Boston’s first CRAVE Guide is coming soon! So CRAVE is here to help you prepare your closet for all the extraordinary woman-owned boutiques and special Guide Book savings! After tons of shopping, the only question is: where will you put all of your fabulous finds? Our answer: clean out your closet!

Follow these tips to turn your closet into a sanctuary!

1. Set aside at least an hour, maybe two. And remember, many hands make light work! See if you can get a friend to help you… or at least keep you company!

2. To begin, remove everything! As you do, sort the items, putting similar ones together. Also make “Trash” and “Give Away” piles if you plan on purging. CRAVEtip: If you haven’t worn an item in a year, and don’t plan to in the foreseeable future, get rid of it! It is just taking up precious space.

3. Good news! You are half way there! Now, you just have to put everything back. Organize your clothes by there function: dresses, work skirts, work blouses, evening blouses, work-out clothes… etc. Place purses and accessories on shelves; put shoes on the floor. It is helpful to store shoes in boxes, either their original boxes or plastic ones, especially if you have a lot of shoes! Stacking shoeboxes is a great space saver, and an easy way to help find exactly which pair you want to wear.

If your closet is only as big as a shoebox, you may need to take additional steps to create more space. Consider over-the-door organizers, wall hooks and multi-level rods and remember that the space under your bed can be utilized as long-term storage, particularly for out of season garb. If you’re ambitious, you can create a second shelf in the closet, or convert your narrow shelf into a deeper shelf by utilizing a wider board.

When you have finaly placed everything back in your closet, toss the trash pile in the garbage and organize the give away pile. You can donate old frocks to a local Goodwill or take them to a resale store to sell. For direct purchasing and consignment, check out Flaunt in Cambridge, Frida Bee in Inman Square, Garage Sale in the South End, and Modern Millie in Salemn! The best part? By recycling clothes you are being environmentally conscious and getting some quick cash to fund future shopping ventures!