Five Simple Ways to Organize Your Closet

Your closet is like a boutique, a place where you go shopping every day -- except it’s free. Every item should be easy to find, and it should inspire you -- after all, you added it to your wardrobe. Take some time this weekend to try these closet-transforming steps. You should be able to easily pull an ensemble together and love what you’re wearing.

1. Have a fashion show. Once a year, try on every piece of clothing that you own. Mend any missing buttons or hem folds that have come undone. Most important, let go of anything that has been stained, is worn out or no longer fits.

2. Add shelf dividers. Shirts, sweaters and jeans that are folded in stacks are likely to topple over or become an eyesore. Wooden dividers keep closet items in neat and easy-to-access piles.

3. Try a chalk dehumidifier. For closets that are damp or have poor ventilation, a dozen chalk sticks will do wonders. Tie the chalk in a bundle and hang it in the space. The natural desiccant properties absorb the moisture in the air and keep clothing dry.

4. Coordinated flat hangers. Find a flat hanger, which saves closet space, and buy as many as you need in the same color. When all of your clothing is hanging at the same eye-level, it is easier to store and sort through. Liberate hangers and space by putting away any out-of-season items.

5. Eliminate odors. Instead of throwing out the fabric softener sheets after drying the laundry, insert them between folded piles of t-shirts, underwear, and shoes. Since shoes tend to be the culprit of evil smells, let them air out before storing them inside your closet. Make sachets of rosemary, lavender or cedar -- which protects wools from moths -- to add a natural aromatic scent to the area.