Madeline Deheza Hofer calls the closet-organizing process “liberating”

Closet Cleaners

Outside, the birds were chirping and the sun was shining, but last spring, real estate development consultant Madeline Deheza Hofer couldn't step outside to enjoy it. She was too busy dealing with a major problem:

Wardrobe change-over season is rarely anything but daunting and un-fun.

Closet space.

Even with one home in New York and two in Pennsylvania, Hofer's closets were brimming. Her husband's collection of more than a hundred suits had taken up just about all their space. So she had turned a second bedroom into an ad hoc walk-in closet of racks of dresses, evening gowns, shoes, and handbags. "Our closets were a complete and total mess," says Hofer, 55. "My husband and I were fighting for closet space."

Spouse or no spouse, wardrobe change-over season is rarely anything but daunting and un-fun. When there's finally some sun after the many dark months, what kind of person would opt to hole up indoors and battle hangers?

Someone like Denise Baron.

Baron is the founder of the concierge company Too Little Time, which organizes people's lives one closet at a time. She's the type of person who has a storage system for everything. Her files are color-coded. Her magazines are neatly stored in colorful totes. And her closets? Spotless.

Baron and her staff begin their closet transformations by taking everything out. And we mean everything. They separate clothes into three piles - one for keeping, one for tossing, and one for consignment or donations (to places like The Salvation Army or Vietnam Veterans of America).

"Once I got into the rhythm, it was extremely liberating," Hofer says. "You have no idea how much organized closets free up your life."

Baron has seen people cry during the process . . . but she's also seen a lot of smiles.

Here are her top suggestions for making your spring cleaning tear-free:

Group items by color and style on high-quality hangers. This makes clothing accessible and eliminates duplicates.
For yoga mats, hats, and other items that can't be hung up, invest in colorful storage boxes, which can also liven up dark closet spaces.
Seasonal items such as heavy coats and sweaters can be stored in labeled plastic bins or air-tight bags. Tuck in some dryer sheets to keep them smelling fresh, and then store them away until fall.

Once you've finished, your T-shirts and sundresses will be readily available. Then you'll have plenty of time to stop and smell the newly budding roses with the person that you love, 100 suits and all.

Posted on May 08, 2006