9 Ways to Achieve Closet Organization

Are you happy with your closet? I’ve been on a mission to achieve closet organization and I thought I would share with you some of my best tips. For me, it’s been a constant struggle but definitely something that I’ve worked hard on this year. Thanks to one of my favorite books, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (I’ve actually read it THREE times in the last 2 years) I can honestly say I’ve made some giant strides in the closet wars this past year. Here are a few of my biggest tips and take aways, and things that have made a huge difference for me in my attempt to achieve closet organization.

A closet, first and foremost, is meant to be functional. Regardless of what you’re working with it, there are simple ways to make it work for you. No need to race to a professional and pay thousands! Here are 9 ways to keep your closet organized.

Add shelves.

Depending on what you need to store in there, it may be more practical to add or subtract shelves. You can make the space look like a book case, or take out pointless shelves that were installed too high or too low in the first place. Home improvement stores have everything from inexpensive wire shelving to entire, solid wood, shelving systems. The point is not to feel stuck with the configuration you currently have.

Utilize baskets.

Bins and baskets are an attractive way to store and camouflage otherwise messy belongings (underwear, socks, scarves, mittens, and other accessories). A row of neat containers suddenly makes a closet appear a lot more put together. Craft stores often clearance out cloth, metal and wicker baskets, so be on the lookout for prices as low as $1.99! (Hint: They’re usually on the highest possible shelf.)

Put a dresser inside.

Do you have the space for either a high or low dresser? While not always the less expensive option (unless you can use something you already have), this takes care of additional storage and camouflaging messy items all at once. Bonus: You can also set up a vanity area on top, if you don’t need the space directly above the dresser. This storage solution works particularly well in a nursery or young child’s closet, where hanging items aren’t very long and can easily hand on top of the dresser. This also frees up space in the child’s room for play time.

Choose your hangers wisely.

Using all one type of hanger will keep clothes spaced evenly, as well as being more attractive. Why does this matter? When clothes are smashed together, they get wrinkled. When they’re hung on the wrong hanger, certain garments slip off and end up on the floor. Flocked hangers are great for silky and flimsy tops. Large wooden hangers help coats keep their shape. My very very (very!) favorite hangers can be found in my post here (along with a possible deal on them).

Another great option for making more room is to use scarf and belt hangers. It also makes it easier to see your scarves and belts when you are trying to make wardrobe decisions.

Use a shoe rack or cubbies.

Some people go so far as to store their shoes in clear, plastic containers. If you have too many shoes for that, want your shoes to be more readily accessible, or don’t have the space for the containers, add a shoe rack (over-the-door, wire, plastic, wooden) or shoe cubby shelving (typically wooden) to the mix. This keeps shoes off the floor (so you can clean more easily), and streamlines them all in one place.

Keep your laundry moving.

Want your closet to look instantly cleaner? Don’t let dirty clothes pile up. When you open the door, you don’t want obstacles in the way of quickly getting what you need. This is a great chore for kids. Make it part of their chore routine to get everyone’s laundry to the laundry room on a certain day of the week.

Pack seasonal clothes away.

If it’s not the right season, summer or winter clothes will just take up precious real estate in your closet. Use space-saving, vacuum-seal bags or under-the-bed storage containers to pack away clothes you won’t need for months. If you have plenty of space in your closet, move these items out of the way, to the back, or packed into a suitcase.

Install hooks for jewelry, hats and other small accessories.

Do you have any wall space at all inside of your closet? Look high, low and to the sides. There’s possible storage everywhere!

Keep it clean, add air fresheners and vacuum regularly.

If your closet is clean and organized, you’ll likely want to keep it that way. If it smells like dirty shoes and has piles of clothes everywhere, you’ll likely be frustrated and only end up buying more! Another great chore idea for the kids, and a great way to make sure that the small jobs stay on the schedule. We are a huge fan of chore charts around here and these are definitely the kids of chores that kids can handle.

Overall, if you can keep your closet organized, you might be one step closer to keeping your sanity. Plus, an organized closet really does make it easy to see what clothing you have, what you need and what you are ready to get rid of. What ways do you keep your closet organized? I would love to hear!