The Case of the Ever-Piling Clothes Chair (and How to Tame It)
Let’s talk about the unsung hero—or maybe the quiet villain—of many bedrooms: the clothes chair.
You know the one.
It’s where outfits land when they’re not ready for the laundry, not quite ready for the closet, or when you just… don’t feel like dealing with them yet.
Recently, a client asked me:
“I just always throw my clothes onto a chair after I wear them. How do I stay tidy?”
If you’re nodding along right now, you’re in good company. Clothes chairs are practically a universal language.
But instead of jumping straight to “fixing” it, let’s pause and get curious about why that pile keeps forming.
Step 1: Identify What’s Actually Bothering You
Before you decide what to change, it helps to figure out what exactly about your clothes chair is causing trouble. Ask yourself:
Is the pile making it hard to find what you need?
Are clothes getting wrinkled and less wearable?
Is the visual clutter stressing you out?
Is it attracting pets or little kids who love to “reorganize” for you?
Do you feel a low-level guilt every time you see it, like it’s a to-do list you didn’t ask for?
Step 2: Figure Out Why the “Final Home” Isn’t Working in the Moment
The other side of the equation is why the closet or dresser isn’t getting the job done right away.
Is your closet door annoying to open?
Do drawers stick or have a broken track?
Is your dresser in another room?
Do hangers make you grumble every time you use them?
Is your closet or dresser so full that fitting clothes back in is a struggle?
Do you dislike mixing totally clean clothes with “mostly clean” clothes?
Or maybe… you just really don’t like folding (no shame!).
When we identify the real roadblock, we can design around it—and that’s when things start to click.
Step 3: Choose Your Tweak—Physical or Routine-Based
Sometimes, the best change is physical:
Remove the closet door (yes, really—especially helpful for ADHD brains).
Fix or replace sticky drawers.
Swap your dresser for an open clothing rack you love looking at.
Add drawer dividers so clothes can live unfolded but still contained.
Other times, the best tweak is routine-based:
Build “reset time” into your week (or whatever rhythm works for you), and give yourself permission to pile clothes in between.
Create a dedicated “worn-but-not-dirty” spot in your closet or dresser to match your habits.
Step 4: Find Your Middle Ground
Here’s a little secret: I have my own “clothes chair moment”… except mine is the top of my dresser.
My personal middle-ground? I quick-fold and stack clothes there during the week when life is busy, then put them away in a batch during my weekly reset.
The Big Picture
Organization isn’t about perfection (especially not 24/7).
It’s about creating systems you can reset easily—so your home can bounce back to calm when you’re ready.
So here’s your nudge:
What’s one little point of friction in your home you could tweak to make resetting easier?
Ready to make your systems work with you instead of against you?
If you’re tired of feeling like your stuff is running the show, I can help!
Together, we’ll design organizing systems tailored to how you actually live—so you can enjoy your home and reset it with ease.
