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Moving in with your future husband requires a major lifestyle change! Whether you choose to hold off on shacking up until after the wedding or if you move in together before you say "I do," one thing's for sure: It's hard to make one closet work for two people! If you and your husband-to-be are starting small, you've got to economize, maximize, and compromise! That's about as hard as it sounds, which is why we enlisted Target's Registry Expert Brit Morin for her sage advice on the perfect wedding registry items for your shared closet, how to make the most of your space, and more!
For starters, Morin advises all couples to start combining even before you pack up your boxes. "Before you move in together, spend an afternoon sorting through your closets at your old homes," she says. "My general rule of thumb is that if you haven't worn in it a year or it's damaged, you shouldn't bring it with you. Tough love always works best."
And when it comes to one closet, or minimal space, she has one overarching piece of advice: Get creative! "There is no secret formula for how much of the closet you each should have—taking the time to go through everything together and plan your new shared space is a great exercise that might even bring you closer as a couple," she notes. "A little out of the box thinking will go a long way."
With that in mind, Morin has five tips, tricks, and bits of inspired wisdom to help you move in together with ease, and fall a little more in love along the way.
Photo: Courtesy of Target
1. Store your out-of-season items outside of your closet. When it comes to rotating your shorts and sandals out of your closet during the winter, for example, make the most of the furniture you'll already need in your bedroom, says Morin. "Think outside of your closet and don't sacrifice style for function! Your first place together might be small and that's okay; you just have to be open to storing things in unexpected, but smart places," she adds. Morin loves this Threshold patterned bench, which is bright and stylish, but still practical for storing away winter accessories. She also recommends registering for this Room Essentials storage ottoman to keep by the door as an easy storage station for shoes that doubles as a sitting bench for taking them on and off.
Threshold Patterned Storage Bench, $99.99, Target
Photo: Courtesy of Target
2. Use space-efficient hangers. "No one likes a tangled mess of hangers," Morin wisely observes. To avoid this, consolidate both of your hangers to one style to save space and make the space more visually fluid. Joy Mangano's huggable velvet hangers take up less room and prevent clothes from slipping off.
Joy Mangano Huggable Hangers, $31.99 for a set of 40, Target
Photo: Courtesy of Target
3. Use simple tricks to find items more easily. The "out of sight, out of mind" rule applies, so if you can't make everything visible, label as much as you can. You want to be able to remember what you have, or else you won't use it. "These Threshold shirt boxes are great storage options for out of season sweaters or things you don't use every day because there's a perfect slot for a label," Morin says.
Threshold Shirt Box, $35.98 for a set of two, Target
Photo: Courtesy of Target
4. Maximize your closet space. A very simple way to double your space is to add a double hang closet organizer like the one seen above. As Morin says, "It's great to give your husband's suit coats a place to hang nicely and still utilize the open space below for tops and less bulky items."
Double Hang Closet Organizer, $17.99, Target
Photo: Courtesy of Target
5. Stock up on baskets. "I love the colors in this striped Target Threshold bin," Morin says. Baskets are versatile, make for a great display, and you can use them in multiple rooms. "If you use them in your closet, you can store sweaters and scarves, but in your next space, they might be used in the living room to hold magazines and throws," Morin shares.
Threshold Striped Storage Bin, $19.99, Target