It's always a good idea to assess your closet at the beginning of the year and weed out stuff to donate, sell, or barter with friends. While it's not easy to declutter and organize an overcrowded closet, taking the time to do it now will make it easier to maintain in the future. To have a closet worthy of Marie Kondo, here are tips on how to declutter and organizer your closet from professional organizers.

Categorize.

Certified professional organizer and founder and CEO of Imagine Home Organization, LLC, Kirsten Fisher, tells Hello Giggles that grouping similar items together is the best way to start and it makes it easy for you to see what you already have. First, separate your tops and bottoms, then sort that further into shirts, sweaters, jackets, tank tops, trousers, shorts, and skirts. This is also a good time to see which items you want to let go and replace.

Sort clothing by color.

Professional organizer Cary Prince suggests to Real Simple that you can follow the ROYGBIV pattern for sorting clothes. Sorting everything by the colors of the rainbow not only makes your closet attractive, but it also helps you find stuff easier. In addition, you'll notice if you have duplicates or if you have too many black tops and consider adding more pops of color in your wardrobe. For 2021, Pantone has declared yellow and gray as the colors of the year.

Also read: A Fresh Start: Expert Tips To Help You Start 2021 On A High Note

Make a "Donate" or yard sale pile.

When it comes to letting go, some questions to ask yourself are: Does it fit well? Has it been worn in the last 12 months? Do I feel confident wearing it? As for damaged items, is it worth repairing? Once you've decided, you can either donate or do a yard sale (when it's safer) and earn a little extra money. Fisher adds that the less items there are in your closet, the easier it is to stay organized. For instance, you might find 10 pairs of black pants. Choose your favorites then donate the rest. However, if your lifestyle allows you to use all of them often, keep them.

Separate your seasonal clothes.

Keep your seasonal clothes like cold weather gear on the top shelves. You can keep them in clear boxes so you can spot them easily or just use labels on bins and baskets. The most accessible locations in your closet should be reserved for the clothes that you often wear.

Use matching hangers.

Another attractive way to keep things streamlined is to use matching hangers. Celebrity organizer Ría Safford tells Cosmopolitan that upgrading your hangers is "an instant facelift." Check out brands like Zober, House Day, Dotted Line and Wayfair Basis. The Container Store is also a good source for all kinds of organization projects.

Maximize vertical spaces and blank walls.

If you have excess space on top of your closet, hang extra shelves to maximize it. You can store your bags overhead, especially ones reserved for special occasions. You can also fold heavier winter sweaters and store them up there when spring comes. For blank walls, you can install hooks for belts, caps, scarves and long-strapped bags.

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