I'm working on cleaning out my closet and am looking for suggestions on how to organize it. It's a large walk in closet with rods for hanging clothes on 3 walls. The fourth wall has my chest of drawers and the door to the closet. Right now I have all my pants on one wall, all my shirts on one wall and all my dresses/skirts/jackets on one wall.

I'm currently in a size 18W pants and 1X shirts, but since I lost weight, then regained and am now losing once again I have a range of sizes, from misses 16 to women's 20s, and also shirts in L to 1X. Some of the 20s I can still wear, so I will be keeping them for a little while longer. Not too much longer, though.

And within all these sizes, I have casual clothes, dress clothes (not a whole lot), winter clothes and summer clothes. How in the heck do I organize this chaos knowing that I'll be dropping sizes periodically? Any suggestions? What has worked for you?

Wow, except for the closet, we seem to have the same wardrobe.

I cull out the big stuff and put them in a box for the attic, then after a couple months of collecting I take them to Goodwill or give to friends.

I keep a rack handy of 'what fits now' right in front of the closet. I then have a section of sizes going down in size, very similar to the racks at clothing stores.

I try on the 'one size too small' clothes once a week as motivation and so I don't miss that golden opportunity of having something new to wear.
I do find if I prepare my clothes for the week, sometimes by the friday the pants are too big! What a nice problem to have.

My favourite thing is trying on the next size down... what fun.

Oh, I made a little circle thing out of cardboard to put on the rail to help me see the sizes. I mourn some of my lovely clothes as I shrink out of them, but more good stuff is on the rack and waiting for me.

Oh, and I keep seasonal clothes in plastic bins on the shelves marked with the season and the size. Some stuff I won't get to wear again, it'll go straight from "winter, size 2x" to the "Goodwill" box!

I'm jealous of your walk in closet! I have a tiny, tiny closet.

Definitely pack up the stuff that's too big, clear out the space. I liked Pennink's idea of organizing the too small stuff by size like in a clothing store. You always know what to try on next!

I loved shopping in my own closet as I lost weight, it's the *best* feeling to try on clothes that used to be tight and see that they fit.

Oh, that's a great idea Pennink! I never would have thought of making up those round things with the size on them. Currently I walk into the closet and see all these clothes but a lot of them don't fit yet. So it's been discouraging rather than motivating. This will really help. Thanks for the idea!

Valerie, I've already gone through and gotten rid of the big stuff... well except for that one pair of pants and shirt when I was at my all time high weight. Definitely want to keep those for another pic when I get thin. I am not keeping that large stuff around any more... too dangerous.

Thanks again for the help!

hey I just checked out your site briefly diemde. You give good advise, but can any one help me with this I quit drinking 6 mnts. ago and evr since have had and still have a HUGE craving for sweets. I think I know why but what can I do low carb to satisfy this? I go to the grocery store and want shove a whole choclate cake in my face, and I could care less who sees it HELP! I never craved sweets at all before maybe a few drinks a day gave me all the sugar I needed, I was always salty over sweet, now I want the sweet!! I crave it? HELP again?? ANYone?

I need to follow this thread! I went to Lord & Taylor this weekend and bought new shirts and pants - it was a bit of a spree, but it felt so good to get clothes that fit. I love that store!

My closet is pretty organized, but I keep a pair of "old" clothes around so that I can try them on and remind myself of the "old" me and the progress I've made!

Hey Noel,

What about coconut oil bark? That kills me cravings for sweets very quickly.

As for closet organizing, I like the size indicators! I bought some of those handy dandy storage containers on wheels that are made to fit under the bed. That is a good way to get off-season stuff out of the way if you don't have an attic or basement.

I have an awesome attic, and I have a pole suspended from the ceiling with a huge rack of too-small clothes. (I mean really small, size 2 and 4s) I wouldn't get rid of them and I'm so excited to see them up there and know I'm going to be slipping into that lovely yellow silk shift dress again, or that perky little kilt and matching turtle neck... Hold on up there! I didn't forget you! I'm on my way!!!

I never bothered. Though I should have. I kept wearing the same clothes, just kept tighting them all the time. I looked like an orphan (or how my husand called me). Finally my underwear got too big. I lost weight so rapidly, when I bought a size 8, (My first purchase) I fell out of it the next day. From beginning to end, it was less then 4 months.

Closet organizing has gotten extremely easy for me these days.

I just get rid of everything that gets too big for me.

I only keep:
3 pairs jeans,
4 strappy tanks tops,
2 regular tank tops,
3 long sleeve shirts,
3 short sleeve shirts,
3 underwears,
3 swimsuits,
1 leather riding jacket (down from about 8).

Life is a lot simpler and I find myself cheaper to keep this way. And laundry time is a snap!