Come Out of the Closet

I saved the best for last — “Thinking Outside the Closet,” on page 77 of this month’s Oprah features four different women who have four innovative ways of storing their clothes and jewelry.

As a rule the more visual types, like Organics and Smarts tend to go for visual solutions to their storage needs. If something is at the bottom of a deep drawer or in the back, it’s going to be forgotten. Out of sight is out of mind.

Classics, are pretty classic when it comes to closet storage. They tend to have un-maximized their space because they haven’t thought of new “out of the box” solutions to their closet storage, like double hangs, or taking shoes off the floor and onto shelves or hanging shoe bags. 

Funs are in between. They tend to have stuff both in and out of boxes and closets, but they are very aesthetic and are the types most likely to organize their closet by color and keep their shoes in boxes. They might always be late, but they are fastidious about their stuff. A great example of a perfect Fun’s closet is the first photo above. See how things are color coordinated? Only a Fun would have the patience to keep that detail oriented organizing system up.

The get things done, list crossing types — Classics, Organic Structures, Smart Structures — would get annoyed with having to keep up with the color thing, or having to put the shoes away in boxes. And forget about the Organic Freedoms and Smart Freedoms. These types? You need to actually set up a system where they have room to be messy, a place they can throw clothes and shoes off and not have to put them away necessarily….hooks and baskets are good solutions.

The photo of the lady with the shoes shows great ingenuity. I adore and love the idea, but God knows if I would ever be able to find that piece of furniture, nor have the space for it, but it would be perfect for Funs, Smarts and Organics.

Having the visual clutter of the all the pretty shoes would annoy most Classics unless they viewed those shoes as works of art. Would it be as pretty if there were tennis shoes and clogs and clunky boots lining those shelves y’know? Also, if you look closely, you can see, it doesn’t actually fit all of her shoes…there are still more collecting on the floor behind her.

All types need to remember that they need more space than they think they do. But still, ALL types should consider hanging shoe organizers, shelves or hanging sweater boxes for their shoes. Otherwise they tend to disappear and become a jumbled mess at the bottom of a dusty closet.