Sharing a Closet with your Significant Other!
Organizing your own closet can sometimes be a huge challenge, but organizing a shared closet can seem impossible! There are twice as many clothes and accessories that need to be stored somewhere and there’s always one partner who isn’t quite as organized as the other. As someone who has experienced this struggle before, I want to provide you with some tips on how to make the best of your situation when sharing a closet with your significant other!
Tip #1: EDIT. It’s probably not a surprise that this is our most important tip! Clothes look their best when they have “room to breathe.” This means that there should be enough room to space items out and easily move items around as needed. This is especially important when you’re sharing a closet with your partner because you’ll have twice as many clothes to store. Editing can be difficult for some people, and it’s hard when your partner is not on board with your decluttering. You may even find yourself wanting to declutter for them, but that’s not a great idea. Instead, try leading by example. Edit as many of your own items as you can, think items that are torn, soiled, or no longer fit. Don’t forget to also declutter any items that you haven’t worn in a while. Toss items that have seen better days and sell or donate items that are still in good shape. Hopefully, your progress will inspire your partner to edit their items too!
Note: If you choose to sell items, consider taking them to a consignment shop like Wild Rio, Clothes Mentor, or Plato’s Closet to get them out of the house as soon as possible! If you really want to sell your items yourself, give yourself a time limit and if they don’t sell, donate. The goal is to get items out of the house! We love to donate to Dorcas House, but there are also plenty of other options if that’s out of your way.
Tip #2: Invest in matching hangers. If you don’t already have matching hangers, make this a priority on your list. Seriously, it makes a such a huge difference! Sometimes when we organize shared closets, we notice that one partner’s clothes are on velvet hangers and the other partner has plastic hangers. Different hangers can be visually distracting, and the key to making the most of your shared closet is to make it cohesive. We highly recommend that you and your partner invest in the same hangers when sharing a closet. We love the slim velvet hangers, but if velvet hangers aren’t your thing, we recommend the slim acrylic hangers from The Container Store. If you are looking for a more budget friendly option, plastic hangers are the way to go. Just make sure they’re all the same color (we recommend white or black)!
Tip #3: Create clear, designated zones within the closet. You and your partner should have separate spaces within your closet. The most common way to do this is to have each partner take one side of the closet. Sometimes, one partner has significantly more clothes than the other and needs more space. If this is the case, make sure you clearly designate where the closet will be split. Your clothes should be separated as much as possible within the closet. This makes it easy to find any items you’re looking for. Additionally, it keeps the closet visually cohesive by not breaking up your sightline with mismatched sizes.
Tip #4: Use bins or baskets (with labels, of course)! We recommend bins and baskets in every closet to contain accessories, out of season clothes, and miscellaneous items. They provide a quick way to find items and help conceal items that might visually distract or take away from the space. When you’re sharing a closet with a partner, this is even more important as you’re likely to have a larger variety of things to store. Baskets and bins are a really easy way to organize for everyone. We highly recommend using the same bins or baskets throughout the entire closet to keep it looking seamless and streamlined. Note: Consider storing seasonal items elsewhere if you have the space! This will help give your clothes some extra “breathing room” and make it even easier to keep your closet organized. Can swimwear or sweaters go in a bin in the garage until you need them? Can you hang large jackets and coats in a spare closet? Organization is all about making the most efficient use of the space you have.
We hope these tips help you and, as always, we recommend organizing by category and color to add the finishing touches to your closet! Check out our past blog post “Color Coding and Why We Love It” if you want a more detailed explanation!
-Chelsea Blair
