Why not give the man in your life a valuable gift - the gift of a well-organized men's closet? By organizing your guy’s closet, you will be able to help him manage his time more effectively in the morning and easily identify what he has and what he needs. I will discuss the most effective way to organize a man's closet with these mens closet organization tips and their specific needs for a simple system.
Jump to:
- Where to buy men's closet organizers?
- Design Around His Morning Routine
- Follow the Dominant Hand Rule for Layout
- Invest in Proper Hangers for Each Garment Type
- Organize by Function, Not Just Type
- How to Organize Socks Once and For All {Sock Organization Options}
- The Best Ways to Organize Shoes in Your Home
- Before and After Shoe Organizers
- Organized Shoe Station for the Whole Family
- Unique Ways To Organize Shoes
- 4 Easy Ways to Organize Shoes
- Create Designated Zones for Accessories
- Maximize Storage Everywhere in the Closet
- Last Remarks
Many years ago, when I was a full-time Professional Organizer, I helped my father organize his closet; these tips are based on my experience helping him with his closet. He was a business owner and an electrician.
Where to buy men's closet organizers?
There are several places you can find men's organizing products online and in retail stores. Below are some options that I have seen, which offer a good variety of items to organize men's closets.
- Amazon (affiliate)
- The Container Store
- Target
- Walmart
Design Around His Morning Routine
The first step is to figure out their morning routine (affiliate). The foundation of an organized men's closet is understanding the natural order of getting dressed. Men typically follow a specific sequence: undergarments, socks (affiliate), shirt, pants, then shoes (affiliate). Map out his routine (affiliate) by asking what he puts on first, second, third, and so on. Then arrange the closet to mirror this flow, placing each category of clothing in the order he accesses them. This simple alignment can cut morning prep time in half.
There are a few ways to organize a man's closet. By tasks such as work, casual clothes, or exercise, this works well for men who may be in industries that require specific clothing or necessitate washing their clothing separately from their other garments.
Other men who wear similar clothing may want to keep their closet organized by grouping like items, such as pants, shirts, and sweatshirts.
Follow the Dominant Hand Rule for Layout
Examine your men's dominant hand and lay out the reach-in closet layout this way. This is another Mens Closet Organization Tip. Your closet layout should work with, not against, natural movement patterns. For right-handed men, organize from left to right across the closet space. For left-handed men, arrange everything from right to left. This intuitive flow reduces the mental energy required to locate items and creates a more efficient getting-ready process.
Now you are ready to work on the different areas of the closet. Below are the main areas to take into consideration when organizing the closet:
Invest in Proper Hangers for Each Garment Type
Using the wrong hangers can damage expensive clothing and create visual clutter. Use wider-shouldered hangers for suits and blazers to maintain their shape and prevent shoulder dimples.
For dress shirts, choose velvet-coated hangers (affiliate) if he doesn't button the top button, or standard hangers if he does.
Consistency is key (affiliate)—using the same hanger type for each clothing category creates a clean, organized appearance and maximizes space efficiency.
Ensure they are sturdy enough to support the items. Some items may be heavier than others.
Keep in mind that wooden hangers (affiliate) are ideal for suit jackets but may not be suitable for t-shirts. Wood hangers are also larger and may occupy a significant amount of space, making them best suited for use on select items.
For small closets, it may be best to use slim hangers instead to maximize the storage space.
Hangers/Premium Velvet Hangers 50 Pack - Non-Slip Clothes Hangers
Buy Now →
Hangers 20 Pack, Wood Coat Hanger for Coats, Shirts, Jackets, Pants, Suits, Natural Wood Color
Buy Now →(affiliate)
Organize by Function, Not Just Type
While grouping similar items is essential, take it a step further by organizing within categories by function. Separate work shirts from casual shirts, dress pants from everyday pants, and formal shoes (affiliate) from casual footwear. This functional approach enables him to quickly identify the right piece for any occasion without having to sort through irrelevant options.
Below, I have listed the various items that will be stored in the closet, along with tips to help you organize it effectively.
