You have a Zoom meeting in an hour, and you already plan on wearing that sharp blazer. The thing is, you’ve already spent the last five minutes digging through your closet to no avail. Nerves are frazzled, composure is lost, and you just wasted a good 15 minutes of your precious time.

The closet is sometimes an overlooked space. One that’s disorganized is not only an eyesore; it’s also a black hole that zaps you of energy and effort whenever you dig through that pile of clean clothes. That’s why it’s a must to make a habit of regularly cleaning your closet. Cop these tips to keep your clothes organized.

Color-coded

Arranging your clothes by color is a fool-proof way to create a chic-looking closet. Start with light tones like white, beige, and pastels. Then, move on to deeper hues like dark brown, red, blue, and black before grouping together colorful items of clothing. The result? A closet that’s straight out of a fancy boutique shop!

Style savvy

If you’re not keen on color-coding your closet, try arranging it according to style. For instance, sleeveless tops go together, followed by short-sleeved shirts, then long-sleeved items. Dressy tops and pants can be grouped together; the same goes for outerwear, skirts, and loungewear (aka pambahay).

Organizing this way lets you find what you need within the shortest time possible. It also makes you plan for your OOTD with minimal effort.

Seasonal choices

You may also want to organize your clothes based on seasons. This is a pretty straightforward method considering the country has only two: wet and dry seasons. Rotating clothes based on weather changes is especially practical if you have a small closet to work with.

Keep summer-appropriate clothes within easy reach as soon as the hot months roll in. Once the rain showers become frequent, put those summer staples at the back of the closet and bring light outerwear or long-sleeved items to the front. And as the weather turns a bit nippy, make sure those knitwear and coats are readily accessible.

Functional choice

Another efficient way to keep your clothes organized is to group them according to occasion.

Clothing items for casual affairs go best together. The same goes for those you wear for work and for special occasions. If, for example, you’re just doing an errand, then you no longer have to rummage through LBDs or trousers just to get to that pair of shorts and a loose shirt. 

Use the same color and style of hangers for a seamless-looking closet. For jeans and trousers, opt for pants hangers. Meanwhile, use appropriate containers to store folded items. Bed linens are best kept in storage bags with a see-through portion so you can easily see what’s inside. Similar storage is also ideal for items you occasionally use, like thick sweaters and coats.

To maintain their shape, delicate items like bras and underwear should be kept in containers with dividers. You may also use such storage to keep small pieces of clothing like ties and socks.

For pants:

1. Lay pants flat on a surface, then fold in half, lengthwise.
2. Fold the legs towards the waistband.
3. Fold again in thirds. If you want it flatter, fold in half.

For underwire bras:

1. Fold in half.
2. Tuck the straps and sides into the cups.
3. When storing, make sure not to cramp them all together so they don’t lose their shape. 

For non-underwire bras and sports bras:

1. Fold in half.
2. Fold the straps toward the band before rolling it up.

For panties:

1. Fold the crotch toward the waistband.
2. Fold each side over the crotch, then roll it up.

For briefs:

1. Fold one side toward the middle. Do the same for the other side.
2. Then, fold it in half or roll it.

For comforter:

1. Lay it flat, then fold in thirds, lengthwise.
2. Fold it again in thirds.
3. With a rope or thick ribbon, fasten the folded comforter before storing.

For fitted sheets:

1. Find a surface big enough to lay the sheet on. Make sure the side with elastics is facing up.
2. Take the bottom corners and tuck them into the upper corners. Shake the sheet to make sure all sides are aligned.
3. Lay it out again. This time, the corners with the elastics should be on the upper side.
4. Smoothen the sheet and even out any misaligned sides.
5. Fold the bottom part a third of the way.
6. Take the left side and fold it a fourth of the way, then fold the top towards you.
7. Fold again into thirds.