The Remedy
Rachel Siegel, founder of Spruce, an organizing company in San Francisco, relied on time-proven tactics to turn the cramped space into a well-edited “boutique.” (Web Exclusive: See
more before, during, and after photographs of the Kupers' closet makeover.)
Ready, sort, purge. To help Carly break the bonds with her stuff, Siegel went through the closet and the boxes with her, assessing tops, then bottoms, and so on, until they could see exactly what Carly had and decide what she could part with—about a third of her wardrobe. “You think more means more options, so it will be easier to get dressed, but it’s the opposite,” Carly says. When they were done, only clothes that she felt great wearing remained. From now on, she has agreed to abide by the “one in, one out” rule: For each item she buys, an old one must go.
Set up zones. A shelving system helps maximize space, group similar items, and separate his from hers. A low rod holds Carly’s tops and skirts; an eye-level pole, dresses; and a high bar, Rob’s shirts and suits. A high shelf Carly can’t reach works fine for Rob’s shoes and sweaters.
Organize clothing by type and color. Carly’s blouses, for example, are now all together and sorted, first by sleeve length and then by color. By keeping like with like, Siegel has made all the couple’s options for a given outfit clear at a glance. “Plus, it looks pretty and makes it easier to put things away,” Carly says. “I know just where my red sweater goes.”
Contain what doesn’t hang. Siegel used various containers in a neutral palette for holding clothing that shouldn’t be hung, gathering odds and ends, and getting shoes off the floor. Instead of stacking sweaters on a metal shelf, where they tend to topple over, she placed Carly’s in a hanging canvas organizer and Rob’s in clear plastic bins. Gloves, scarves, and hats were liberated from their packing boxes and tossed into an open canvas bin on the closet floor — great for grab-and-go items. (For more info on Siegel’s organizing company, go to
www.sprucegirls.com.)
