How to sort every item in your closet, according to professional wardrobe organisers.

"I've got a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear."  

As a professional wardrobe organiser, I hear this age-old adage all the time and it couldn't be truer. 

So many women find themselves buying new pieces constantly but still struggling to find an outfit that makes them feel good in the morning. 

That's the reason I co-founded The Wardrobe Edit with my friend Kath to help women fall back in love with the key pieces in their wardrobe. 

We met years ago while working for one of Australia's top fashion brands and it was our shared love of style and fashion that brought us together. 

Now we help women buy less but buy better and a huge part of that is actually knowing what you have in your wardrobe in the first place. 

So, we've broken down how to organise the key pieces in your closet to get you back on the road to loving what you own again. 

Listen: Kath and Prue share their advice on Nothing To Wear. Post continues below. 

1. Figure out your foundation pieces.

Trends come and go but there are always those key, foundation pieces that stand the test of time, so pull together your capsule wardrobe of items you wear time and time again and store them in a prime spot. 

We recommend: 

• A well-cut blazer
• A good pair of jeans
• A quality white t-shirt and shirt
• A statement top
• A trench
• Minimalist jewellery
• Great flats
• Fun heels
• A go-to handbag

We recommend:

Kmart Flocked Hangers, $12. 

Flocked Hangers Pack of 30- $12. Image: Kmart.

 We love these hangers for properly storing your garments without taking up too much space like wooden or padded hangers.

IKEA Clothes Rack, $12. 

Clothes Rack- $12 Image: Ikea.

 

Part of the puzzle of getting dressed is not being able to find what you have. We meet so many clients who say, "oh, I forgot I even had that" when they go through their closet, so making sure you can see your key pieces is important. We love using a clothing rack for planning outfits. 

2. Store accessories and jewellery.

Accessories can totally make an outfit but if they are out of sight, they are out of mind. By having your accessories on display, you are much more likely to reach for them each day, and even better, change them up more frequently. 

Some clients even display them as art, incorporating handbags on bookshelves and jewellery on sideboards. We love jewellery holders and draw inserts where you can see pieces at a glance with the added bonus that they don't get tangled up.

We recommend: 

Handbag Hanger Hooks, $18.99.

8 Pieces Handbag Hanger Hook- $18.99 Image: Amazon

 

Side Accessory Holders, $19. 

 

Add-On Side Accessory Bars for Easy-Drop™ Earring Holders 2 Pack- $19.
Image: Bon Maxie.

 

 
Etoile Display Tray, $65.

EC 6 Display Tray- $65. Image: Etoile.

 

3. Organising shoes so you can see them. 

When you hear 'shoe problem', you usually assume an addiction to shoes, but the real shoe problem is when you can't see them. 

Keeping them in their original boxes is all well and good but you soon forget what you have. Shoe racks are ideal but require the necessary space. To easily alleviate your shoe problem, pop a polaroid picture of the shoe on the outside of the box as a reference, or, even better, invest in these clear stackable boxes.

We recommend: 

Stackable Clear Boxes, $7.50. 

Inabox Clear Stackable Shoe Box- $7.50. Image: Bunnings Warehouse. 

 

4. Fold your knitwear. 

To hang or to fold? While we love hanging most of our clothing, when it comes to knitwear, folding is the preference. Cashmere, wool, angora, mohair, and most other knit fabrics are highly prone to stretching when hung. 

You don't want your winter woollies warping out of shape. Fold and store in draws or on a shelf and don't forget to pop in some natural protectants from wool's worst enemy.

Cedar Fresh Cedar & Lavender Balls, $9.95. 

Cedar Fresh Cedar & Lavender Balls 24 Pack $9.95. Image: Howards Storage World.

 

IKEA storage shelving, $48. 

Jonaxel Storage- $48. Image: Ikea.

 

Lastly, you don't need to spend a fortune on a new wardrobe each season. It's all about investing in good pieces and being a bit adventurous when rethinking ways to wear your existing pieces. Having someone else look inside your wardrobe can put a whole new perspective on how you maximise and invigorate it. 

And once you can actually see what you own, you'll find it a whole lot easier — and a whole lot more enjoyable — to get dressed each day. 

Prue and Kath are the founders of The Wardrobe Edit. You can see more from them here and on their Instagram. 

 Feature Image: David Geraghty/Supplied.