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The Georgette Marise Blog is a collection of informal journal-like posts written by interior designer, Sabine Guillaume Hayes. Our posts are meant to inspire and educate through discovering the latest home furnishing products, design tips for easier living, trending paint colors for ideas, and featured interiors picked by Sabine!

Happy New Year! The holidays are over and it’s time to think about new goals and projects you want to tackle for the year. A great personal project in your home to tackle at the beginning of the year is your closet. Closets are an essential part of a home. I want to spend time sharing particularly about the closets in our bedroom. They are the enclosed spaces where everything is stored, most importantly our clothes. Having a well designed and organized closet can create ease in our daily lives.

Know Your Closet Type. Depending on the type of closet that you have your design and organization may be different but the overall concept is the same.

Reach-In Closets. These closets are usually found in apartments and older homes. Reach-ins are versatile in design and can easily be tucked away in corner of a room with a single door or can take up a complete wall with sliding or pocket doors. They have a rod pole with a shelf above for additional storage. If customized or designed successfully these closets can offer maximum storage with minimum space.
Wardrobe or Armoires. These are probably the oldest form of closets and are still used today as additional forms of storage. Wardrobes can be found in lofts or modern homes as built-ins or large pieces of furniture. They usually have doors and drawers with rods and compartments inside including mirrors, hooks, and pull-outs.
Walk-In Closets. Walk-ins are a room within themselves. They are often considered luxurious and found in master suites. In order to not waste space, I recommend a proper closet system design, lighting fixture(s), and even a seating area (if possible). A successful walk-in closet in my opinion is one that blends with the overall decor of a master bedroom.

Organize Your Closet. Whether you have a reach-in, wardrobe or walk-in closet without organization your closet is just a space full of stuff everywhere. You should open the door(s) to your closet and know what you need and where to find it. Depending on your closet type, amount of clothing, and your budget you may want to consider purchasing or custom designing a full closet system. Even a small reach-in closet can benefit from a closet system with additional shelves and drawers. Tracey Evelyn, a wardrobe stylist expert recommends categorizing your closet. She says that by grouping all your blouses together, your skirts together and dresses together they make moving through your closet such a breeze. Tracey helps her clients organize their clothing in their closets to make getting dressed easy and quick through her personal Closet Edit service.

Decorate Your Closet. Just like any space the functional component is essential but so is the aesthetic. As I mentioned earlier, your closet should blend in with the overall decor of your bedroom. For example, if your bedroom is rustic with a neutral color palette be sure that look is carried into your closet. Also, don’t be afraid to accessorize with the space you have. Check out my post on Must Haves for Decorating your Closet for tips and inspiration.

Let’s start the new year fresh and organized! Share below what home projects you are hoping to tackle this year.

Bonne année ! Happy New Year!

It's a New Year and that means it's time to get organized. Whether you have a tiny closet or a large walk in closet you can have a beautifully designed space that is an extension of your bedroom. An organized closet showcases your wardrobe by incorporating beautiful finishes and accessories. Here are some must haves for decorating your closet.

Decor Items that will help organize your closet

Area Rug/Carpet. Compliment your closet storage system or furniture by adding a large area rug or wall to wall carpet. This will help create a relaxed look in your closet.
Lighting. Lighting is key in any room but especially in your closet. Add a chandelier if space permits to add a decorative touch to the space. Accent lighting may also be needed to highlight your wardrobe.
Hangers. Use the same style hangers throughout your closet, this will create consistency. Make sure you use quality hangers that will support your clothing.
Drawer Organizers. Keep your socks, personal items and jewelry clutter free with drawer organizers. Knowing where to find your items saves you so much time and frustration.
Drawer Hardware. Adding hardware to your drawers can serve as a decorative and functional accessory to your drawers.
Mirror. Just like every clothing boutique has a mirrors, every closet should have a mirror of some form. Use a floor mirror to look at your outfit in whole but if space doesn't allow make sure to add a small accent mirror on a wall or table surface.
Storage Basket & Bin. A closet is meant for storage, however it doesn't have to look boring. Use large color fabric bins with lids for storing larger items and small baskets with labels for storing smaller items.

Redefine your storage space by turning it into the closet of your dreams!