Best Way to Organize a Closet

When working to create a closet you left then finding the best way to organize a closet is crucial to that journey. Use these tips to set things up in a way that keep the clutter and mess out of your closet for good.

How to organize the clothes, shoes, and accessories found in your bedroom closet.

I believe one of the most important rooms to have organized at all times in our homes is the bedroom closet.

When so many decisions happen in such a small space having this area set up in a way to make those decisions easier is key. Relate it to getting up on the right side of the bed, having an organized space for your clothes is just as important to set the tone for your morning if not your entire day.

If you are here and still have a cluttered closet you might want to head over and read a few things first.

READ:  SIMPLE RULES FOR CLEANING OUT A CLOSET

READ: HOW TO QUICKLY CLEAN YOUR CLOSET IN UNDER 15 MINUTES

Once you have done the declutter and clean up then jump back over here and let’s dive into the organizing.

Why do you need an organized space for your clothes?

First, when you have an organized closet it is easier to find our things. No more hunting for our favorite blue blouse. When things are sorted and organized you will know right where it is right when you need it.

Second, your clothes will last longer because they will be taken better care of. With an uncluttered closet, your new dress will no longer be crushed in a sea of sweaters. You will be able to hang things correctly and know once you put it away it will stay in the same condition until you are ready to wear it.

Finally, when your closet is systemized you will know just exactly what you have so you do not run the risk of buying duplicates simply because the shirt you were looking for was buried in a corner under a pile of sweat pants.

Since you have already decluttered your space and then cleaned everything inside. I hope you also made any improvements that were needed as well.

Take the time to paint, fix, or change the layout of your space so you can keep things sorted and neat from this day forward.

If you need a little inspiration, take a peek at these closet organizing systems.

When you are set up and ready you can step back and take a look at this blank space and visualize how you want things to be set up.

• Do you have enough shelves?
• Is the hanger spaces set up in a way to hold your things without overcrowding?
• Do you have or need drawers to hold unmentionables or other miscellaneous items?
• Do you have an area for scarves? How about jewelry?
• Is there enough space for your shoes?

Really take a good look at the room you have to work with and think if you have it set up in a way that makes sense. Don’t forget appealing as well. If you do not like how things look you will not like the space. I am a firm believer in loving the home we live in so if you do not love your closet now is the time to change that.

Make a wishlist of items you want for your new and improved closet. Bins, boxes, totes are all inexpensive improvements you can add.

Don’t think you have to invest a lot of money to create a closet you love. Shop your home first for a little help.

• Metal shelving with colored bins works great to hold socks, tanks, and scarves.
• An upper wooden shelf with plastic bins can help with out of season shoes.
• Large totes on the floor can be used to hold extra purses or tote bags.
• Over the door, organizers can be used for shoes, socks, t-shirts or other accessories.

The key to an organized closet is to have within reach those items you use the most. So, for example, if you love scarves then don’t keep them in a tote with a lid on an upper shelf.

Instead, put them on a hanging system that will put them front and center so you can easily see what you have without wasting time digging.

Now, not everyone has the same organizing personality. What I mean by that is, some people want things out where they can see them at all times while others prefer boxes with labels. For this reason, there is no right or wrong way to organize a closet and because of that we are going to cover a few different tips so you can better create a space you love.

Best Way To Organize A Closet You Love

This list of tips will help you to really streamline a space you love. One where you can see the clothes, shoes, and accessories you have in just a few minutes helping you to get dressed quickly.

Organize your Closet by Zones

Zones are simply areas in a space where a certain activity happens. I like to use zones when decluttering because I find it completely eliminates the overwhelm of deciding what can stay and what can go.

READ: HOW TO DECLUTTER YOUR KITCHEN USING ZONES

But, I also love to organize a space using zones as well. When so many activities occur in a room having zones really helps to keep things compartmentalized and eliminates clutter invasion. You know, when your things magically multiply and migrate from one space to another and another and another?

Take the floor of your closet for example.

Most of us own more than a few pairs of shoes. And more often than not those shoes are scattered all over the floors of our closets spilling out into our bedrooms. It can take time to find a matching pair of shoes when we need them because they are never right where they should be.

When you have a shoe “zone” you will set up a boundary for your shoes so they are kept in an area of the floor rather than the entire floor. Once the zone is established you can then sort down more creating a system that keeps pairs together rather than scattered apart.

Using this theory you can organize your entire closet quickly. 

