Dress for success: Organizing your wardrobe
When we moved to the states in 2007, my mother had a walk-in closet and she also utilized closet space in every room for her wardrobe. In my memory, there are racks of clothes in plastic dry cleaner bags in what was supposed to be the guest suite, most of which she hadn’t worn in god knows how long. My mother’s wardrobe was filled with well-loved garments as well as clothes with the tags still on them. She had everything she needed but she was always shopping for the next shade of blue shoes. When I moved out in 2012, I continued this tradition for a while. I bought clothes I never wore and ones I wore until I couldn’t repair them. However, the overwhelming feeling was a deep dissatisfaction with my closet.
Until recently, I haphazardly stored my clothes in the tiny closets of my old apartments and continued the family tradition of storing what didn’t fit in my child’s room. But a lot changed in 2017. I separated from my husband and launched my vintage business — the last thing on my mind was buying clothes or getting dressed. (I have written about this period in several newsletters but most notably here.) When I began rebuilding my wardrobe in 2023, I considered how my storage methods influenced how I dressed and sought to change it but was overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin.
Most of us assume that there aren’t storage solutions to suit our needs. I do not fault you for thinking this. While researching the topic, I found a lot of information about how to store things in all kinds of spaces but I either despised the aesthetic, disagreed with the approach, or ignored it altogether because I had tried some of those methods and found myself six months later with the same problem I’d set out to solve. Here are some mistakes I made:
I kept my shoes in boxes underneath and atop my clothes. This meant I had to spend more than five minutes looking for the shoes I wanted to wear which made dressing up frustrating.
I used clip hangers for my trousers and skirts which resulted in tangled clothes and left marks on several waistlines.
The only storage furniture in my bedroom had shallow drawers which were mostly useless, but I couldn’t find anything with deep drawers that I liked and could afford.
Stage 1 : Consider
Because I got rid of 60% of my wardrobe during the great purge of 2023, I didn’t consider storage until I moved to Grass Valley in July 2023. I had about the same amount of space as I did in my previous apartment but I was determined to use the space better. Halfway through my wardrobe rebuilding process, I planned my wardrobe storage. Before you begin, consider:
Budget and Lifestyle
Space
Budget and Lifestyle
You should consider how much money you want to spend to create a functional storage system for yourself before removing anything from your closet. Most people are willing to spend more on storage solutions in a house or apartment they own compared to those who rent. HOWEVER, you needn’t forgo functional storage for your wardrobe until you have a mortgage. Consider:
If you are a renter on a limited budget, triple check the rules regarding making holes in the wall before choosing a system. Choose freestanding systems or anything that you can easily move into a new space. But if you know you would be happier by foregoing compromises, then do that! The best thing for storage is the one you’re the most excited about.
If your budget is more flexible, avoid overly specific or custom systems if you want to reuse what you have in a new space. Closets and storage needs change so be flexible. If you buy the right tools that aren’t overly specific to an impermanent space, you will reuse the same thing over and over.
If you are willing to take risks with systems that require you to drill holes in your walls, hire a professional or be meticulous while assembling this system to avoid irreparable damage to your living space.