Closets have doors to hide your secret mess. You accumulate things and stuff them in every possible inch of your closet, so where do you begin to dig out? If the task seems overwhelming, follow these 5 steps to organize the closet of your dreams:

Start with a clean slate. Pull everything out of your closet and set it aside. Now you can give the space a good dusting, wipe down any shelves, and vacuum the floor – don’t forget the corners!

Maximize your space. If you have the resources, investing in a closet system like elfa with custom shelving and drawers is a great long-term fix. If that’s not in the budget, there are some inexpensive options you can implement to make the most of your storage space. Hanging shelves are great for folded items like sweaters and sweatshirts, or even organizing accessories like hats, scarves, and purses. When using hangers, choose all the same color for a sleek look and slim non-slip hangers will maximize the space.

Keep only what you wear. This is always the most difficult task, getting rid of the items you no longer like or wear. Maybe you’ve been holding on to that pair of jeans that is 2 sizes too small, because one day you will fit in them. Let them go! Weed out the unnecessary items by asking the following questions:

• Have I worn this in the past year?
• Does it have holes or stains?
• Does it fit well? Ahem, jeans!
• Does it look outdated?
• Do I still like this?

Separate everything into 3 piles: keep, sell/donate/toss, not sure. If the items in your sell/donate pile are still on trend and in good condition, you can take them to a place like Plato’s Closet or Style Encore and make some money off of your unworn threads. Try on the items in your ‘not sure’ pile and either keep or toss. If you still can’t decide, place the items in a box and store it in the attic, basement, or garage. If you don’t feel compelled to find the box in 6 months, toss it.

Sort your clothes by color. Now that you have weeded out the garbage, hang your keepers up by color. It will make getting dressed in the morning easier and seeing your closet so beautifully organized will encourage you to keep everything neat and tidy.

Keep it clutter free. Don’t let unwanted items pile up and crowd your closet again! Learn from Oprah – After you wear something, hang it in the closet in the opposite direction from everything else. After six months, anything that hasn’t been hung in the opposite direction gets donated.