When the seasons transition, we're hit with a a natural urge to clean and reorganize our closets. For general purging and closet decluttering tips, see my post on 5 Steps to Wardrobe Nirvana or use the "does it spark joy?" criteria from Marie Kondo's method. Here are a few more tips to make getting dressed a little less confusing:
display only what you're wearing right now
Only keep the clothes you wear on a regular basis accessible. If you have other storage space, this is where out of season clothes, special occasion clothes, and transitional clothes (i.e. the pre-pregnancy jeans) should go. Even if you technically have room in your closet for these items (as I do), I recommend keeping them out of your everyday closet. Seeing too many options makes decision making confusing. The fewer items you have to look at as you get dressed, the easier it will be. No need to flip past cocktail dresses when you're getting dressed for work. If you have to store everything in the same space, make sure the things you wear on a daily basis are front and center.
keep everything where you can see it
When I reorganized my closet last summer, I realized that I had more necklaces that I could see at once. I wanted to have a way to display them all so that I might be more likely to wear some of the neglected ones. Since my closet has more hanging space than I really need, I decided to use some of the wall space to display them. Since doing this, I've gotten rid of many necklaces, since seeing them on a regular basis still didn't entice me to wear them. The same thing happened with my shoes. And my clutches...
use matching hangers
Find a style of hanger you like and spend a few dollars to fill your closet with them. Some people love the thin felt hangers, but I'm lazy and they are hard to get clothes on and off of! My ideal is all wooden hangers, but until the budget allows, I have the basic white plastic ones. Such a simple thing can make a huge impact.
hang everything
You can't wear things you don't remember you have. Feel free to differ in opinion on this one, but I hang as much as I can, even t-shirts and some sweaters. Chunky sweaters, workout clothes, pajamas, and jeans are the only things that go in bins or drawers. I often see clients with drawers or stacks full of t-shirts, most of which never get worn. Even a t-shirt is a building block of an outfit and requires consideration. Isn't it easier to flip through hangers to see your options than to dig in a drawer or refold a stack? A note: I only have four pairs of jeans in my closet right now, if you have more options, it probably would be a good idea to hang them so that you can easily see your choices.
put your shoes on shelves
After trying every possible shoe tree/rack/hanging pocket system out there over the years, I've come to the conclusion that simple shelves are the best way to go. They're easy to get shoes in and out of, heels sit nicely without getting caught on anything, and they look cute (place all pairs of shoes heel to toe for more room). I use cheap shelves like this tucked under closet rods, but check out this super sweet version by Laura Cattano.
Do you have any other tips to share?
If you want to try a capsule wardrobe to reduce decision fatigue even more, sign up here for my 5 Easy Steps to a Capsule Wardrobe.