How to Organize Your Entryway Coat Closet
When it’s apparent that all this cool weather is here to stay, it’s time to get reacquainted with the entryway coat closet. For many, this is a place where coats go to disappear into one large MONO-coat. We cling to coats we just might wear again (THIS is the year I’ll wear that brown leather bomber jacket!), but in reality, we end up rotating between a couple of reliable standbys.
When your closet has become a no-man’s land of fleeces and parkas and baseball gloves, it might be time for a little refresh. Read on for my simple step-by-step process:
Take *everything* out. Ugh, yes I hear you groaning from across the screen. Do I really have to take everything out? The short answer: yup. If you’ve been wearing the same jacket on repeat because you’re overwhelmed by the sea of coats before you, it’s time to do some soul-searching/coat-searching. Another fun part about taking everything out: you inevitably discover some random hat or glove you thought you lost forever. And don’t forget the pile of shoes at the bottom of your closet!
Declutter, edit, tomato, tomahto. The goal with the coat closet is to make it as roomy as possible, so can actually see your inventory all at once. Chances are you might have two or five coats that have seldom been worn. Try them on and look in the mirror! How do they feel? How do they look!? When the coat feels itchy/doesn’t fit with a sweater underneath it/looks more tattered than flatters, say sayonara. Consider donating your extras to One Warm Coat, which provides coats to adults and children in need. Simply type in your zip code and it will direct you to the closest drop off location.
Assess the accessories. Let’s take a look at our hat, scarf and glove collection. Are all those gloves paired up, or are we officially missing the mate to the heather grey cashmere glove? If so, RIP. Are we really going to wear that silk scarf covered in dragons and sequins from Aunt Geraldine? Let’s just toss it in a donation bag, along with the other scratchy wool hats. Same goes, perhaps, for the ankle boots with the too-high heels. Or the winter boots that are STILL way too big, despite stuffing them with multiple insole. The name of the game is to hold onto stuff that we use and LOVE on a regular basis!
Categorize the coats. Sharing your coat closet with more than one person? I recommend separating them for ease and convenience. You could use a closet marker to create a clear division, or you could just state the rules plain and simple (i.e., this is my side, your side, etc.). Got kiddos? Closet markers could come in handy. I like to take things a step further and organize coats by type (i.e., peacoat, floor length, formal, puff coat, bulky ski coat). You can also color code here as well for some more visual flair.
Add in some organizing flair. While by no means necessary, a little bin or drawer action in the entryway never hurt anyone. The Narrow Drawer Organizer by Elfa is fabulously easy to assemble and even easier to use. Works perfectly for organizing your gloves, scarves and hats. I also love these woven leather baskets, which make any closet look eons chicer. And my favorite: these brass s-hooks, which I use to neatly hang totes/backpacks/purses. Don’t have the extra closet space for the s-hook look? A behind the door hook works just as well. And if you store winter shoes in your front hall closet, consider lining the base with a simple yet sturdy two-tiered shoe rack.