Organization Part 2: Accessories

On Friday, I wrote a post about clothing organization. This is the thrilling and award-winning sequel, Accessories Organization.  Get ready.

As I mentioned previously, I have too many accessories.  Shortly after I moved into this house, I was giving my friend Laura the tour and when she stepped into my bedroom she said "It looks like you sell jewelry here."  It kind of does- I have accessories stored and displayed all over the place!

Let's start with the jewelry and then we will move on to belts, scarves, and shoes.  (I actually don't own may shoes as most shoes are not made in my size.)

Last December I purchased this jewelry bust to store some of my chunkier necklaces that are too bulky to fit in my jewelry armoire.

If you love it, you can purchase your own from Pottery Barn!  View it here. 

A few years ago, I was looking for a way to store bigger necklaces and I came across a picture from an Anthropologie catalog that featured necklace-frames. I made some of my own following these simple steps.  First, I purchased large picture frames from target.  Then, I removed the glass and covered the backing with neutral colored fabric (glued the fabric to the backing, using super glue).  Next, I purchased beautiful knobs from Anthropologie that color-coordinated with my bedding.  I used a hammer and thick nails to make holes in the fabric and picture frame backing, then I screwed the knobs through.  Voila!  I had new wall art that was also useful in displaying my necklaces.  Here's what they look like:

View Anthropologie's knob selection here.

For years, my friend, Raechel, had a jewlery armoire that I adored.  It is a full length mirror that opens up and has storage space inside. It is very functional, as it serves as a mirror in addition to an armoire.  I searched for one like it for ages and finally asked her where she purchased hers.  It came from QVC and is extremely affordable!  I've had it for 3 years now and I truly love it. I would highly recommend getting one if you are looking for away to store jewelry.  View it on QVC here.

 Inside there are hooks for necklaces, spaces for earrings and rings, and a bar to hang bracelets on.  I can store a ton of jewelry in here!  I will post some pictures of the inside below.

That's where most of the jewelry is stored.  I have a few jewelry boxes on my dresser that hold a few other items but nearly everything is contained here.

I keep headbands in the top of my dresser, as pictured below. I used to have a lot more, but for some reason when I moved in June I threw many of them away.  Not sure why, because I am currently going through a headband phase and I wish I had them back!

Now let's move on to belts and scarves.  I have a belt hook from Target and a scarf hanger from IKEA which I hang on the outside of my closet door using over-the-door hooks from target.  It looks a bit scary and overwhelming in the picture but I promise it isn't in person!  I do have quite a few of each.

Last but not least, the shoes.  As I've mentioned, I don't own as many shoes. On the back of my bedroom door, I have this shoe organizer from target. It has spots for 12 pairs of shoes, but I fit more than that in there by squeezing 2 shoes into 1 pocket when possible.  This organizer holds the shoes I wear most often so I can grab them and go on my way out the door.  Shoes that come with their own shoe-bag are hung from the hooks and dangle down the side.

The rest of my shoes are stored in crates in the bottom of my closet.  Right by these empty hangers-in-waiting (these are like ladies-in-waiting except they are waiting for new clothes to be purchased or clothes to come out of the dryer to be put to use).

That, my friends, is how I organize my accessories. Whew!  Do you have any tips or alternatives for me?

Organization Part 1: Clothes

I have more clothes than most people, mainly due to my shopping addiction.  However, I know that many of you have just as many if not MORE clothes than me, and many of you probably also have more closet space.  Too, I have more accessories than most people on the planet, and I truly mean that.  I know a lot of people, and I don't know anyone that has as many as I do.  People frequently ask me how I organize and track all of my fashion, so I decided to do a series of posts to share the method of my madness.  Also, we're experiencing extreme flash flooding in the greater DC area, so I don't have to go to work today.  This morning I did a few loads of laundry and everything in my wardrobe is clean and put away so I figured now that everything is organized it's the best time to blog about organization!  This first post will focus on the clothing, stay tuned for another on accessories.

Last spring, Kendi of the infamous blog Kendi Everyday generated a series of posts about creating a working closet.  She has many helpful tips, so you should check it out if you haven't already read it! I do not have a walk in closet, so my organization is a bit different from Kendi's.

Let's start with the furniture, shall we?

This is my dresser.  It is very wide, which makes it bulky and difficult to move. I labeled each drawer so you can know what is inside.

Yes, I have a lot of sweaters.  Too, sweaters can be bulky so they take up a lot of space!

  A few years ago, I purchased this chest to have more storage room.  I've stored a variety of things in here over the past 4 years but now I think I've settled on the best way to use this piece of furniture. 

These white cubes are fabric and were purchased from Ikea last spring- they are sold 3 in a set

Next comes the actual closet itself.  My closet is long, but still not quite long enough.  Starting on the far right, I have summer dresses, followed by skirts and then pants. After that, I begin with tops which are sorted by color.  To the far left (you can't see it because of the door) are fall and winter pants, skirts, and dresses.  As soon as the seasons change, I will flip-flop the spring and summer clothes for the fall and winter clothes.  I also have 2 wardrobe boxes in the basement that have more winter items which will move up here in a few weeks while some of the more summery items will be exhiled to the basement until June!

Now you may be wondering where I keep everything else.  Don't worry, I will show you!  I have 3 of these bins under my bed.  They are completely hidden underneath, I just pulled this one out a little bit to show you.  I store socks and tights in 2 of them.  The third, larger one, holds more workout clothes as well as odds and ends clothing items that are rarely worn such as ski pants.

I also have a number of hoodies and sweatshirts.  These hang on my bathroom door, on the inside of my bedroom on over-the-door hooks which I purchased at Target.

Finally, on the outside of my bedroom door, I have this hook (also from target) where I hang newly purchased items that are not quite ready to go into the closet yet. Why? I don't actually know.  Sometimes I get itchy to buy something new, and then when I look at my door, it is a reminder of all the new things I own that haven't been worn yet and that scratches the itch.  Also, sometimes when I buy things and put them in the closet too quickly I forget about them and then months or years later I find them in the closet with the tags still on. So for now, they hang on the back of my door, for my lovely roommate to admire every time she comes out of her room, until they are worn.

And, that's it!  What do you think?  How does my organizational system compare to yours?