How to hang men's suits in the closet?
Buy hangers that are wider at the ends so the shoulders will stay on the wooden hangers (affiliate) and will not leave a mark.
Hangers Wooden - Blazer and Jacket Luxury 6 Pack
Buy Now →(affiliate)
How to hang men's shirts in the closet?
If you have a lot of button-down shirts, it's best to have them all facing the same direction. Think of how it looks in the department store. Facing them all the same direction will allow you to store more and eliminate excessive wrinkles.
From my experience, determining how he searches for the shirts will help minimize the time looking for something. Ask him which way he prefers his shirts to be facing.
How to hang men's pants in the closet?
Jeans can be folded or hung, depending on the space in the closet. Dress pants and slacks should always be hung.
There are two ways to hang pants: folded on a hanger or hanging down from the leg. Here are the two types of hangers for men's pants from Amazon (affiliate)(affiliate).
Hanging pants down from the bottom of the pant leg:
This way helps you keep the pants straight and with fewer creases. You will need a lot of vertical space to do this, so before buying, make sure this will work in your man's closet.
Sturdy Wooden Pants Hangers - Natural, 10-Pack
Buy Now →(affiliate)
Folded pants over the hanger option:
This one can be used for people who wear their pants more often. If you store them this way for too long, you may see dust forming on the folded area.
Here are some options if there is not enough space in the closet. You can layer them on one sturdy hanger unit. Be sure to place the hanger with the opening facing out so they can easily access the pants.
There are also easy-on and easy-off pant hangers available (see below). If they have the opening out, they can easily remove the pants without having to move the hangers.
If your man has several pairs of pants, you may want to consider getting more affordable, sturdy hangers. Things like plastic, thicker hangers work well for men who have several pants.
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Pants Hangers Space Saving - European Beechwood Hangers
Buy Now →(affiliate)
How to store men's sweaters?
Men's sweaters can be stored on shelves (affiliate). Sweatershirts and knit sweaters work nicely on the top shelf. I found that if there are too many stacked on top of each other, it will get messy quickly. Stick to no more than four folded sweaters in one pile on the shelf. Place the heavy sweaters on the bottom and the lighter sweaters on top.
How to organize men's socks?
Let's not forget the socks (affiliate)! I went in-depth on ways to organize socks (affiliate) and even discussed how I organize my son's socks (affiliate) so that you could see an example. Feel free to check out my complete post on how to manage and fold men's socks (affiliate). There are a variety of ways to do this, depending on your storage area.
How to Organize Socks Once and For All {Sock Organization Options}
Sock organization may not be attractive to many people. Over the years, I have seen my share of sock drawers. None of them was pretty and magazine-ready.
Now, it's time to move on to the shoes (affiliate).
How to organize men's shoes?
Divide the pair of shoes (affiliate) into casual and formal. This will make it easier to determine which ones need special storage.
If the dress shoes (affiliate) are not worn often, use clear plastic shoe boxes (affiliate) like this one to protect them from dust. Below are some examples I found on Amazon (affiliate)(affiliate).
Shoe Boxes Organizer Stronger Shoe Box clear with Magnetic Door 9 pk
Buy Now →(affiliate)
Additionally, consider using a hanging shoe organizer for their shoes. These are behind-the-door versions to maximize a small closet.
Shoe Organizer 36 Pair Over the Door White by Whitmor
Buy Now →
Buy Now → (affiliate)
If they are okay with the shoes being left out, here are some shoe rack (affiliate) options you can use to store the shoes from Amazon (affiliate) (affiliate).
Shoe Organizer 3-Tier Long for Closet Stackable Wide
Buy Now →(affiliate)
Learn more about shoe organization in our other posts below.
The Best Ways to Organize Shoes in Your Home
Piles and piles of shoes can be hazardous. The more shoes, the more mess. Today, I will share the best way to organize an extensive collection of shoes. It has been an area that I have done for my own home and several clients. If you are interested in organizing your shoes, read on.
