Why You Should Treat Your Closet like a Fridge (It's Brilliant)

"Between getting breakfast on the table, coaxing kids out of bed, and shuffling everyone out the door for early morning sports practices, carpools, and work commitments, I rely on systems to keep our mornings moving. Coffee is always in hand, but smooth routines are what make the difference. Over the years, I've learned that small organizational "hacks" can make or break a morning, things like hooks for backpacks, a designated shoe zone, or preplanned breakfasts."

"On mornings when I'm racing the clock, locating the right clothes (or realizing too late that nothing quite works) can throw everything off. Some days, I'm out the door before 7 a.m., with little time to coordinate an outfit that feels comfortable, functional, and put-together. I've tried laying clothes out the night before, even planning outfits for the week, but real life (and unpredictable weather) often gets in the way. Too often, I end up grabbing whatever's closest, leaving me feeling rushed and not my best"

"In an Instagram Reel, creator and former fashion designer and stylist Tessa Hughes explains how "treating my closet like a fridge saves me thousands of dollars" and ultimately gets it so organized. The idea is simple: Treat each piece of clothing like an ingredient and build your wardrobe the way you'd build meals - around staples you actually use. Instead of filling your closet with one-off pieces that don't work together, this approach focuses on"

Many households start early and rely on systems to keep mornings moving. Getting dressed often becomes the main bottleneck, especially when time is limited and weather is unpredictable. Common strategies like laying out clothes the night before sometimes fail when plans change. Treating a closet like a fridge reframes garments as ingredients to be combined into reliable outfits. Building a wardrobe around staple pieces encourages coordination, reduces one-off items, saves space and money, and speeds morning dressing decisions. The method emphasizes functionality and repeatable outfit combinations rather than accumulating mismatched pieces.

Read at Apartment Therapy