• Shirts Zone
• Pants/Slacks Zone
• Casual Zone
• Nightwear Zone
• Undergarments Zone
• Excercise Zone
• Accessories Zone
• Jewelry Zone

…and on and on and on.

The zones really depend on you and your stage of life. I suggest starting with the main zones and move out from there if you need to.

1. Work
2. Casual
3. Undergarments
4. Pajama
5. Shoes
6. Accessories

By setting up the basics you can more easily get in, find what you need, and get out to start your day more quickly.

Once you have decided on your zones you will then want to choose a location for each. So the shoe zone will more than likely be on the floor, on a shelf, or on a door. When you decide on the location you can then decide on the “system” you will use to house them.

If you choose the door to be your shoe zone than a door organizer will be your best bet. If you choose the floor then maybe a shoe shelf will work better.

Organize Your Closet By Season

This way of organizing your closet can be helpful especially if you live in a climate where there are 4 seasons and they happen out of the blue. Where we live it can be summer one day and before you know it we are back in spring needed a coat and long pants. With so much popping back and forth having a closet organized by seasons can be quite helpful.

You will want to have a section for Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer.

Notice that I have the seasons a bit out of order. There is a reason for this. More often than not those seasons will be interchangeable and by housing them together you will systemize your space to save room and keep clothes much easier to find when you need them.

So, for example, long sleeve shirts will be kept with sweaters and sweatshirts. If you are going out for an evening in summer and the temps threaten to be unseasonably cool you can just jump to the Fall/Winter section of your closet and sell all your warmer wear. Now you can. find a complimentary long-sleeve option that will work with your summer outfit.

Organize Your Closet By Style

This method of organizing is helpful for anyone that wears different hats. This includes anyone that works a job, exercises regularly, or has a hobby that requires a style of clothing such as horseback riding or hunting.

I like to call this “Theme Organizing” and it can be quite helpful if you like to do many different things.

If swimming is a common past time you take part in then you will want an area in your closet specifically for that activity. You can hang your suits up in a specified area then next to that a bin holding your coverups with a tote below holding all of your sandals and pool bags. This keeps your eye in a vertical location where you will more easily find all the components you need for your activity.

Again the key here is to set things up that matches your personality. This way you find your closet easy and a joy to use rather than a nuisance and a chore.

My Hubby prefers to organize his closet this way. Tshirts in one area, dress shirts in another and casual shirts in a third. He knows just exactly where his things are and get change quickly without having to think too hard. If we are going out for dinner he can easily see what shirts he has and choose a piece without making a mess trying to find what he is looking for.

Organize Your Closet By Color

This is my favorite way to organize and after trying several different styles, I find by having my closet set up by color I can very easily find something to wear without making a mess.

This way of organizing ignores style and season and focuses strictly on color.

So, blue is together, then green, gray, black and so on. It does not matter the order of the colors that is entirely up to you. And you do not need to get crazy within each color unless your organizing personality calls for it. This means you can either have green with green or light green to medium and finally to dark.

How deep you organize within a color depends on how you WANT things to be. For myself, I find it easier to have each color organized as well. This just helps me to find the shade I want quickly without taking forever to decide on a look.

Organizing a closet by color also works great for younger children. This helps them to not only learn their colors quickly but also allows them a bit of freedom in choosing their clothes for the day. You can tell them a blue shirt and they can then choose from there. This freedom allows them to have some control at a young age and still allows you to set boundaries for them.

If you are a bit overwhelmed by the ways to organize then my advice to you is to try one and see how it works. Pick a system that “feels” right and try it on for a bit. Give it 30 days and at the end either try another style or stick with it a bit longer. You will know pretty quickly if a system compliments your organizing personality or fights it.

Once you have chosen a good organizing fit for your closet you will want to choose the best tools to use as well.

Best Hangers to Organize a Closet

And the most important tool in any closet is the hangers. Choose the wrong hangers and not only will even the most organized space look chaotic but you run the risk of damaging your clothes as well.

I love velvet hangers and for me, this was the best money I have ever money ever spent to organize a space. The velvet material keeps shoulders from getting stretched. This is the main benefit and one that I think is worth the cost.

Luckily they have been out for a while now so the cost is much lower and more easy to work into a household budget. They also come in an array of colors so you can find just what you are looking for. And the quality is good so you don’t have to worry about replacing them too quickly.

If you are not sure about velvet hangers, buy a few and give them a try. Maybe you want them just for our delicate items and that is fine too. They fit in well with plastic hangers keeping the look of a closet nice and tidy.

