In the spectrum of cleanliness, most of us fall somewhere between Mr. Clean, that hunky bald guy who dares to wear the white shirt that’s two sizes too small, and a contestant from Hoarders. Actually, who are we kidding? We’re more Hoarders than Mr. Clean.
That’s why keeping the closet organized is so critical. It’s one thing to have room for a new dress, and it’s another to be able to find that new dress again in three months. When you can see what you own, you can curate outfits with every available resource on hand. But if your closet is a crazy mess, you forget about the cute dress and the matching sandals.
So commit to an organized closet. The benefits are clear: You’ll spend less time hunting down pieces and wear your clothes more.
- Identify closet trouble spots first, rather than redesigning your entire storage system.
- Use vertical space, doors, corners, slim hangers, and a second closet rod to increase storage without expanding your closet.
- Organize clothes so they’re visible and accessible, which helps you wear more of what you own and avoid unnecessary purchases.
Read next: Clothing care 101: How to make your wardrobe last longer
1. Closet hamper
Not everyone has a room designated for dirty laundry, but no one wants it lying around. A pretty, lidded closet hamper is a sneaky, luxurious way to hide the mess.
If floor space is limited, look for a tall, narrow hamper rather than a wide basket.
2. Scarf hanger
Scarves or handkerchiefs, anyone? A scarf hanger is a chic way to hang them without taking up much closet space. You can also use one for hosiery, leggings, belts, or ties.
Just don’t overload it. If you have to remove 22 scarves to get to the one you want, you’ve defeated the purpose.
3. Cube storage
Cube storage works for any room in the house. In your closet, you can stack T-shirts, sweaters, jeans, and shorts. Or buy a few bins to sit in the cubes, and then you’ve got a place for your socks and undies.
For a more polished look, use matching bins and leave a few cubes open for shoes or handbags.
4. Belt organizer
If you don’t have room to hang your belts, try an in-drawer organizer. Individual compartments keep belts rolled neatly and hidden inside a drawer.
You can also use drawer dividers you already own rather than buying something specifically marketed for belts.
5. Matching storage boxes
Great for hats, scarves, swimwear, and all the other little things that fall off the shelves, fabric boxes keep clutter contained.
Choose matching boxes or baskets if you want that dreamy boutique-closet look. And measure your shelves before you buy. The prettiest storage bin in the world isn’t very useful if it’s two inches too tall for the shelf.
6. Corner shelves
Finally, a better way to utilize all your closet space, ladies. Corner shelves turn that awkward intersection between two walls into useful storage.
Use them for folded clothes, handbags, hats, or shoes. No more cutting corners! (Pun intended.)
7. Shoe rack
And here we are — the infamous shoe rack. It’s a great option if you’re trying to free up floor space. Before buying one, count your shoes. Seriously. A 12-pair rack isn’t going to solve your problem if you’re trying to house 37 pairs.
Keep the shoes you wear most often easiest to reach and move special-occasion pairs higher or farther back.
8. Space-saving hangers
Get more from your closet space with cascading or folding hangers that let you store several garments vertically. Make sure you choose something heavy-duty if you’re hanging jeans, trousers, or jackets. A bargain hanger isn’t much of a bargain when it collapses under the weight of your clothes.
9. Pegboard
Pegboard isn’t only for the garage! Mount it to your closet door or an open wall, then add pegs and hooks. Voila — you now have a place to hang your bags. Or use it for necklaces, bracelets, belts, hats, or scarves. The beauty of pegboard is that you can rearrange the hooks as your wardrobe changes.
10. Slim matching hangers
Here’s one of the easiest closet makeovers of all: Replace bulky, mismatched hangers with slim ones. Slim hangers take up less rod space and create a cleaner visual line. Matching hangers also make even a basic closet look surprisingly polished.
You don’t have to replace everything at once. Start with your most crowded section and add more as your budget allows.
11. Shelf dividers
You know that perfectly folded stack of sweaters that collapses the second you pull one from the middle? Shelf dividers can put an end to that nonsense. Use them to separate sweaters, jeans, handbags, or other items stored on long shelves. They create individual zones without requiring you to install additional shelving.
12. Over-the-door storage
Your closet door is free storage real estate. An over-the-door organizer can hold shoes, scarves, belts, jewelry, small handbags, or workout clothes. If you prefer a cleaner look, mount a few attractive hooks or narrow racks to the inside of the door instead.
13. Double your hanging space
If most of your wardrobe consists of shirts, skirts, and pants, you may have a big stretch of unused space beneath your clothes. A second closet rod can turn that empty area into another level of hanging storage. Keep one full-length section available for dresses, jumpsuits, and coats.
14. Give your handbags a home
Handbags deserve better than being tossed into a pile on the closet floor. Give them a dedicated shelf and use dividers to keep them standing upright. You can stuff structured bags with tissue paper or old, clean T-shirts to help them maintain their shape.
15. Use clear bins for little things
Swimsuits, tights, gloves, shapewear, clutches, and other small items have an impressive ability to disappear into a closet. Clear bins let you see what’s inside without pulling everything down. If you prefer opaque bins because they’re prettier, add labels.
Organize before you accessorize
Before you buy 14 matching bins and a very photogenic shoe rack, figure out what you’re organizing. Pull out the pieces you don’t wear anymore, then group what’s left into categories. You can organize by garment type, color, lifestyle, season, or some combination of those.
Then look for the trouble spots: Are shoes taking over the floor? Are sweaters falling off the shelf? Do you have unused wall space above your clothing rods? You don’t need to redesign your complete closet right now. Start with finding solutions for your problem areas and build from there.
The Budget Fashionista takeaways
An organized closet lets you see what you own so you can wear it. Start with your trouble spots, add a few smart storage fixes, and let your wardrobe get back to work.