O_R_G_A_N_I_Z_A_T_I_O_N day!

Yeah for fall clothes!  Better yet, let's get excited for fall re-organizing and cleansing!  

It feels so good to have an organized closet!  I love organization...however, I am really only good at it if I have time to commit to complete the project in one sitting and ideally enough room for everything to have its own place.  Let's get real folks...I rarely have either of those things.  Who am I kidding?  I NEVER have enough room.  Have you seen the cottage I live in? ...cottage makes it sound so cute and cozy doesn't it...  Despite the odds, I do my best every few weeks...more like months to re-organize my house.  A great time to do this when you change out your summer and winter clothes.  It always makes me feel so clean, which is a nice change since I am not a big fan of showers.

So here the method to my madness:

1.  Clean up first.

I can NOT get organized if it is messy.  I need a clean slate to work on... and so do you!

... so this needed to go.  Just making the bed makes this task so much easier!

2.  In order to get organized, you have to create structured chaos.

You may not be able to tell what all these piles are but I knew.  There were piles of things to re-organize and replace in the drawers to keep for winter.  There were piles of summer clothes to store in bins in the attic.

Lastly, there were piles to go to goodwill.  I have trouble getting rid of stuff sometimes...Not in a TLC-Hoarders kind of way, but a "well maybe next year I will fit in that" or "What if I have a clinical that makes me wear _____".  The first excuse is ridiculous...I never go down in sizes only up.  The second is totally legit or so I let myself believe for 1 more year until I know what kind of physical therapy I want to do when I grow up.  So have kept those 5 polos that I own and haven't worn in two years just in case I am required to dress like a man in khakis and a polo on a clinical in the spring...I hate that outfit.  I look like a box.  Women want to be on hourglass not a big, manly, burly square box.  The last excuse I have is "Awe, I wore this when _____ happened".  That is why I still have these 2 shirts that I haven't worn in 2 years.

The sweet cream strapless number is what I was wearing when B proposed.  Awe!  I know it was special and looked fab with my new bling!

The hot coral number is what I wore on our first date!  That's how I hooked such a great catch!

3.  Decide on what organization style will work best for you.

I like organizing by color so I can quickly find the specific shirt I am looking for.  In the past, I have organized by color separately within my tops, pants, and dresses.  This year, I took a tip from my fabulous sis, Carebear, and organized tops and dresses together by color.  I think it will be much easier.

In B's closet, I organized by type of shirt then by color.  His closet looks much neater due to a much better size to amount of clothes ratio.

B doesn't care for the color organization so much but he lets me do what I want and I don't get on to him when he doesn't keep it that way.

4.  Finish the task by properly putting all of your bins and random miscellaneous stuff you found in your closet away.  You know whenever you organize your house you find the random-est stuff you haven't seen in months!  Here is all my chaos before Carebear helped me put it in the attic.

This is a lot of random stuff, huh?!  Notice my hanging clothes lying in the front of the photo.  I just place a trash bag over top and pull one up the bottom and tie them together.  Works great for keeping clothes clean in my crazy attic.

My mom taught me a lot so once again I will share the wealth of her knowledge with you.

Jackie Tip's for your Closet:

• Always button the top button of a blouse or sweater or men's shirt.  Not only does it make it look nicer and help it stay on the hanger, but it also helps it keep its shape.  No one wants a collar that is awkwardly positioned...folks...popping your collar is way over.
• Keeping to the button theme...Always button at least every other button on the top for all of the above reasons.
• Always button your pants before you hang them.  
• Always hang your pants with a proper crease in the front.  You can do this by grasping a few inches on either side of the zipper/button and folding them toward the middle.  Then just fold the pants over the hanger.
• If you put it away correctly the first time, you will have less to do later.

A few months ago I re-organized my kitchen cabinets and it was life-changing.  I know I know some of you are thinking...Man she uses that "life-changing" word a lot.  You're right, I do.  And sure I'm not talking Jesus life-changes because nothing can compare to that.  But I do believe simple things can change your life for the better.  Case in point...when I watched Oprah's bra revolution.  No kidding...I never joke about this moment in my life.  You guys have heard me tell this story and I think you would agree many lives were changed that day.

Back to my new cabinet set up:  I recommend it to everyone at least twice a year.  You realize quickly how wasteful you can be when you find food past its expiration date.  Performing this cleansing will help refocus you and maybe you can get creative to eat what you already have in your cabinets.  And no one ever regrets being able to find things a little easier!

So have you gotten re-organized this fall?  What organization style do you use?  

Please share I love hearing other people's perspectives!