Neatly Store & Quickly Grab Sports Bras and Camis

Whether you’re seeking solutions for storing sports bras or camisoles, this fast, easy method may be the storage and grab & go solution you’re looking for.

Watch the 2-minute video. See what you think. Let me know if it’s useful for you or how you modified it. If you’ve got a way that works better for you, feel free to share that too. I always love learning new tricks.

Start Organizing with a Quick, Focused Win

Can’t decide where to start your next organizing project when you have too many options? Clutter everywhere? Mindboggling indecision?

Head to the linen closet.

I can totally hear you saying, “The linen closet???? Why would I do I start organizing the linen closet when I have more pressing problems? Much worse areas? Paper! Look at all the paper!”

Here are my reasons:

1. Most linen closets could use a bit of tidying. If your’s is A-Ok, then skip it. Move on to bigger projects elsewhere.

2. Once the linen closet is culled and restraightened, you’ll likely end up with more storage space for stuff you come across in other areas that need a home.

3. This is one of the most important reasons, it’ll guarantee you a relatively quick win. If your organizing skills need bolstering, starting in a small, well-contained area is a logical place to launch. Imagine this: staring at a cluttered closet vs a cluttered room. Just visualizing the latter, my pulse picked up a beat. Once you get the hang of it, move on to a slightly bigger project as time and your bandwidth allow. Keep in mind, even with big projects (or big closets) that the more you break it down into manageable pieces, the less likely you are to break down.

Here’s a quick tip for neatly arranged towels.

Managing a Shape Shifting Wardrobe

Do you experience dramatic weight shifts? For a few months waistlines fit. Your clothes look and feel awesome. Then oops. Your schedule goes haywire. Meals are drive-thru, high-caloric shaper shifters, pre-processed microwavables, and heavy comfort foods when the season changes to dark, cold and for some depressing. The waistline, buttocks, and thighs expand.

Spring arrives. You feel a renewal of energy for exercise and commitment to lighter foods. To look fabulous in summer styles and swimwear. You’re jazzed for discipline. Stomach, buttocks, and thighs tone and tighten or lose an inch or more.

I’m not a medical practitioner, so I have no idea what the roller coaster effect is on the body and mind. As an organizer, I do know that constant wardrobe additions play havoc with closet space and the wallet. I’ve worked with many clients and advised numerous friends on how to balance wardrobe redos.

The first thing to keep in mind is whether you’re dieting or due to health factors, weight can fluctuate up or down. Despite best intentions to adhere to a diet or some form of nutrition-directed practice, we slip up. Personally, I’ve noticed that menopause has caused my body shape to change and weight to creep up regardless that I’m eating less and exercising more. I’m working diligently to stay in the same pant size as I renewed my slacks wardrobe a few years ago after a 20+ year shopping hiatus. I don’t like clothes shopping or acquiring more stuff. Therefore, I’m determined to make these last. Reality is “handling the seasons of your life”* might mean not only multiple seasons of clothing, it may also result in multiple wardrobes due to a string of size increases and decreases.

How do you handle multiple wardrobes? Do you buy new each time your size shifts? Do you give away the outgrown to make way for the new? Is this a never-ending cycle?

Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind.

1. Give change time before investing

Is this weight change due to a one-off event such as an illness or medication change? If so, before you rush out to buy new clothes, give the weight adjustment time to either go back to the way you were or to settle into a new reality. Sometimes pharma such as steroids or birth control can cause weight gain and water retention bloating. Stressful situations such as an impending relocation, a tragic episode, relationship discord or loss, job loss, or even sending a child off to college can lead to food self-medication. Your weight may continue to increase or decrease depending upon the situation. Consult with your medical practitioner or nutritionist for guidance before hitting the stores. If you do frequently reinvest in new clothes because of size fluctuations, consider second hand stores as a thrifty, reuse alternative.

2. Consider tailoring alterations

Before loading up on a new wardrobe and unloading your old, select a few faves and consult with a tailor about altering in a way that will allow for weight fluctuations. If you are an avid seamstress, get creative if possible on adjusting for temporary fit. This will save you money, storage space, and hassle with selling or donating good condition clothes.

3. Segregate your storage by size

In order to save time when dressing, organize your closet or dresser drawers by size for quicker grab and go. Sorting through what fits and doesn’t each morning slows you down, spawns aggravation, and can lead to feelings of self-defeatism.

4. See-Sawing

If you suspect that your weight will continue to pop up and down or have a history see-sawing, store ill-fitting clothes in a sealed, impenetrable labeled bin in another closet, attic, basement or elsewhere. If years have gone by without getting close to that size again, then you might wish to let those clothes go on to someone who would appreciate the gift or sale. Before you do a complete purge of outgrown sizes, keep a few favorites or go-tos to fall back on if your weight returns to that size.

5. Update To-Go Bags

If you keep an emergency to-go bag/kit, remember to update what you've stowed with current fitting options.

Weight changes for most of us are inevitable. It can be upsetting to shift to another size or bounce back and forth repeatedly. Adding closet and financial stress may impact weight concerns further, so try some of the tips above to keep the calm.

*”Landslide”, Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac

Grab & Go Outfits

Maximize Clothes Storage Regardless of Height

Pull-down closet rod for closet available at rev-a-shelf.com

Are you vertically-challenged but need every inch of closet space? Here is a simple solution for maximizing clothes storage yet if like me, you were not gifted with statuesque legs.

Pull-down rods are ideal and available in a range of widths, depths and adjustable lengths to accommodate various design options and accessibility needs. The adjustable telescoping pull-rod can be sized to your individual needs.

This pull-down rod available at Rev-A -Shelf can be installed for you or instructions are provided for DIYers.

Not only is this perfect for your clothes closet, but it works well in the laundry room too. Why waste valuable space with inefficient designs? Make the most of what you’ve got.

And as for those statuesque legs? My tiny build works just fine (most of the time).

Need assistance figuring out how to fit your stuff into your spaces? Contact ThePracticalSort.com. A fresh set of eyes and a new perspective for vexing challenges.

Recycling Hangers

Check with your local dry cleaner to see if they will accept used hangers.

Neat Linen Closets in One Easy Step

From cattywampus to neatly arranged with a quick flip around.

A stager's trick to neat looking closets is to place the towel folds facing outward toward the closet door. This simple trick keeps the towels looking tidier, hides any floppy tags, and enables easy selection.

Organize the towels by color, user, size, room (i.e., master bath, powder room, etc.), then just grab and go.