Too often are Men's closets overlooked when organizing the home. They are usually cluttered with things other than clothes and the hanger rods are crammed with shirts and blazers so that it is almost impossible to find anything. Most Men do not even wear half of the clothes that are hanging, and what about all of those shoes? It has long been the joke that women collect shoes like beavers collect wood, but many men have piles of dress shoes, boots, work-out sneakers, casual tennis shoes, sandals, and more. It is a big job, but something must be done to bring organization and efficiency to the masculine closet.
The first task is to divide, and then it will be time to conquer. The closet should be completely emptied and the clothes should be sorted according to their proper handling needs. Slacks should obviously be categorized together, removing belts into a separate pile. Once the different articles are separated, you can proceed by creating the right type of closet space. Men's garments are mostly the same length, nothing being much longer than a sport coat or hanging slacks, so it is recommended that the closet have double rods. One clothes hanger rod above the other will create so much more space for hanging clothes. Usually sport coats, dress shirts, and slacks go above, and casual wear can go below.
It is important to have the correct types of hangers for different garments. Not only will this protect the clothes, but it will also help keep the closet organized in the future. Sport coats should be hung from sturdy wooden hangers or some other shoulder mold hanger. Many of these types of hangers also come with bottom rails that hold slacks in place, but this can often cause too much of a crease in slacks. Sturdy plastic hangers, or even hangers with clips are commonly used instead. Dress shirts should not be hung from regular wire hangers, as the metal can often cause dimples and rust in fine materials. They are better off on plastic hangers or chromed metal hangers.
Once the clothes have been hung in their correct places, belts, shoes and ties can be put away. There are so many different types of tie racks, and though many men resist buying one, it will make their life much easier. Rather than sifting through a drawer or juggling several ties on a hanger, their entire collection is on display for their choosing. Belts should also go on a belt rack, either mounted or hung from a closet rail. Depending on the number of shoes, it is nice to have them on a shelf above the clothes rather than on the floor, this way the closet is easily accessible for vacuuming. There are also shoe organizers that hang on closet doors or work like shelves for stacking. Each pair of shoes should have their own place. If there is an extra pair that does not fit, the habit of putting up shoes will not last for long, since there is always an odd pair on the floor.
The final step to an organized closet for a man's wardrobe is training the man to keep it that way. Whether you are doing this for yourself or someone else, the person who uses the closet daily must get into a routine of returning clothes and accessories to their chosen place in the closet. It is this routine that keeps a closet organized and efficient and prevents the need for another closet conquering in the near future.