How to Color Code Your Closet (2024)

Color Code Your Wardrobe

How to Color Code Your Closet (1)

A simple and effective technique to “know what you own”…

Color coding your wardrobe in your closet makes it simple to find the clothes you’re looking for, coordinate your outfits, and creates an order to your hanging and folded clothing that is deeply pleasing to the eye.

There’s also another great reason to color code your closet. To find out if you need another black skirt.

Without your clothing sorted by type and color, you can’t effectively see the black skirts you own, so you probably think “yes” and go buy a new one. However, if all eight of your black skirts were placed together, you might think again. In fact colored coded wardrobe storage tends to save people money by easily seeing what is in your closet and how it can be paired with other items.

2 Tips To Help Organize Your Wardrobe

1. Set aside a few hours. I promise the benefits will be worth the time you need to invest.

2. It helps if you have a portable hanging rack so you can move items from your closet rod to the rack and back to the rod as you sort.

3. Be prepared to purge items you no longer want. Have several large trash bag. Use one for items you can donate and another for items that need to be thrown away.

How to Color Code Your Closet (2)

Use these 5 simple steps:

Step 1

Start by separating clothes by type: folded short sleeve shirts to folded short sleeve shirts, hanging dress shirts to hanging dress shirts, pants, etc.

Step 2

Once you have like items combined together begin to sort by color. Group all blues, light and dark, dress shirts together. Continue to group colors for all items so pants to pants, and so on.

Step 3

Choose your color coding method. There are many ways to go but we’ve narrowed it down to the two most effective:

• Light to Dark – Start with white and gradually make your way to darker colors by sight. If colors become too similar use a dividing color in an accommodating color family. For example, separate navy blues from blacks by inserting a section of light blue clothing.

• ROYGBIV – Roy-gee-biv! Sort by the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Many people believe it’s the best way to go about color coding a closet—it’s easy to remember and provides greater contrast between groups. You’ll have to decide for yourself the best place for your blacks, whites, browns and grays.

Step 4

For multi-colored items, simply determine the dominant color of the item. You may even want to create a section just for patterned clothing so that you not only color code your closet by color, but also by solids and prints.

Step 5

Experiment. Figure out what works best for you. There are no set rules when it comes to color coding a closet and wardrobe. Learn which method of color coding looks better to you and which method will be easiest for you to maintain.

How to Color Code Your Closet (3)

Benefits Of Color Coding Your Wardrobe

There are a number of reasons to invest your time in this project. Remember that once you have finished you get to enjoy the many benefits that come along with being organized. I’m sure you’ll find that like all organization methods it’s far easier to maintain a system once you have it in place.

Here are the top 8 reasons to get started:

  1. Saves you time when you get ready for your day.
  2. Saves you money because you stop purchasing the same or similar items now that you can see what you have.
  3. Easier to combine your separates and create outfits.
  4. Easier to pack your suitcase for travel and look your best.
  5. Easier to experiment with what you already have now that you can see what colors pair well with others.
  6. Easier to identify and round out any areas of your wardrobe that you need to add items.
  7. Easier to step back and see if your wardrobe is a true reflection of you.
  8. Makes your closet look like a boutique space.

If you are looking for more wardrobe organization tips check out howcloset hangers can help you create more storage space and make your closet more attractive!

How to Color Code Your Closet (2024)

FAQs

How to Color Code Your Closet? ›

Group “types” of clothing together (ie. dresses, blouses, jackets, etc.) Within each group of clothing type, create color blocks. Use the rainbow (ROY G BIV) to color coordinate: White, tan, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, brown, grey, black.

Is it normal to color code your closet? ›

Color coding your wardrobe in your closet makes it simple to find the clothes you're looking for, coordinate your outfits, and creates an order to your hanging and folded clothing that is deeply pleasing to the eye. There's also another great reason to color code your closet.

