Let’s Be Friends!
Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook & Twitter!
Thank you California Closets for sponsoring this post.
As many of you know, Jesse and I are in the process of selling our house and building a new home. Yay! As we prepare to list it, we have really had to minimize our belongings.
My husband, Jesse, is a Qualified Broker and we often see that a cluttered home can deter many people from looking at or choosing that house. It can be challenging for people to envision what the home would look like with their own belongings inside of it if it’s filled with someone else’s items.
We decided to start by minimizing our closets because they needed SO MUCH LOVE! (See below and don’t judge me, please! haha)
We were able to speak with a designer from California Closets to receive some organizational tips! It was so helpful to talk to designer Jessica Ballesteros in order to get multiple tips to figure out the best ways to clean out our closets in a way that is appealing to others.
California Closets offers custom organizational solutions throughout the home. They do closets, of course, but also pantries, media centers and garages. They enhance the storage potential and purpose of small spaces to maximize the efficacy of the home – which is so important in preparing to list our house!
We were lucky enough to have walk-ins in our bedrooms, but that’s pretty much the only storage that we have in our house. We gave up on keeping them organized – especially because we have a toddler who enjoys destroying them every day ;).
I hate to admit it, but we just began to shove everything that we could fit into those closets. To say that they were overfilled, messy and cluttered is an understatement.
1. Choose things that ‘spark joy’
Jessica shared the KonMari Method with us – this method says that it’s important to remove every article of clothing or item from your closet and dressers before beginning. She recommended that we go through each item one-by-one to decide what to keep.
It’s important to focus on items or articles of clothing that “spark joy.” If something doesn’t spark joy, it’s a good sign that you’re ready to donate it. We didn’t have to worry too much about this with the kid’s clothing, but I am a total book hoarder – and that’s where we store our books – so we had a LOT to organize & donate.
2. Heaviest on the left, lightest on the right
California Closets then encouraged us to put all clothes from the heaviest on the left to the lightest on the right to help the flow of the space. In my bedroom closet, I also categorized by color just to make it easier when choosing outfits.
3. Fold, fold, fold
Marie Kondo suggests that if an item can be folded, then it should be folded rather than hung. Use bins and baskets to help compartmentalize folded clothes better, in case you run out of drawer space.
Upstairs Closet – Before
Upstairs Closet – After
4. Six-Month Rule
One of the ways that Jesse and I also decluttered our items was to pack away anything that we likely won’t use for the next six months as well as items that we haven’t used within the last six months. I tend to use the things that I LOVE, so if it’s in that closet, it’s possible that I really just don’t love it.
We packed away many of our books that we’ve read too often or ones that Sutton doesn’t like and nearly all of our winter blankets. I filed away important paperwork and packed up or donated binders and notebooks.
Upstairs Closet – After
Now it’s time to list our house!
We are so happy with how our closets turned out and look forward to using these tips and a California Closets’ designer to set up the closets in our new home! These tips will definitely influence the way that we organize the rest of our house, allowing us to create more space for the things that we really love.
California Closets’ professional design consultants will collaborate with you to create a custom design that meets your needs, reflects your personal style and works within your budget.
Click play below to see a full Marie Kondo closet transformation!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Leave a Reply