How to fit 28 years of clothing in one tiny closet.

After 6 months of wearing coats, snow boots and 3 layers at all times, I am officially over winter and ready for spring! This weekend I decided to bust out my pastels and put my summer clothes back in my closet. Living in the city has taught me a lot, especially when it comes to space and storage.

In our home we store our off season clothes in the basement. In the process of pulling out all my winter clothes and doing the seasonal shuffle, I realized I am a collector. I found shoes from college, dresses from high school and belts from my mother. I have a hard time letting go of things I feel could come back in style. Even though my closet is small now, I don't feel it will be that way forever. After 3 hours of trying to cram way too much into one little closet I thought I'd share how we made it all fit.

City living can be tough especially when it comes to space, here's my tricks of the trade!

Plastic bins under the bed, are great for storage.
Buy a functional dresser.
If you have a basement turn it into an extra closet (Elfa is my friend)!
Don't keep anything you haven't worn in 3 years.
If it's been too tight for two seasons, ditch it!
Get an entertainment center with extra drawers.
Trunks work as decoration pieces and storage.
Utilize the space above the dryer by adding shelves.
Be creative when stacking shoes, there are many ways to hang them.
Get stadium seating for your spices (aka elevated storage).