How do you color code outfits? ›

A mix of Neutral and Complementary colors

Neutral colors are quite important as they can add more balance and harmony to your outfits. Neutral colors also match with any bright, soft, or primary colors. The only thing to pay attention to is to match cold neutral shades with cold shades of other colors and vice versa.

What is the color order for light to dark clothes? ›

Always organize your clothes going dark to light from left to right in your closet. Your eyes will naturally follow the color and this help you stay organized. Start with short-sleeved blouses, hung left to right with light colors starting the section and dark colors finishing it.

What order do colors go in? ›

When organizing by color, look to the rainbow. "Start with white, cream, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, brown, gray, and black," says Melanie Walker, the owner of NEAT Method. There are some other hues that are harder to place when working on the ROYGBIV system, like gold and silver.

What color do most people paint their closets? ›

White is not only a classic and timeless color, but also a practical and smart choice for many reasons. In this blog post, we will explore why white is the best color for your closet, pantry, laundry room, and other spaces in your home.

What color do people paint closets? ›

Whites, grays, browns, beiges are all good choices.

Keeping the walls neutral in a closet will make it visually appealing. A light-colored paint will help brighten the space which is important. If you have a large closet you probably want to give it a cozier feel. You can do this by choosing a darker neutral.

What is the three-color rule in fashion? ›

The premise of the 3-color rule is not combine more than three colors in your outfit at any one time. The exceptions are black and white — they don't count, as they aren't technically colors, so they can be intermixed without actually adding a color to your outfit.

Should I organize my closet by color or type? ›

There's no right or wrong way to organize your closet, but arranging items by color is by far the most effective method I've tried, not to mention the most beautiful. If you try it for yourself and find it isn't for you, it's still a great excuse to sort through your clothes and find a system you like.

Can I mix light and dark clothes? ›

Though many people swear by sorting laundry before washing it, you can wash your darks and lights together with little risk of your lights changing colors. Keep in mind, however, that over time, colors will begin to fade if you always wash darks and lights together.

Should you mix light and dark clothes? ›

Sort Your Clothes by Color

Usually, if we wash an item with a dark color and an item with a light color, some of the darker tones will 'transfer' onto the light item. But the item doesn't even need to be white to suffer from color transference. The same thing can happen with light-colored clothes.

Where does Brown go in the closet? ›

Go Classic

"Sort clothing from left to right starting with the basics: white, cream, yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, green, patterned clothes, brown, gray then black. The result is a closet that looks like a rainbow," she says.

How to organize outfits in your closet? ›

Divide items by type: Jeans, sweaters, dresses, etc. Arrange items based on length and bulkiness: Tops go on lower racks or shorter shelves, pants go on a hook rack or mid-level shelf, and long dresses and bulky coats go on higher racks and spacious shelves.

How to organize clothes in a closet by category? ›

Section garments by type, then by color, so you can always easily see what you have. Hang pants, jackets, button-front shirts, dresses, and skirts. T-shirts, pajamas, sweaters, yoga wear, and underthings should be folded and put in dresser drawers, on shelves, or in bins.

Are you supposed to paint closets? ›

Pantry or bathroom closets.

Use a durable paint in your pantry and other closets where you store things that may spill or get sticky. Use a semi-gloss sheen that stands up to scrubbing. As for color, choose one that blends in with the room.

Is it better to organize closet by color? ›

When you organize your closet by color, you're searching through a much smaller section of your closet. This makes it much easier to find that green top you need. Not only will color-coding your closet help you look better, you'll also save time!

Is it better to organize your closet by color or type? ›

There's no right or wrong way to organize your closet, but arranging items by color is by far the most effective method I've tried, not to mention the most beautiful. If you try it for yourself and find it isn't for you, it's still a great excuse to sort through your clothes and find a system you like.

Should I paint my closet light or dark? ›

Light and bright

This is especially true for smaller closets, since light colours give the illusion of larger spaces. As well, if you're closet is dimly lit, a dark coating of paint will make it almost impossible to find what you're looking for without using a flashlight.

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