New Year, New Closet

You’re out shopping. You spot it. You’ve got to have it. It’s new. It’s so you!

Wait a minute. Are you sure about that? Before you venture out to spend all your holiday gift cards on clothing, grab a big cup of coffee and open the doors to your closet.

Get Organized

Is your closet full, but you still have a hard time putting together an outfit? Start off the New Year with an organized closet that will make getting dressed simple and fun.

The clothes in your closet should reflect your style and be organized in a way that works for you. Your style would be the type of clothing that you enjoy wearing and that compliments the way you live.

Start by taking all the clothing items out of your closet that you haven’t worn in the last month. Try on each piece of clothing and ask yourself a few questions:

• Does it fit?
• Is it flattering?
• Does it fit your life style?
• Does it need repaired or tailored?

Items that don’t fit, aren’t flattering or don’t fit your lifestyle should not – I repeat, not – go back in your closet. Consider donating them to charity, giving them to a friend or pitching them. Decide if the items that need repair are worth the cost of the repair. Then fix it, or pitch it.

Clear Up the Gray Area

Have some items that you weren’t 100 percent sure you should pitch? If in doubt, invite one of your closest (and outspoken) friends over for a mini fashion show. They'll be able to tell you what looks ill-fitting (a.k.a. you're not a size 4 anymore), what is out of style or just plain ugly.

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

Before you start to pack up your closet again, invest in some high-quality wooden hangers. Steel hangers can damage your clothes, so go for ones that are walnut or cedar. Your garments will thank you!

Also, these five steps, developed by realsimple.com, will help you keep that closet simplified and organized to make the perfect outfit jump out at you every morning.

Step 1: Instant Shelving
If you use your light wool and cotton sweaters year-round, keep them neatly folded on hanging canvas shelves – a much cheaper solution than hiring a carpenter to build custom shelves.

Step 2: Shoe In
Trade in your overburdened shoe rack for plastic boxes. They’re shorter and trimmer than standard shoeboxes, so they stack compactly on the shelf. And because they’re clear, you can find what you need with ease.

Step 3: Fold Everything
Limited drawer space can force you to hang clothes you otherwise wouldn’t have – including heavy winter sweaters, which can get stretched beyond recognition. Instead, organize and protect them in large canvas boxes.

Step 4: Proper Padding
Use padded hangers for delicate sleeveless tops and plastic ones (with attachable clips for pants and skirts) for everything else.

Step 5: Clear and Present
Instead of riffling though an old oak bureau to find socks, underwear and belts, use clear plastic drawers. A stack of five is low enough to hang tops above, but 15 3/4-by-19 3/4-by-8 1/8-inch drawers hold even more folded clothes than your bureau will.