A custom closet remodel cuts down on the stress of busy mornings in Manassas, VA. If you’re on the fence, here are three signs it’s time for an upgrade.

I’ve got a couple of friends in Manassas who are perpetually frazzled. They have young kids, so I’ve always chalked it up to the stress of dealing with the terrible twos. But, turns out, there’s more to it than that: The whole city of Manassas is frazzled, ranking second on the list of most stressed cities in VA. A lot of the stress boils down to work—namely, getting to work. If I had to commute into DC and spend several hours stuck on I-66 every day, I’d be wild-eyed, too.

But what can you do? I don’t know how to fix the interstate system, but I do have some suggestions for making your morning routine a little easier—and since I’m in the closet business, most of those suggestions have to do with reorganizing your wardrobe.

If any of these common struggles add frustration to your day, it may be time for a closet upgrade.

#1 You Can’t Find What You Want to Wear

Have you ever been getting ready, slacks already on, blouse picked out, when you can’t for the life of you find the single belt that matches everything? Did you leave it in another room? Did it fall into the back of the closet? Did the dog eat it?

Don’t waste time hunting it down. You need a place for everything and a commitment to putting everything in its place. Consider adding these features to your closet:

• Shoe shelves. A great way to keep footwear organized without using up too much space. Never search for your favorite black pumps again.

• Pull-out racks for belts and scarves. A convenient way to hang accessories so that they won’t get tangled, or misshapen, or lost behind the laundry hamper.

• Jewelry drawers. I find a dedicated, velvet-lined drawer in my closet is especially great for keeping track of earrings. Mine seem to wander off overnight if I leave them on the nightstand or in the bathroom.

• Wire baskets. These are great for items like socks and underwear. You can easily see into the baskets, so you know exactly what you have and when you’re running short.

#2 You Find What You’re Looking for, Only to Realize it’s too Wrinkled to Wear

I used to have a small closet that couldn’t quite fit all my clothes. It was common for me to pull out a button-up shirt only to find the collar was bent, making it unwearable without ironing.

It’s important to store your clothes correctly to keep everything in good shape. We’ve got some custom closet solutions that can help:

• Break up your hanging areas to give clothes some breathing room. Adding multiple hanging rods helps you avoid smashing everything together and also lets you organize your wardrobe. You can have a section for blouses, skirts, jackets, and whatever else you need.

• Multiple shelves are another great addition. They let you store folded clothes without stacking them sky high (and accidentally setting creases into them).

• A fold-out ironing board lets you take care of any stray wrinkles without having to haul a freestanding board out from the laundry room.

#3 Bad Lighting Has You Wearing Mismatched or Stained Clothes

Have you ever left the house only to realize you’re wearing one blue sock and one black sock? Or worn a shirt all day before remembering that stain on the collar? These are signs your closet lighting needs some work.

There are a few ways you can upgrade your lighting to more easily see what you’re doing:

• Under-shelf lighting. These lights don’t consume much electricity but will let you see all the way to the back of every shelf and are useful for illuminating stacked and folded clothes.

• Recessed overhead lighting. This is a great upgrade if you want to be able to examine your whole outfit in front of the mirror. The one drawback to overhead lighting is that it can’t always reach every nook and cranny. I’d suggest combining it with one of the other options above.

Take a Little Stress out of Your Life by Updating Your Closet

Little things can throw you off, or they can ease your day. A well-designed and well-organized closet won’t shorten your commute from Manassas to DC, but it can give you a little more breathing room and stop you from starting the third Battle of Manassas the next time someone cuts you off on the 234 on-ramp.

If you’d like to simplify your morning routine, our design experts at Closet America can help. Get in touch to set up a free design consultation, and let us create a custom closet that puts everything in its place, perfectly.