Looking to simplify your space? Discover closet organization ideas that make it easier to maintain a tidy and functional wardrobe.
There are very few organizing rules. Organization is about having a place for everything. You should be able to put items away when done with them and easily find them when needed.
Accept Different Organizing Styles
Accept who you are. Different organizing styles work for different people because everyone is different. Some people need to see things clearly. Some organize by color or type, while others love using drawer organizers.
Organize for the person you are. Everyone falls on a spectrum between very minimalist and needing help. Some people have trouble maintaining the inventory of items. Others need help organizing because they can’t seem to keep them in order. They haven’t practiced enough organizing to really be able to maintain a system.
Organizing is a skill that is capable of being practiced. It’s okay to fall somewhere in the spectrum and not expect to be a staunch minimalist or someone who has a lot of items to keep track of.
Keep Only the Good Stuff
Keep only the things that spark joy in your closet. Everything in your closet should be a favorite. Everything in your closet should be comfortable. Life is too short to have itchy sweaters and things that just don’t feel right on your body.
It’s okay for bodies to change size and shape over time. Keep things around that will fit at both sizes. Keep a single container or two, if there is room. Label one size and another with the other size. When there is a need to shift in the closet, just make the shift.
Everything in a closet should be in wearable condition. Repair items if they are really loved. Repurpose or recycle items that are not worth saving. Those are the things that should be in a closet. Everything in there should spark joy and make you happy.
Use Uniform Hangers
The easiest way to make a closet look neat with almost no effort is to get matching hangers. Uniformity is the easiest way to make any space look organized, even if it’s not really.
When there is a closet full of different-shaped hangers, it can make the space look messy and reduce its functionality. You don’t have to buy expensive hangers. They just need to be similar, a similar shape.
Door Storage
Utilize the door for storage if available. Regular hinge doors provide a great space for extra items. Door and wall racks are very useful for holding a steamer, hair accessories, tights, and belts.
Maximize Vertical Space
Use all of the vertical space in the closet. There is a lot of space being wasted. If there is a high ceiling in the closet, then there is so much extra space for free.
Consider adding a dresser or drawers or some other shelving unit to take up that extra space between the floor and the bottom of the clothes. If more hanging space is needed, install a rod to get that double hang space.
To store items on that top shelf, use stacking bins, stacking boxes, and/or stacking shelves to store stuff that is not used very often. Keep a step stool in the closet, especially if you’re short and there are high ceilings.
Closet Design Tips
When planning a closet, measure garments from the top of the hanger to the bottom of the garment. This needs to be taken into consideration if the space below hanging garments is used for storage.
Drawer Organization
If there are drawers in the closet, treat the drawers like marbles in a jar. The smaller the item, the shallower the drawer. Keep a single layer. Store things in the drawer relative to their size and bulk. Big bulky sweaters go in the big bulky deep drawer; little tiny cute socks go in a shallow drawer. A drawer organizer is also helpful.
Use file folding or vertical folding to have clothes be vertically folded. This way everything is visible.
Organize by Color
Organize things by color. Keeping clothes categorized in a way that works in the closet can be really helpful. For a visual person, keeping things color blocked is very helpful.
The “Kind of Clean” Situation
When a shirt has been worn once, hang it up on a valet hook in the closet and let it air out overnight. After it’s aired out, if it doesn’t smell or isn’t stained, it goes right back in the closet.
All of us have an unintentional inventory of how many times we’ve worn a garment and when it needs to be washed. If it’s smelly, stained, or just looks rank, then it’s time to take it to the dry cleaner or wash it.
