Get Ahead of Spring Cleaning with Custom Closets

Flowers are blooming and spring is upon us! With warmer weather comes the perfect opportunity for spring cleaning. Now is a time to refresh your home and your look. What better place to start than your closet? But if you want to make the biggest difference, it is time to consider a custom closet for your home. 

Start with a list

We always recommend you start with a plan and a list when it comes to any home reorganization or renovation. Make a list of the closets in your home and plan out how you will tackle each one. It doesn’t need to be complicated, but laying out what needs to be cleaned and organized in each closet space will make the actual work go smoothly. 

Determine ahead of time what cleaning supplies you will need, and have them ready to go. Also, decide if you need to purchase any storage bins or closet organizers. You may want to keep a separate “wish list” for the types of spaces and storage concepts you will want to build into a new custom closet design. But more on that later!

Even though cleaning and organizing may not be the way you would prefer to spend your precious free time, setting aside a couple of weekends each spring to do a deep clean will pay off. Your home will be neat and organized, and you will get to spend more time enjoying the spring and summer and less time digging through cluttered closets looking for things.

Designing your custom closet

Designing the closet of your dreams shouldn’t be stressful. It should be fun and exciting. An opportunity! Just as spring is the season of potential with buds, blooms, and growth, consider your closet as a space with potential. Your closet holds the potential for a design that meets your needs year-round. With good design and the right components, your closet can better accommodate your wardrobe and home storage, and facilitate sustained organization. Follow these steps to spring clean your closet and prepare for a whole new, organized space. 

The clean-out

The first step is to pull everything out of your closet. Don’t be afraid to get rid of things. If you haven’t worn or used something recently, it is probably time to gift it to a friend, donate, or sell those items. Have some large boxes or bags ready for different piles: donate, give away, etc. 

Getting rid of all those extra, unneeded items will instantly free up closet storage space and will clear the clutter that has become your closet. Once you have gone through everything, you will be able to get a better idea of what you have to work with. That will help you figure out what kind of storage and design you actually need moving forward. 

Once your closet is empty, this is also a great time to clean the space. Run a dusting rag inside each drawer and shelf, working from the top of your closet down. You can also try lightly spritzing a microfiber cleaning cloth with a bit of water or gentle cleanser before wiping down outside panels and shelves, to give a fresh look. 

Refresh the scent

Many closets get a musty smell if they haven’t been aired out or cleaned in a while. Now that you have the space cleared out, it is a good time to dust the carpet or floor of your closet with baking soda. Let this sit for at least thirty minutes before vacuuming or wiping up. The soda will absorb lingering odors without leaving your closet smelling like unnatural air fresheners.

Good design

Once you have taken care of the clear-out and clean-up, it is time to assess your closets. When you step back and really consider these spaces, are they meeting your needs? Surely there has to be a better way to organize and store your belongings. 

Now that you have finally freed up some extra space, you’re going to want to look at your current closet and write down a list of all the changes you would like to see in your dream closet space. It may even help to write down a dream closet checklist. If you could have the closet of your dreams, what would it look like? Would you have an abundance of hanging space? What about custom storage solutions?

Does your dream closet include a walk-in closet addition? Or would you prefer a more accessible reach-in closet that acts as part of your room? These are all things to consider when imagining your closet re-design.

A custom design considers your existing closet space in relation to your wardrobe and lifestyle. Most companies offer three-dimensional design technology to help you visualize the space. A professional custom closet company will create a layout with components and accessories to meet your individual needs while optimizing closet space.

Design elements

Some new design elements you may never have even considered include chrome shoe shelves, double hanging rods, built-in hampers, and wardrobe lifts. 

Chrome shoe shelves will elegantly display your shoes, boots, and sandals, making it easy to see what you have. Double hanging rods maximize vertical hanging space, especially for clothing like shirts and pants. Built-in hampers conceal laundry, and wardrobe lifts maximize the space of high ceiling closets.

Finishes

Part of your new closet design will also include finishes. If you have furniture or cabinetry elsewhere in the room or nearby, you may want to match these finishes. You will need to consider if you want hardware on drawers, or smooth, flat surfaces. Be sure to consider your aesthetic and how this space will flow with the look of the rest of your home. 

Organizing your custom closet

Once you settle on a design for your new custom closet, you can sort your wardrobe and belongings so you will know how to place everything back inside your custom closet. You will probably need to make some tweaks, such as adjusting shelf heights and deciding where to put different clothing for different seasons. If you have a wardrobe lift, you can also try cycling seasonal clothing in that space using storage bins. This is also an opportunity to refresh your hangers with new matching ones. We recommend you sort your hanging clothes and organize items by fabric type and color to keep your space looking neat and organized.

Enjoy your new space

Once you have installed a custom closet and carefully organized your belongings, you will have a space that looks like new, with clothing that is clean, cared-for, and well organized. Now you can look ahead and schedule a time next spring to do another clean-out and refresh to maximize this new, beautiful design. 

Take the next step 

If it has become clear to you that your closet no longer meets your wardrobe and lifestyle needs, TrustDALE can help you find a pro to help you realize the true potential of your closet. Now is a great time to schedule a design consultation. If you have cleaned out space in your closets, garage, mudroom, or your home office, there is a custom storage solution for you. And when you use a TrustDALE certified professional, you're always protected by Dale's trademark $10,000 Make-It-Right Guarantee.