How does your closet look at the moment? Can you find everything you need to wear when you need it? This is one of the most significant issues I encounter with my clients with my years of experience. Many of my clients with various closet sizes have asked me this question. "How can I make my closet look like it isn't a disaster area?" The closets can become dumping grounds for many clothes if they are not adequately organized.
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Lucky for them and you, I've compiled a list of items that should be in your organized closet for easy access, along with tips on how to sort them. These tips will save time looking for apparel and getting ready in the morning! Below, I am sharing ways to maximize and organize closet space by grouping items to make it more efficient and organized. Additionally, I will share some closet organizers that can help you organize your closet.
You can find many of these items at various stores, including Home Depot, Lowe's, The Container Store, Target, Walmart, and online retailers like Amazon (affiliate).
What are the Benefits of an Organized Closet?
You may not think that organizing the closet to this extent is essential. But it is! You will be able to enjoy your space so much more. Since the clothing will be hung or folded correctly, you will not have to worry about damaging items prematurely. And you can find what you are looking for in a jiffy. Time-saving is beneficial for anyone who wants to use their closet quickly and move on to something more important to them.
Declutter is always first!
Before we begin, please clear out the clutter in your closet. Start by emptying the space and seeing what you have. Some closets may be deep and have hidden items in the back that need decluttering. Ask yourself these questions when decluttering your closet from our other post.
How to Group Hanging Items?
Having many hanging areas in a closet and very few shelves (affiliate) is common. If this is the same in your closet, below are some ways to create extra space in your hanging areas. I added hanging organizers (affiliate) to help you know what is available.
Start by determining your like items. Then, group the hanging items by those types. If you have one or two of a particular type, you can add them to another broader group. Keeping the hanging 'likes' together will make it easier to find your favorite kind of clothing.
I separated the hanging items into two different hanger types and added some tips to help you organize them.
Note: if you click through the My Amazon (affiliate) Picks and buy something, I will receive a referral commission at no additional cost.
Belts and Ties Area
Belts and ties can be stored on shelves (affiliate) as well had hangers. However, they look the best on hangers that allow the items to hang down. So, I put these items in the hanging area. You can sort by event or color if you wish. You can find organizers that can be hung on a hanger so it doesn't take a lot of wall space. Below is an example that is on Amazon (affiliate) (affiliate).
Belt Hanger Tie Rack Wall Mounted
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Visit our men's closet organization post for more tips on men's clothing.
The Tops Area
Tops are best hung to reduce creases. If you have enough space to hang all your tops, hang the ones that wrinkle the most.
This area includes sleeveless shirts, blouses, as well as casual and dressy shirts. If you have a lot of tank tops, you can create a subgroup of them or place them with the jackets or ponchos you use with them.
Events, such as work attire, exercise attire, and casual attire, can be subgrouped into the tops.
Placing these items in one area will allow you to see them all at a glance.
Felt hangers are helpful because they are thin and will help keep the shoulders on the hangers.
Hangers/Premium Velvet Hangers 50 Pack - Non-Slip Clothes Hangers
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Bottoms Area
Now, let's discuss the lower area. Placing these items on the bottom of your closet on a rod works nicely. If you do not have a lower rod, you can easily purchase a rod system hanging from the top rod. Just be sure the top rod is in studs because it will get heavy with all those clothes.
Closet Hanging Rod, Width and Height Adjustable Closet Extender Hanging by STARTOSTAR
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This pants and skirts area should hold pants, jeans, and skirts together but group in separate sections. If you have limited space, you can use a layered pants hanger that will lay the slacks on top of one another and save a ton of room. Below are some options I found on Amazon (affiliate) (affiliate).
Pants Hangers Space Saving - European Beechwood Hangers
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Visit our post that talks about how to organize an Elderly Person's Closet.
Blazers and Jackets
If you have several, group your blazers in the same area as your jackets. One section can be used for blazers, and one section of this area is for jackets. Seasonal jackets, blazers, and pouches can be subdivided into this section. It is a great way to find the items in a tidy closet.
The blazers and jackets are usually heavy, so use the right hanger for the garment. Wood hangers typically work best for heavier jackets.
Hangers Wooden - Blazer and Jacket Luxury 6 Pack
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Keeping the winter coats in a foyer closet works best when you enter and leave the home. These coats are too bulky for their bedroom closet.
Dresses (formal and informal)
Store the formalwear and casual long dresses in the same section of the closet. This section stays organized when you use vertical space. The dresses need higher hangers, so they do not touch the floor and collect dust.