How to Arrange Clothes on a Shelf

No matter what type of closet organizing system you choose you will want to find ways to utilize all the space inside. This means those shelves as well. Let’s face it, shelving is nice in just about all areas of a home but in a closet, they can be a bit awkward. Stack things too high and you run the risk of shirts and pants toppling over making a mess of all your hard work.

To help you have a few options.

First, keep your stacks small. This is true especially if you are folding shirts. By keeping your stack to 5 items you can be sure that your piles will stay where put. If you are short on space and up is your only option then you may want to invest in dividers to help keep things contained a bit.

You can either make these or purchase them. To make them, I suggest using cardboard cut to height with a base for the shirt to sit on. Not a neat look but a great way to test drive this out before you invest money.

Organizing Personal Items

Most closets now come with a few drawers, but if yours doesn’t no worries. You can quickly install your own drawers by either adding a dresser inside of your closet or purchasing a drawer system like this one.

I like to use drawers to organize personal items. This keeps those unmentionables out of the way and also keeps them enclosed so they are better protected from dust. Let’s face it, those undergarments are pretty expensive, why not go one step further to be sure they last?

DIY Closet Organizing Ideas

Tip #1.  Hooks

Use hooks for everyday items such as pajamas. Since this is an item that gets worn daily and also since most of us wear them more than once before washing then a hook is a great way to keep these things front and center.

You can use a few Command Hooks to try this out and then upgrade to a permanent hook when you are sure of the location.

Tip #2.  Clear Totes or Bags

Out of the way, corners in a closet can be a space that is either ignored of not used in the best way.

Clear totes are the key here no matter what you are going to use this space for. By having a clear tote, you can easily see what is inside without doing a complicated yoga stance to check the contents.

I like to use corners for extra purses, winter boots, or out-of-season coats. A nice large label helps me know the theme of the contents, and the clear plastic allows me to quickly see what is inside before I lug it out for a more thorough inspection.

Recently I purchased a collection of zipper storage bags, and I love how they work in our closet. The clear window helps me to easily know what is inside without having to clutter things up with more labels.

Tip #3.  Jewelry

Not all closets have the space to hold jewelry especially if you have quite a bit. However, if you have a shelf then that might be all that space you need.

I love these jewelry organizers and find they are a great way to hold all of my pieces in a way that allows me to easily see what I have.

If you have quite a few pieces you can also use a door organizer. I have not tried these myself, but have heard good things about them.

Tip #4.  Shoes

We talked about this before but I still want to go over things a bit more. Since so many of us have more than just a few pair of shoes, having a simple system in place is important so you don’t bury and then forget what you have.

I like to have my shoes out by season so they are easy to get to without having to do too many steps. A shelf on the floor of my closet houses my dressier options while I have a bin in our mudroom for my everyday pairs.

This second location not only frees up my valuable closet space but saves me time when I am headed out the door.

D/M Pro Tip: If you choose to keep a bin of shoes in your entryway, only keep 1-3 pairs per family member giving each person their own bin. This will keep the clutter in such a high-traffic area down so everyone can get in and out quickly.

Tip #5.  Accessories

If you love the extras then you may want to include a few options here as well. Scarves, belts, hats, and other accessories can quickly get lost in such a small overcrowded space.

The key here is to have it out if you use it often and store it if you don’t. In each instance, you want to choose an option that allows you to see what you have quickly and has a few steps to get to your things.

• Scarves can be scarf organizer or on a scarf hanger, depending on how many you have.
• Hats can be kept on an accordion hanger, a door organizer, or in clear cases with clear labels.
• Belts can be kept rolled up on a small shelf or in a bin or on a belt hanger.
• Sunglasses can be kept on an organizer tray on a sunglass stand or in a stadium tray.
• Purses can be kept on a hanging organizer, a door organizer, or in a clear display case for your out-of-season options.

When organizing such an active (and small) space as a closet you really need to work with your organizing personality for it to work well.

Hate steps? Then totes with lids stacked on top of each other probably are not the best way to go. Know what you will do before you invest in a system so you use it.

Take things one step further and list out the areas in your closet and how best to use them. This will serve as your reminder as you learn the new habits for your organized space. Yes, a list written out and posted on your closet wall may seem a bit silly but after taking so much time and care to set up a space you love why not take this silly step to ensure it works as well as you hope it will.

Now it’s your turn.

Do you have a tip on the best way to organize your closet? Please share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!

More Clothes Resources:

• Clothes Drawers Organizing Ideas
• Find the Motivation to Declutter Your Clothes
• Declutter Your Clothes Without Freaking Out!