10 steps to an accessible, organized closet

A haphazard pile of jeans and purses overwhelmed the hamper. Piles of shoes cluttered the closet floor. And hangers sagged from the weight of too many clothes.

My side of the walk-in closet was no longer walkable; it was a place I dreaded visiting, despite my love for clothes. And to make matters worse, I share my closet with the neatest man in the whole world.

I decided to clean up my act for the New Year and, I hope, for good.

So I turned to Lorie Marrero, a certified organizing expert and author of "The Clutter Diet" (Reason Press, $17.95). She also runs www.clutterdiet.com, a Web site devoted to getting organized.

Marrero said my angst was very common.

Organizing "is difficult because it's about making decisions," she said. "Every single thing you touch when you organize requires a decision: Keep? Toss? Donate? Sell?"

It's also difficult because a lot of those decisions are influenced by fear and guilt, she said: "What if I need this later?" or "I can't believe I spent so much money on this!" or "I don't want to be wasteful."

And at the core of all the clutter is procrastination. The longer you put it off, the worse it becomes.

It's like dieting, she said. "Just as crash dieting doesn't work, neither does crash organizing. Getting organized requires making lifestyle changes and then maintaining those changes."

The most important aspect of a closet is visibility, Marrero emphasized. You have to be able to see what you have.

"Visibility allows you to be more creative with your outfits. You can mix and match and see the possibilities," she said. "And you won't purchase it again if you know what you already have and what you don't need."

That explains the three black skirts I own with similar prints.

Still, it was very distressing when I realized taking Marrero's advice meant doing away with my decades-old pageant gowns and the size 8 dresses draped in plastic in the back of my closet. (I know someday I will get into them again!)

I followed Marrero's simple rules and whipped my closet into shape in two weekends. And I plan to keep it that way. But I'll keep her book handy just in case.

Here the tips I followed to clean up my closet:

1. Sort through everything. Dump everything out - I mean everything - so you can see it all. Go through it and make a list of things you need, items you need to complete an outfit. Be realistic and honest with yourself. Don't keep things that are too large or small, out of style, or unflattering in fit or color.

After reviewing your items, you likely will come up with all or most of these categories:

Keep: Clothing, shoes and accessories that fit and flatter you

Trash: Torn or stained items that can't be worn.

Donations: Stuff you can give to your favorite charity

Giveaways: Items you would like someone special to have

Alterations and repairs: Items that can be worn with a little help

Consignment/garage sale: Items you'd like to sell instead of donate

Seasonal: Items that need to be stored for another season

Elsewhere: Items that have no reason for being in your closet and need to be moved.

2. Sort the clothing you're keeping by type, sleeve length and color. Some people may prefer sorting by casual, career and formal clothing as well.

3. Prioritize items. Organize your belts, shoes and scarves by how often you use them. If you use it often, make it more accessible. If you don't, put it farther away.

4. Make a place for empty hangers. When you remove a piece of clothing, make a habit of placing the empty hanger in this reserved spot.

Marrero recommends these additional tools and tips to make your closet more functional and appealing:

5. Purchase new hangers. Getting all hangers to match makes your closet look unified and doesn't distract from your clothes. Marrero likes clear acrylic hangers with swivel heads. I chose Huggable Hangers (www.huggablehangers.com) because you can hang just about anything - from sweaters to camisoles to skirts - and they stay put without losing their shape.

6. Hang it in the wrong direction. If you aren't sure whether to keep something, hang it on a hanger with the hook pointing the opposite direction of the others. When you wear it, you're going to hang it back up the right way. If it stays the wrong way, it's a cue you really don't need it.

7. Use the back of your closet door as wall space. It's a great space to organize accessories, shoes or hang extra clothing.

8. Improve the lighting. If you have a dimly lit closet, add some more wattage or an additional light fixture so you can see your clothes better.

9. Use shelf dividers. They keep stacks of clothes separate and prevent them from falling over.

10. Install a valet rod. This telescoping rod installs perpendicular to the wall. It telescopes out and can be recessed when not in use, so it's great to hang everything from dry cleaning to tomorrow's outfit.

You can find more of Marrero's tips at www.clutterdiet.com.