If you do not wear formal or informal dresses often, try covering them with a garment cover (not plastic) to help protect them from dust. Also, use a good, sturdy hanger for each item.
If you don't wear the dresses often, getting garment bags (affiliate) for them is a good idea. This helps reduce dust on the fabric. Some of these garment bags (affiliate) can hold more than one dress and are helpful to save space in your closet.
How to store hanging outfits in your closet?
Let's make your morning routine (affiliate) a breeze. Feel free to set up your closet in outfits.
Bonus points if you create outfits in your hanging area! You can hang the clothing as outfits, with a top, bottom, and jacket on one or two hangers when organized together with ribbons (affiliate) that say the day of the week. It makes it easier to find outfits on a closet rod. If you set up your organized closet by hanging outfits for each day of the week, the ribbon, or other DIY posts I made below, it will keep your favorite items together in your organized space.
Hanging clothing helps save surface space and works well in smaller homes. It also allows you to remove an item without disturbing the others. I've been using this method for about a year now and am enjoying the outfits I have already completed in my closet.
Feel free to explore our other DIY outfit organization posts below and create your own.
HOW TO MAKE CHALK PAINT DAYS OF THE WEEK CLOTHING ORGANIZER
DIY AFFORDABLE WEEK DAY CLOTHING ORGANIZER
HOW TO MAKE REPURPOSED DIY DAY OF THE WEEK CLOSET DIVIDERS
HOW TO MAKE MASCULINE DAYS OF THE WEEK CLOTHING ORGANIZER
If you do not like hanging your clothes, this section will be for you.
How to Group Your Folded Items on Shelves?
Let's move on to the shelves (affiliate) to make a more organized closet. Below are the items that should be stored on shelves (affiliate) in a closet if you have the space for them. I divided them into types and added additional tips.
Sweaters
Fold the sweaters because hanging them will destroy the shoulders, especially if they hang for a long time. Remember that only stacked 4-5 bulky sweaters is best on a shelf. It will be too tall and could easily fall over if you do any more sweaters than that.
Shorts
Now, onto the shorts. I like placing the shorts on a special bottom shelf if there is available shelf space. Fold the shorts neatly to fit more shorts on one shelf. Then, stack them on top of each other. I either fold them in half and lay them flat on the shelf or fold them in half and half again and place them on half of the shelf. This all depends on how much space you have in your closet.
Pajamas and nightgowns
Now, on to the nighttime clothing. If you like to wear your top and bottom PJs together, place them on the same shelf, one on the other. Then, you will never miss a piece of the PJs.
If you use special bras to sleep in and run out of room in your drawer, consider adding a bin for these items near your Pajama area.
These items can easily be tucked on a shelf in the corner.
In Season and Out of Season Shoes
Now, it is time to visit the shoe collection! In a small closet, you may want to store shoes (affiliate) and keep only in-season shoes (affiliate). But, if you have a large walk-in closet, you can easily add all of them.
I like to place the shoes (affiliate) by season since there are many seasons in my area. Boots and outer winter shoes (affiliate) can be put together. While flipflops and water shoes (affiliate) can be placed in the space area.
The goal is to get them all in one place, if possible so that you can see all your shoes. Another option is only to store out-of-season shoes and move the in-season shoes closer to your front door.
Storing these items on low shelves (affiliate) or on the floor space is the easiest way to keep these items.
If you need extra space, try using behind-the-door organizers for your shoes. Below are some I found on Amazon (affiliate). Pick over the door organizers that are sturdy since you will probably be moving the door often.
Over the Door Hanging Basket, 3-Tier Woven Cotton Wall-Mounted Storage Hanging Baskets
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Over the Door Organizer Heavy Duty 55x14x6.7,
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How to Group Clothing by Events?
Now, on to grouping items by events. Some people prefer to organize their clothes by an event. I used to do this when I didn't work for myself. Dividing the closet into sections works best for clothing by activity organizing.
Work uniforms
For work uniforms, you can select a section for your scrubs and shirts/pants you only use for work. Keeping them in one part of the closet will save you time in the morning, and it will also allow you to see how many uniform pieces you have left and when you need to do laundry. Gather all your work uniform pieces together, including belts and shoes, and place them in an easy-to-access area.
Casual clothes
Now, the next collection you can have is just for casual clothing. These items are ones that you use solely for hanging around the house, going out somewhere casual, spending time with family, and everyday items. This is a pretty big category. Feel free to subdivide it into tops, bottoms, shoes, etc..
