Instead of making unattainable resolutions for the new year, why not make a reasonable one that will take just a day of your time, yet bring you months of gratification? It’s all possible with a simple reorganization of your bedroom closet. Now is the perfect time to get that chaotic space in order. Let’s face it. You’ve rummaged through the racks and tossed garments to and fro trying to find that perfect New Year’s Eve outfit, and the space is a wreck. It’s time to get to work!

If you haven’t done so already, separate your winter garments from your warm-weather clothing and dedicate a space other than your closet to store the latter. With the size of your wardrobe cut in half, there will be much more space to work with, and it will be easier to see the pieces you have.

Don’t let the process overwhelm you. Simply pack your off-season clothing into storage boxes and place them under your bed or in the attic. Or, if space permits, place a portable garment rack in your attic to store the clothes on hangers. This eliminates the need to iron each piece when you take them back out to wear in the spring. As you separate your wardrobe, be sure to make two piles: one for items to store and a second for items to donate. Remember the golden rule: If you haven’t worn the item in the past year, place it in the donate pile. Also keep in mind our fickle climate when separating. (Mardi Gras could be heavy sweater weather just as easily as it could be shorts season!) So be sure to save some lighter pieces of clothing to use for layering during the winter months.

After you have separated and stored away what won’t be used for a while, it’s time to make groupings of the remaining items. Dedicate portions of your closet to specific types of garments, such as shirts, pants and skirts. Even separate out suits and two-piece outfits, making a special section or end row of your closet for that category. To make dressing even easier, hang clothes together by color. Just imagine—you’ll never have to search again for the pants that match your favorite blazer!

Next, fold sweaters, t-shirts, jeans and knits and set them in groupings on open shelves. This allows those items to retain their shape and avoids the droopy shoulder syndrome brought about by storing sweaters on hangers. Make your stacks distinct by separating them with inexpensive shelf dividers, and group them with a system that makes sense to you—by color, garment weight, or in order of dressy to casual items.

Now, it’s time to tackle the accessories. This is where your drawer space comes in handy. Organize hosiery and socks by keeping them in drawers with partitions. Use see-through mesh bags to keep coordinated undergarment sets together in the drawer. Costume jewelry can be efficiently stored in drawers, as well. Simply group together matching pieces and place in compartmentalized sections. Coil belts and fold scarves to place in the drawer compartments, or hang these items on belt racks and scarf hangers designed specifically for this purpose. Stow special-occasion footwear in clear boxes on the highest shelf of your closet to save space for your everyday footwear, which can be stacked on shelves low to the floor or in over-door hanging pouches. Lastly, stuff purses loosely with tissue to help retain their shape. Stand them upright between vertical shelf dividers so they’re easy to see. Stow smaller, dressier handbags in a clear box on a top shelf.

Finally, create a space in your closet specifically for two baskets. The first will be used to stash dirties, the second to pile up items for dry-cleaning. This gives your closet a cleaner look and helps you see what clothing is out of commission.

Voila! Take a moment to look around your clutter-free closet and appreciate the amount of pleasure such a small accomplishment can bring. Call that feeling to mind the next time you notice piles beginning to form and chaos taking over, and resolve all over again to put everything in its place. With a closet full of clothes you can actually see, you’ll start combining pieces you never thought to before, thereby expanding your wardrobe!

Now that your closet is in tip-top shape, there is one sure-fire way to assure that it stays that way. For each new item you add to your closet, get rid of something old or rarely worn. You could say that the best clean closet philosophy begins with the saying “out with the old, in with the new”—just like the new year!

Special thanks to California Closets for information and photos. For more about customized storage solutions, call 888-304-9775.