Before and After Shoe Organizers
A family of shoes all in one place can be pretty scary for the novice organizer. However, I am here to demonstrate that it's easy to set up a system if you take the time to plan first. Wow, lots of shoes, I can't believe it!
Organized Shoe Station for the Whole Family
Some time ago, I reorganized my shoe station for my entire family. Here is the post. The organized shoe station for the whole family needed to include several different areas for storing everyone's most frequently used shoes.
Unique Ways To Organize Shoes
Shoes can easily take over the home. Let's do the math. Say four people are living in a house. If each family member has seven pairs of winter shoes and seven pairs of summer shoes, that could include snow boots, hiking boots, rubber boots, work boots, sandals, flats, slippers, flip-flops, sneakers, dressy shoes, and high heels.
4 Easy Ways to Organize Shoes
Women own an average of 19-20 pairs of shoes. If you have a family of four, you can expect to have between 76 and 80 pairs of shoes in your home. If this is true, they take up a lot of space in your home.
Now, let's move on to the other miscellaneous items that may be in your man's closet.
Create Designated Zones for Accessories
Smaller accessories, such as watches, cuff links, collar stays, and ties, can create clutter if not adequately contained. Establish specific zones using dresser valets (affiliate), tie racks, or wall-mounted organizers to create a well-organized space. Keep frequently used items at eye level and easily accessible, while storing special occasion pieces in protective boxes (affiliate) or drawers. This system prevents the "dig and search" habit that destroys closet organization.
How to organize Jewelry / Watches / Cufflinks / Collar Stays?
Storing Jewelry (affiliate), watches, cufflinks, and collar stays in one unit on a shelf in the closet works nicely. There are so many examples of men's valet boxes (affiliate) that can be stored on a shelf in the closet. Below is one I found on Amazon (affiliate). They are primarily called "Dresser Valets (affiliate)" for men and jewelry (affiliate) boxes (affiliate) or jewelry (affiliate) organizers for Women. Interesting, right?
Buy Now → (affiliate)
How to organize men's ties and belts?
Now we are onto the ties and belts. Both can be hung together. Mounting a unit to an available empty closet wall or the back of a door works great. Below is an example of a belt rack (affiliate) I found on Amazon.
Some can be mounted on the wall, others can be rolled up and placed in a clear box, and some can be easily hung on a rod to hang both ties and belts. When you decide on the area and determine the required space, you can easily determine what you need for ties and belts.
Belt Hanger Tie Rack Wall Mounted
Buy Now →(affiliate)
Maximize Storage Everywhere in the Closet
It is essential to examine various areas in the men's closet to maximize storage space. Some places to utilize include the back of your closet door, adding shelving (affiliate) to a high-ceiling walk-in closet, using bins in the back of deep reach-in closets, and utilizing available wall space to hang items. By being creative in their closet, you can create extra space in even the smallest closet.
Last Remarks
Here are some ways men can keep their closets organized forever. Below are just some of my favorite ways.
- One-year rule - This is where you can turn the hangers around for items you wear, and at the end of the year, you can discard the hangers that are not turned around to make more space in the closet.
- Wire hangers should be removed - Wire hangers are temporary and should be removed and recycled. They can easily damage the shirts if they hang for an extended period of time. Some cleaners have hangers with cardboard on them. They work, but only for lighter shirts.
- Have a laundry basket (affiliate) in the closet - dirty laundry can easily get cluttered, especially in a walk-in closet. Having an assigned place for dirty laundry helps you know when to do laundry, whether it's daily, weekly, or monthly. This area will indicate when items need to be washed because they are overflowing.
That's it. I hope the mens closet organization tips above help you and your man get his closet organized for good. Keep in mind that your man may want a simple system in place that provides easy access to all his belongings, so planning before organizing the closet will be helpful.
We have covered a lot of information here. Feel free to leave a message with your questions about your closet in the comment section, and I will respond promptly.
Learn more about organizing a man's closet with these additional articles here.
The Smartest Way to Organize Your Closet by Men's Health Magazine
Feel free to visit some of our other posts about closet organization.
