The beginning of winter is often cherished – the first snowfall, a visit from Santa Claus, a fresh start with the new year. But by the end of February, you might have a serious case of cabin fever and can’t wait for springtime flowers to bloom.

Instead of sitting around and counting down the days until spring officially arrives, why not make the most of your time inside? Sure, you’ll take care of some spring cleaning in the coming months, but in the meantime, you can tackle those dreaded, unorganized closets you’ve been avoiding all year.

If you keep putting this task off, you’ll end up forgetting about it once the sunshine arrives. Here are a few tips on how to organize your closets at the end of winter:

Remove everything

Whether your closet doors are bursting at the seams or the inside is just slightly disorganized, start by removing each and every one of your belongings. That means all pieces of clothing, accessories, shoes and other unnecessary trinkets that somehow made their way into your closet in the last year. Once everything is cleared out, take time to dust, vacuum and disinfect the space. This allows you to start off on the freshest, cleanest slate possible, and makes it easier to visualize how you’ll reorganize.

Purge unnecessary belongings

Don’t just start placing everything back in the closet. Take this opportunity to go through your belongings and get rid of some things. First, take a look at everything that doesn’t belong. Those miscellaneous papers, boxes and toys can head elsewhere. Next, look at your clothing, shoes and accessories and think about the last time you used each garment. If you can’t recall wearing a piece of clothing within the last year, consider giving it away to a close friend or family member, or even donating it. The same goes for your shoes and accessories.

Store remaining clothes strategically

Once you’ve completed the purge of your belongings, consider returning your remaining clothing to the closet in a cluster. HGTV suggested hanging a group of five to eight pieces of clothing that work well as an outfit. Create a cluster out of a few sweaters, a pair of pants, skirts and a dress that could potentially be worn together. Not only does this clustering process make it easier to find an outfit in the morning, it also simplifies your need to buy new clothes! In your mind, you’ll search for new pieces to add to the cluster instead of buying an entirely new outfit.

Invest in a custom closet system

If it seems like a tornado blows through your closet every year – even after you’ve dedicated a few days to reorganizing – perhaps it’s time to reconfigure the space. Investing in a custom closet system allows you to keep everything in order in a stylish and pristine way. There are a variety of options for custom configuration to choose from – between dividers, display systems, shelving and storage units, you can turn your closet into your own personalized haven.

Before you try to tackle this task on your own, we recommend contacting a personal decorator from Decorating Den Interiors. He or she will come to your home for a free consultation to evaluate your closet space and provide suggestions based on the level of organization you want to achieve. Investing in a custom closet system is the ideal solution to ensure you don’t have to worry about reorganizing every year before spring arrives.

Don’t wait until the weather gets warm – contact a design consultant from Decorating Den Interiors today!