“An organized, luxurious closet is the ultimate fashion accessory.” —Lisa Adams, LA Closet Design

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We can’t all be so lucky to have a closet like Jaime King. The actress hired closet-whisperer Lisa Adams of LA Closet Design to help with a complete wardrobe transformation. But if you follow Lisa’s 6-step guide to a complete closet makeover, you could be one step closer towards the closet of your dreams.

STEP 1

Purge your closet. If you want to go deep with this one, follow this closet detox cheat sheet. No pity here.

STEP 2

Take inventory. At this point you should only be left with items you truly love, but chances are there are also a few gaps to fill. Read up on wardrobe building and make a list of the pieces missing from your wardrobe. Then, write down every piece that will need a space in your closet. Don’t forget accessories likes shoes, necklaces and handbags.

STEP 3

Design based on your space and inventory. You already know precisely what needs to go in your closet—now you need to assess the space you have to work with. One of Lisa Adam’s key principles is to “designing so that you see every item in the closet at first glance”. Following this rule, how can you optimize your space? Are you using the full height and depth of your closet? Think outside the box (or in this case, the closet): use dressers as bedside tables, or install shoe shelves above your vanity like so to make the closet feel less cramped.

STEP 4

Determine materials/finishes/accessories/furniture pieces. Even the smallest of spaces can be optimized. Do you want to install new shelves? Perhaps wallpaper the back of your closet? Or maybe you want to update the hardware. Do you have space for a dresser or bench? How will you organize your shelves: think of baskets, drawer inserts, shelf dividers, hooks for jewelry and scarves. Lisa Adams also swears by Pliio—”dividers for folding t-shirts and keeping them organized in your drawers”.

STEP 5

Work up a lighting plan. A poorly lit closet is just as unpleasant as a disorganized one. We’re not necessarily talking about backlighting your shoe collection here—but assess what your overhead lighting situation is. Can you upgrade the fixture? Lighting at eye level make fore more flattering light—can you add sconces near your full-length mirror? Do you have a vanity area? Is it well lit? can you add a lamp or sconces?

STEP 6

Install your new closet! You’ve followed all the steps and you now have a clear vision for what your future closet will look like. So order the missing pieces, carve out a few hours in your weekend, and get to work. Once the transformation is complete, make sure you adopt a “one in, one out” strategy moving forward to keep everything under control.