According to interior designer Brian Gluckstein, “an organized closet makes your life easier” and we couldn’t agree more. Unsurprisingly, Brian’s approach to organization transcends mere tidiness; it’s a testament to thoughtful design and mindful living. Since many of us are embarking on spring cleaning and organizing projects of our own, we thought we’d ask Brian for a few tips on how to keep a clutter-free wardrobe.
Do you have any tips for organizing a closet for maximum efficiency?
Brian: I like to organize my clothes by season, then category, then colours. So I keep my t-shirts together, then shirts, then shorts, then pants and so on. Within each of those categories, I always organize every item by colour. This approach helps make my overall closet look neat and tidy and it’s actually quite pleasing to look at. But ultimately, it’s much easier to navigate.
A lot of homes, particularly apartments and condos, these days have a closet between the bedroom and bathroom, so you’re walking through the closet to get to the bathroom. Having an organized approach with your clothing in this kind of layout goes a long way.
How do you like to organize your footwear?
I keep casual shoes in the hall closet, since I wear those most of the time. And I keep my dressier shoes in my clothes closet. The more formal the shoes are, the higher the shelf I tend to place them on, since I don’t need to access them very often.
Do you have any tips for organizing closet drawers?
I like to use dividers for everything in my drawers. It helps to keep things tidy and prevents tangles. And I love using drawers for small items like socks and accessories. For example, some people hang their belts but I prefer to roll them and place them in drawers. It’s nice when everything has a designated home.
Any other tips for organizing shelves?
Baskets and trays are really useful in an organized closet. I tend to wear most of my clothes year-round, but placing baskets on a higher shelf is a great way to store season-specific items that you might not need for a while.
Do you have any rules for decluttering?
I try to declutter regularly but it’s even better to do it once and maintain it. My general approach is “one in, one out.” This is when you bring something in, you need to eliminate something. And because I want to avoid being wasteful, this also helps curb the urge to bring new pieces into my closet.
Photography by A Plus Creative
