Keeping Clothing Clutter Free

It’s that early class and you’re running late. You can’t find your shoes, the only clean pair of jeans are the heaviest ones and you have to wrestle a wrinkled shirt out of your closet, because there’s too much stuff in there. Isn’t there an easier way to store all this? There is. Here are some tips on keeping your clothing clutter free:

Storage Space

Whether you’re in student housing or have an off-campus apartment, the easiest way to keep the closets in college apartments clutter-free is by keeping these storage spaces ‘underfed.’ Think about how often you’ll return home. If you can survive wearing and laundering six shirts for a semester, don’t bring twelve. Rotate your wardrobe for the season and the weather, and bring only what you need, leaving nonseasonal clothing at home.

If you do need to bring your clothes for an entire year, use the same principle of rotating what’s seasonal to make it more accessible. If it’s winter in the Midwest, store the shorts and flip-flops under the bed. By spring, you can probably stash your heaviest coat and bring t-shirts out for layering. You can buy storage bags, use pillowcases or even clean plastic garbage bags.

Laundry

Make laundry day a weekly or bi-weekly event and assess your wardrobe. If a sweater is too heavy for spring, clean it, stash it and take out a lighter one. By rotating items in and out of your main wardrobe, you keep your appearance fresh and you avoid having to redo your entire closet at one time, which could take hours. Hours that as a busy student, you don’t have.

The jumble of underwear and socks, jeans and t-shirts? Aim to keep these clean and organized in a chest of drawers. Take a look at the size of your closet – can you place a small chest inside? Storage inside the closet frees up more space for a bigger desk or a reading nook in your room. No matter where the chest goes, the same principle applies – don’t cram clothing in. If you’re having trouble closing the drawers, they’re too full. Remove articles and hang them or store them. Many closets have at least one shelf. Consider using it for bulky items.

Shoes

Keep shoes corralled in one place. Whether it’s the floor of your closet, lined up against the wall or piled in a laundry basket in the corner, train yourself to put them in your “shoe place” regularly. Your roommates will thank you when they don’t trip over your muddy boots in the kitchen and you’ll never have to hunt for your loafers when you’re late for class.

Finally, always have one professional outfit ready to wear. Keep it clean and available in its own garment or dry-cleaner bag. You never know when you’ll receive an invitation to meet a potential employer, or attend a conference or special event.

Using just a few minutes each week, and having a specific place for all the pieces of your wardrobe, you can keep your clothes accessible, appropriate and your closet clutter free.

What are some other ways you keep your clothing clutter free? Share your tips with us in the comment section below.