Accessories Make the Closet

You know that a big part of your daily outfit is your accessories: A dress will look different with a denim jacket and leather sandals than it will with a soft cardigan and suede boots. You probably choose carefully the bag that you will carry when you go out for the evening, and you wouldn’t wear the same chunky necklace with every outfit, right? Just like accessories make the man (or woman), accessories also make the closet. Your closet isn’t working for your neighbor, your mother or your boss; it’s working for you! It’s important to know what’s available when it comes to closet accessories so that you can choose the ones that will work best for your lifestyle. 

Here are some to keep in mind as you make your decisions:

• A Place for Shoes Do you have three pairs of shoes, or three dozen?
  Either way, you have to figure out how to store them properly. If you don’t, they’ll get squished at the bottom of your closet, you’ll step on them and they’ll gather dust. Those with small shoe collections might find that a single shoe rack at the bottom of the closet works well. If you have as many shoes as you do outfits, however, then that will quickly become disorganized. Shelves of shoe racks are one good option. If you’re tight on space, and over-the-door shoe rack could work. You could even put your shoes into clear plastic bins (with covers to keep dust away) and line them up on regular closet shelving. Assess how much space you need and go from there!

• Versatile Hooks Hanging hooks on your closet walls can open up a world of possibilities
  You could hang your belts from their buckles, keeping them within easy reach. If you have a teenager or child who loves to wear “hoodie” sweatshirts, this is one way to encourage them to keep them hung up and off of the floor (bed, or thrown over a chair). You could also hang scarves or purses from hooks in order to keep them organized and untangled.

• Tie Racks and Jewelry Trays
  The smaller accessories that we use with our outfits can get disorganized quickly when they’re tossed on a dresser, and can get damaged when they’re hung improperly. Using tie racks and jewelry trays allows you to store your small, and sometimes expensive, items in a way that will keep them at your fingertips and in great condition.

• Closet Shelving and Drawers
  While shelves and drawers aren’t technically closet accessories, they do a lot in keeping your closet organized and easy to use. Instead of storing sweaters or jeans in a dresser, for example, fold them and stack them on a closet shelf . Your undergarments can go in closet drawers; this allows you to get totally ready in the morning without turning on your bedroom lights and rummaging around in your bureau drawers. For couples who wake up and get ready at different times, this can be quite handy, as one can get prepared for the day without waking the other.

You can get these closet accessories by contacting a local custom closet professional or by looking around in any home goods store for DIY options. In some cases, you might even be able to use items that you already have in order to make your closets function better. Remember that what works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you; you need to take a look at what you have and consider your own lifestyle when choosing closet accessories that will work for you.