How to Organize Clothes Drawers Using Four Simple Steps:

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Ahhh!! You just went shopping with your friends and found the cutest sweater ever! Best part? It was only three dollars!! What a steal!! You immediately wash it, dry it, fold it, and go to put it away in your dresser drawer….. But, there’s a teeny problem. You have absolutely no room whatsoever. You cannot, despite your efforts, close the drawer properly after putting the sweater away. Well, it looks like your dresser drawers are due for a cleaning!!! Where in the world to even start with such a project? Keep reading to find out the most effective way to accomplish this dreaded task because trust me; I’ve been there, and I feel you!

The Breakdown:

No need for discussion on this end. We all know that the best place to start is formulating our plan first. The steps are easy:

1. Empty EVERYTHING out
2. Go through and decide on items that must be kept and items that must be given away
3. Categorize the keep pile into bulky and not bulky items
4. Fold using your preferred method- or check out my last blog post all about folding clothes like a pro

Step #1: EMPTY THAT DRAWER

You can’t organize your clothes drawers without being able to see all that you have. So, what must be done to see all the items? Pull them out, of course!! Have fun with it!! Toss them on the bed, make a huge pile, and admire your clothes drawer looking the emptiest it’s been in months! I know it will look like an even bigger mess after dumping it all out, but trust in the process!! Things always need to start off messier before they can be made freshly organized and cleaned!

Step #2: Categorize and Decide What Must Be Kept or Gotten Rid of

This part tends to be easy for some but very challenging for others. For me, personally, it used to be quite difficult. Over the years, however, I have taught myself to not overthink it and use the Marie Kondo expression “Does this item bring me joy in my life”? I must admit…. the first time I heard that expression, I wrinkled my nose at it and was adamant that it would not help me. The last time I emptied my clothes drawers though, I gave it some honest effort and found success. It turns out you get way more joy out of getting rid of unworn items that were taking up space than keeping them to ease your consciousness. If I can do it, you can too!! No need to hang on to that pair of shorts your grandma gave you two Christmas seasons ago!!

Step #3: Folding and Prepping to be Put Back!

Hold on! Don’t start folding all of your clothes yet!! Look at your keep pile, and separate the bulky and thin items. Bulky items tend to take up too much room in a drawer, so I recommend (if you have the option) hanging those and only putting the thinner items in the drawer. Once you’ve accomplished that, you may decide which items will go in what drawer and start folding away! I have a total of eight cloth bins as my “dresser,” so I have a “long sleeve” bin, “short sleeve” bin, “pants” bin, “pajamas” bin, “undergarments” bin, and “athletic wear” bin. The other two bins serve other purposes. As for my method of folding, everybody is different and has different ideas of what works best. I chose to stack all of my shirts, pants, and athletic wear horizontally and use my folding hack on my underwear and undergarments.

Step #4: Put It All Back!

This part is pretty self-explanatory. Hang the items you decided were too bulky and put everything back in its newly allotted drawer. I find that my drawers stay organized longer if I separate the inner drawers too. You can use a number of different products for this such as cloth cell dividers, adjustable dividers, organizer boxes, or even some plastic organizer bins! Recycled items work great as well. Some of my favorite go-to’s are shoeboxes, coffee cans, and peanut butter jars. 

The Overall Thoughts:

I know what a struggle it can be to find time to organize your clothes drawers (especially if you let it go as long as I did), but I honestly could not emphasize the overall happiness that comes from admiring organized drawers every morning. If it helps, look at it this way; If you are taking the time to organize your dresser drawers now, you’ll be saving yourself a LOT of time in the future looking for that pink polka dot top when you get ready for the day. If you are an awful folder and want some tips on folding, check out my previous blog post dedicated solely to different clothes-folding hacks and methods!!