Workout clothes
Now it is time to visit your workout wear. This can be a collection of leggings, sports shirts, sweatshirts, running or hiking socks (affiliate), sneakers, and sports bras. It can be perfect for anyone who works out often.
Collect these workout items, which are specifically designed for workout attire, not for the pants you usually wear at home. These workout clothes are usually an investment and require proper care. Place them on a shelf with your other workout bag, towel, etc... Everything in one place will make you more likely to work without obstacles.
Dividing the closet into these event sections will allow you to see what you have and what may need to be washed.
Feel free to check out my HOW TO ORGANIZE SPORTSWEAR ON A SHELF, where I show you exactly the products I used to organize this small space.
How to Organize a Drawer in a Closet
Now, it is time to organize any drawers you may have.
If your built-in systems have drawers, you can add these other small items to your closet.
Group the following things in different drawers to separate them. Use as many drawers as you need for the amount of stuff you have.
Hosiery and socks
You can separate the socks (affiliate) by dark and light or by color shade and hosieries by type or color. You can even organize them by season. Some people like to organize their socks (affiliate) depending on how cold it is. I have a collection of socks (affiliate) just for the winter months.
Check out how to organize socks (affiliate) in my ultimate guide to organizing your socks.
Undergarments
If you have drawers, group them by type and store them in the drawer. Bras and underwear by type work well for these drawers. Depending on your needs, you can use drawer organizers (affiliate) or just drawer dividers (affiliate).
Be sure to measure your drawer interior to ensure it fits and fills the entire space's width and height.
Buy Now → (affiliate)
Fashion Jewelry
Now, on to the jewelry (affiliate). You can use a drawer or place your jewelry (affiliate) box inside the drawer to hide your expensive pieces. Spreading the jewelry (affiliate) out will help you see it better.
I have a lot to say about jewelry (affiliate). Feel free to visit my 'Ways to Organize Jewelry' post. Don't be afraid to move the shelves up or down to make for a landing area in your closet. You can easily hang your jewelry (affiliate) using 3M Command Hooks.
If you want to declutter your jewelry, check out our post: Places to Donate Your Unwanted Jewelry!
Jewelry Organizer Stand by ProCase
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How to Color Code Your Closet?
Another fun option is to make your closet look like a rainbow! Start with the brightest shade of color in your clothing and sort toward the dark shade color. Start with the ROYGBIV - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Or you can go from the lightest color to the darkest color.
In closing:
Well, there you have it! Are you not convinced yet that you can get your closet in order?
Getting help when you purge a messy closet is OK - no judgment here. Asking a friend or hiring a professional to help will give you the distance from the items and allow you to let go of them more easily. No one wants to get an organized closet with things they do not care for. So, taking the time to purge before making your organized closet will be essential in creating space and removing waste.
Contact Sabrina's Organizing if you need virtual help in the purging and one room in one month organizing consultations.
Want some more inspiration? Visit our closet organization for additional tips below. The CAPITALIZED TITLES are from Sabrina's Organizing blog.
6 STEPS TO ORGANIZE KIDS CLOSETS
20 SIGNS A CLOSET NEEDS TO BE PURGED
4 AREAS OF AN ORGANIZED CLOSET TIPS
THE ULTIMATE CLOSET ORGANIZATION TIPS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
5 SUPER IMPORTANT MENS CLOSET ORGANIZATION TIPS
THE BEST WAY TO ORGANIZE CLOTHING DURING THE FALL MONTHS
18 Closet Organization Ideas You'll Want to Steal Immediately
20 Smart Ways to Organize Your Bedroom Closet
Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon, and at no additional cost, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.
Liana George says
Such great ideas! Since organizing isn't one-size-fits-all I appreciate all the different ways to organize that you offer here. Undoubtedly someone can find something they can use to organize their closet from this post!
Seana Turner says
So many great suggestions here. I love the rainbow idea... it really does make getting dressed easier. I wish I could give everyone a large closet with plenty of shoe storage and a few drawers. It is a luxury, but it sure is nice! If you don't have drawers, you can always put a few fabric bins inside to hold things that are hard to fold, like silky pajamas, bathings suits and undergarments.
Linda Samuels says
There's no question that waking up to an organized closet can help any day go more smoothly. It's always fascinating to see how many different ways there are to organize a closet because we all have different preferences. Some people like organizing like with like (as you've beautifully shared,) and others like organizing with outfits put together because they aren't into mixing and matching. Some like to sort by color and others couldn't care less. But what you've highlit here is the importance of figuring out a system that will take the stress out of getting dressed and also help to keep your clothes ready to wear and lasting longer. Great post!