Clothes Falling Apart and Other Closet Mishaps: The True Cost of Disorganization

Disorganized closets are a common culprit behind wasted time and money. According to PR Newswire, Americans waste as much as two and a half days per year searching for lost items. This is costing us a grand total of $2.7 billion in replacement costs annually. And when you finally discover the lost items, chances are good you’ll find them damaged from being stuffed in the closet too long, tangled up in a mass of wire hangers, or left in a pile of mold and mildew.

Instead of wasting time and money, Americans could save at least 30 minutes a day being more organized. Think about it. Avoiding preventable closet mishaps like letting your clothes fall apart before their time—or simply fall into disorganization—can go a long way toward saving you a bit of both time and money. Employing the right closet organization solutions can help you do just that.

The Many Costs of a Disorganized Closet

Having to replace ruined clothes—especially if it becomes a regular routine—can get expensive very quickly. Here are just a few of the most common issues we’ve seen, along with their cost:

• A disorganized, poorly designed closet can result in broken hanging rods, clothing getting caught up on hangers, or broken buttons. When cheap closet organizers break, you have to find a replacement. Cheap replacements can be tempting, but ultimately, buying replacements over and over again will soon wind up costing you much more than a one-time purchase of a high-quality closet system.

• Clothes, shoes, and accessories damaged by bad storage practices are an all too familiar reality when you have a closet that is full of clutter. This results in a steep cost for replacing or repairing items such as:
  • Apparel. We all own apparel that we have not worn frequently and maybe have never used, however, when you let your clothing get bunched up in your closet, tags can snag onto hangers or visa versa causing rips and tears in your clothing.

Did you know?: 50% of women say that a quarter of their current wardrobe is never worn and just sits in the closet. This equals nearly $600 of wasted money. And when the clothing you actually do wear is damaged, you have to factor in the cost of replacing those items, too.

• Shoes. How many shoes do you actually own? Some women own 20, and others own double or triple that number. Shoes are bulky, and if not stored neatly they can get damaged or scuffed.

Did you know?: Many women own at least 11 pairs of shoes that are lost in the closet and that are worth hundreds of dollars. What a waste it would be to let these treasures go to waste sitting lost, forgotten, or worse, damaged in a mismanaged closet.

• Accessories. Jewelry is the worst to untangle if—but tangle it will if it’s not organized and stored properly. Broken necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more are all possible when your jewelry collection lacks organization.

• • Even important, regularly used items are all too easy to lose track of in a cluttered closet. Your time is valuable—why waste it looking for things that should be easy to find whenever you need them? (And let’s not even talk about the money we all waste replacing “lost” items only to find the original when it’s too late to take it back…)
  • Potential health concerns such as mold and mildew or moths:

• Mold and mildew. Indoor mold and mildew can cause many respiratory and health issues. It can also damage your clothes, particularly if they are in an area near a water line, bathroom, or laundry room. Mold remediation can also cost homeowners thousands of dollars in property damage, closet restoration, and clothing replacement.

• • Moths can lay waste to wardrobes by laying moth eggs in every nook and cranny and munching on your clothing. It can cost you hundreds of dollars in dry cleaning bills, not to mention (again) replacing items damaged by the moths.

In short, the costs of a cluttered, disorganized closet in which clothes are constantly falling apart can run deep. But if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, don’t give up just yet—there is something you can do about it.

How Closet Organization Can Help Protect Your Clothes from Falling Apart

Organizational systems are the key to banishing clutter and preventing the majority of closet problems, including damaged clothing. Here are some tips to get you started on organizing your closet in a way that will help keep it tidy for the foreseeable future:

• Decluttering is always key to start the process. Remove all items and follow these simple steps to purge your closet.

• Upgrading your reach-in or walk-in closets offering a re-design with hanging organizers, adjustable shelving, cabinets, and deep chrome drawers to store more items.

• Remodeling your entire closet with custom solutions may be key to completely resolve a disorganized closet and prevent many of the common issues of clothing getting damaged. You can prevent damage to your apparel and accessories by:

• Placing hanging rods at different heights—high and low—to maximize the space in your closet and to reduce mishaps, snags, and wrinkles. Valet rods can ensure your clothing is always prepared and in tip-top shape for the next event.

• Use adjustable shelving to organize shoes at just the right height so your closet is fully efficient. Then, you can display all of your shoes in one place without them getting scuffed or bent out of shape.

• Implement velvet-lined jewelry drawers with dividers to simplify the process of keeping your accessories tidy and prevent them from getting tangled up.

• Prevent health concerns such as mold, mildew, or moths by expanding your walk-in closet and reducing your bigger bathroom. This can ensure that you protect your clothing from mildew and mold and offer room for cabinetry and maybe even dovetail dresser drawers for greater organization.

While it will take some work (and some money) up front, the financial and temporal savings offered by organizing your closet now—the right way—will make it all worth it in the long run.

The Benefits of Custom Design and Organization

The benefits of custom design and organization are just as many and varied as the costs of lacking these things. These benefits include:

• Less guilt and shame over the state of your closet (and, by extension, your home)
• More peace of mind and a sense of pride in having a neater, more organized storage space
• Keeping clothes from falling apart for as long as possible
• Spending less time looking for clothes and accessories and more time enjoying whatever activities you’re looking forward to doing while wearing them
• Spending less money on duplicate items and replacements
• Removing all health concerns, ensuring a safer, happier household for all members of your family

A spring cleaning report stated that cleaning and decluttering, as well as organization, gives a majority of Americans a strong sense of accomplishment. In other words, not only will organizing your closet help you take better care of your things—it will also help you take better care of you!

So why wait? Go ahead and let the experts help you turn closet mayhem into a closet miracle. Contact us today to learn more about our design process—or, feel to schedule a free design consultation to get started on fixing your closet right away.