We all have hectic lives at times, but that doesn’t mean we need chaos in our living spaces, especially our closets. Keeping an organized closet can be a tedious task, but keeping things tidy can save you a lot of time and frustration.

I recently took on the task of a complete closet makeover, and for anyone looking to do the same, these few tips might come in handy.

What’s hanging?

Before you start, you’ll want to make sure you have enough hangers. Things start getting messy when you hang multiple items on one hanger. You can get a large pack (or two, or three) of sturdy hangers for less than $2. It’s worth the investment.

Seasonal switch

Now that winter is over, it’s time to put away the scarves, puffy jackets and sweaters. If you have space elsewhere to store these bulky items, I would suggest moving them out of the way. Space bags are a great option for maximizing storage. If not, you’ll want to push your winter clothes to the back of the closet. Pull forward all of your season appropriate items for easy access.

Start from scratch

You might not want to hear this, but the easiest way to do this is to remove EVERYTHING. As you do so, make piles of what needs to be rehung properly, your work clothes, party clothes, hanging around the house clothes, tops, dresses, bottoms, however you want to organize everything. If you want to get creative, color coordinate everything. Make a pile of clothes to be donated, and pair together separate pieces of any sets you have. This will all make putting everything back in easier.

Location matters

Let’s be honest. We all have our favorite items. These need to be placed in the front of your closet. You don’t want to have to go through everything else to get to your go-to items. Make a system and stick to it. If you have your dresses on one end, separate them into work and party dresses. All athletic wear should be together. Jackets should have their own section as well. Pair your shoes, lined up at the bottom or in a shoe cubby.

Keep it up

Now that you’ve done all that work, you want to keep everything nice and organized. As you do laundry, make sure you follow your new system. If you keep up with it as you go, you won’t have to worry about things getting out of hand again. Remember, a little bit of effort goes a long way.