Ask the Experts

I Need to Organize My Clothes!

“I sometimes forget to hang up my clothes or put them away. As a result, I have heaps of clothing, clean and dirty (though I always know which is which), everywhere. My daughter, who has attention deficit disorder, is the same way. Please help!”

If you have huge piles of clothing, you have too many clothes! Set aside a weekend to organize and decide what stays and what can be tossed. You can’t keep closets and drawers “usable” when they are stuffed to the brim. The easier you and your ADD daughter make it to put things away, the more likely you will both put things away on a routine basis.

Under-the-bed storage bins work well for off-season clothing and items that you do not need often, like gowns. (If your bed is low to the floor, purchase “bed risers,” so that bins can slide under it.)

It’s good to know which clothes are clean and which are not, but take that next step and use a laundry basket for the dirty ones. A full basket will remind you to wash a load or two. Place a coat rack or clothing tree in your changing area, where you can hang items that you have worn once and would like to wear again, but don’t want to put in with freshly washed clothes.

Try to find five or 10 minutes before you go to bed each night to put things away, and decide what you’re going to wear the next day. Pick a favorite song, put the headset on, and go for it. The task will be less boring and will seem quicker.

Fact: Clutter Causes Stress. Solution: These 11 Daily Rituals.

[Take This Test: Is Your Clutter Out of Control?]

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