but finding the right one can be frustrating. There are always too many spaces for rings and not enough for necklaces, or too many large drawers and not enough small ones. But there’s no rule that says jewelry has to be kept in one place. Hang necklaces on push pins stuck into a bulletin board – they won’t get tangled and it’s easy to see options. Buy a small earring board to place on a dresser. These are mesh-like boards, just place the earring through the hole and secure the earring back on the other side. For the rest of jewelry, place a piece of soft fabric in a drawer and lay bracelets, pins, anything neatly on it.
Buy clear jars in various sizes to organize hair accessories (find jars at stores such as Pier 1 or The Container Store.) These jars are also ideal for teens to keep their makeup. The best part is, if they’re out in the open, they look presentable and even kind of fun.