Nancy Haworth says
Thank you for these tips! I like how you not only suggest products, but explain how to organize things in the closet, like hanging all of the shirts in the same direction. Great tips on starting from the left or right side of the closet, depending on whether the person is left-handed or right-handed, too!
Linda Samuels says
Just last week, I was helping one of my clients (a man,) organize his clothing closet. He was moving back into his home after being away for a renovation. This was the perfect opportunity to do some editing and re-organizing. He felt his closet was too full, so we worked on making it better. I had many questions, including how did he like to face his hanging clothes. As it turned out it was the opposite way I normally hang them. But that was OK. It was important that they hung how HE preferred. In addition, I normally button at least one button on the shirts so they don't slip off the hangers. However, I noticed that NONE of his hanging shirts were had been buttoned so I asked him about it. He explained that he HATES having them buttoned and can't stand it when the housekeeper buttons them. So guess what? We left them all unbuttoned. And again, the key was getting the closet set up in a way that he liked and preferred. In the end, things looked great and he even had empty shelves and extra hanging space.
Donna Matthews says
The best part of your article? Ask HIM his routines and preferences...I once reorganized my husband's closet and it turned into the biggest fight 😐 lesson learned!
Seana Turner says
These are all great tips! My husband follows many of these suggestions, including hanging all shirts in the same direction, using a tie rack (a couple, actually), and a belt rack. We don't have room to hang pants straight, so he folds them, which works fine. He also has a lot of shelving, so his sweaters and sweatshirts and folded in his closet as well. I always call it a "man box" for storing watches, etc. That sits on a dresser rather the closet for us. They are really great to have!
Janet Barclay says
I'm glad you explained the purpose of all the different kinds of hangers. It will make it easier to choose the right ones, especially realizing that more than one type will probably be needed.
andleeb says
The tips are amazing but in my case I need that someone organize my closet as my husband is best in organizing and always ask me to give some time to mine.
I will try to use this post to organize my closet.
Thank you for great tip.
Jill Robson says
I have a valet box for my husband, it certainly keeps the stuff together and not spread across the top of the dresser. Great post.
Autumn Leopold says
For my husband organizing by task works better than organizing by type. I also have that exact shoe rack for him because it has a nice depth for his size 12 shoes! We are also switching to the flat velvet hangars you get at Costco.
Pamela Chollet says
I'm overwhelmed just reading this post. But I know if someone offered to organize my closet as a gift I would be thrilled! I never thought about setting a closet up according to your dominant side. That's a great tip! Thank you.
William Rusho says
As a single guy, your tips are very useful for helping me organize my closed. You forgot one main thing, and that is a forklift to get all the crap out of there first. Great post, thanks for sharing.
Michele Harvey says
These are wonderful suggestions. I've never known a man with an organized closet. My son would really benefit from your suggestions. What about colors? Do you group like colors together, or organize them in any particular way, when hanging the clothes?
Sabrina says
It really depends on the man. Not all men care about color grouping. They like it easy. Color grouping means they would have to do some work to keep it that way. I have noticed that men tend to like it organized by activities, like work, relaxing, exercising, etc... Another tip is to stay consistent when hanging jackets and shirts, it helps to have the front of the shirts facing the same directions for example. =)
Lenie says
Hi Sabrina - I follow most of your ideas for my husband but I missed a big one - I never consulted him as to what he preferred. After 48 years it's a little late for that now but that is a really good idea.
I do like your little rack for hanging belts. Looks nifty.
Beth Niebuhr says
What great suggestions! My husband is much tidier than I am and his closet reflects that.
Jacqueline Gum says
What a great idea! But do you think men actually like organized closets? Kidding.... it's just that they don't seem to be very good at it:)
Donna Janke says
Good tips for organizing a man's closet. My husband is already pretty organized (maybe even a little OCD) and he keeps his closet and drawers in order. Since retiring, he has gotten rid of most of his suits and ties, so there is also less stuff to organize.
Mahal Hudson says
My perfect gift idea for my husband! Thank you for all the wonderful tips.