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What should I wear today? It’s the age-old question repeated each morning as we get ready for the day, and without an organized closet, finding the answer can be more challenging than necessary. There are numerous reasons you may be dealing with a cluttered closet, like being short on space in a tiny apartment or having an oversized wardrobe that’s continued to grow over the years, but arranging it to streamline your daily routine is easier than you’d expect.
If your closet is stuffed to the brim with clothing, shoes, and accessories, your first step should be decluttering it. Go through your items and donate those that don’t fit or you no longer wear to start with a clean slate. You can also move out-of-season apparel to a different area, like under the bed, to save additional space and keep things better sorted. Once you’ve narrowed down the contents to only what you’re currently wearing, it’s time to add storage and organization to the closet to increase its functionality.
Utilize unused space with over-the-door organizers
If your closet has a regular door, the simplest way to add storage is with an over-the-door organizer. You don’t even need to rearrange anything inside the closet to install this option, as the organizer has built-in hooks that slide onto the top of the closet door. While you might need to assemble the organizer, it should take less than a minute to mount it onto the door. There are several varieties of over-the-door organizers available, so first consider what kind of storage you need most in your closet.
Do you have a massive footwear collection? Depending on the size of your closet, an over-the-door shoe organizer may fit more pairs than a standard shoe rack that goes on the ground, while also making them easier to view and grab. For random odds and ends, like baseball caps, thick wool socks, or stacks of folded t-shirts, a lightweight pocket organizer will be better suited, with several tiers of compartments to stow them away. You can also go for basic over-the-door racks that have just a few hooks across the top. These bare-bones designs are great for hanging up bulky items you want to quickly access, like a fluffy bathrobe or your go-to hoodie.
Whitmor 36-Pair Over-the-Door Shoe Organizer
Courtesy of Amazon
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SpaceAid Over-the-Door 5-Pocket Organizer
Courtesy of Target
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Mainstays SnugFit 6-Hook Over-the-Door Rack
Courtesy of Walmart
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The one downside is that these over-the-door organizers won’t work with a sliding pocket door, which isn’t an uncommon style of door for a closet, but the rest of our storage ideas listed below won’t have this caveat.
Take advantage of hanging shelves and organizers
Regular clothing hangers don’t take advantage of all the potential space your closet has to offer. If the biggest issue in your closet is not having enough room for all your hangers, multi-tier hangers are the best bet. Space-saving hangers, including those for dress pants, scarves, or ties, use a cascade design with multiple tiers, so they can fit several pairs on a single hanger. They’re also a more affordable choice, with several options available for $20 or less at Walmart, Amazon, and Target.
Hanging closest organizers are another storage solution to consider for increasing the space in a cramped closet. If you don’t have a dresser or shelves available to stack your folded casual clothing, like leggings or basic tees, these organizers are a stellar selection. I’ve used a fabric closet organizer for years and actually prefer it to my wooden dresser, because I can see my clothes without opening the drawers.
You can find several shapes and sizes of these closet organizers available. Options catered towards shoes will have several smaller cubbies, while bigger compartments are great for tucking away sweaters or sweatpants. You can even find options with built-in drawers, which could serve as an underwear or sock drawer. These pull-out containers are also a great spot for smaller knick-knacks and accessories that could get lost in an open closet.
Moralve Space-Saving Pants Hangers
Courtesy of Amazon
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SpaceAid Hanging Closet Organizer
Courtesy of Walmart
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Brightroom Hanging Closet Organizer Bundle
Courtesy of Target
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Latitude Run 6-Tier Hanging Closet Organizer with Removable Drawers
Courtesy of Wayfair
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Consider adding clothing racks and storage bins
Older homes can have the least functional closets with just a clothing rack across the top, but they’re also the easiest to upgrade on a budget. By removing the existing pole, which can usually be done by removing a few screws on each side, you can assemble a freestanding clothing rack inside to give it the look of a custom-built closet. You can find garment racks for around $40, but if you splurge a little more, you can get options with high-end looks and premium features, like pull-out drawers and double racks, for around $200 to $300.
Another common characteristic of older closets is that they’ll have a clothing rack and top shelf, but underneath these fixtures, it’s completely empty. Unless your closet is filled with long dresses, this space goes unused, so you can easily add a row of shelves, a shoe rack, or an undersized dresser to this area to improve its design. Stackable storage shelves can also be set up in this space, but they’re more accessible by placing them on existing shelves. Stackable storage is great for those who want to put more folded garments in their closet, because it allows you to organize the stacks of clothing into categories, having a bin for shorts, one for activewear, and another for loungewear.
Besiost 36-Inch Closet Organizer
Courtesy of Target
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Mainstays 4-Shelf Closet Storage Organizer
Courtesy of Walmart
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Yociyoga 4-Tier Stackable Closet Organizer
Courtesy of Amazon
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What are the best ways to organize a small closet?
The best ways to organize a cramped closet can be broken down into three categories, including over-the-door organizers, hanging organizers, and freestanding clothing racks or storage bins. Each of these serves a different purpose, so it all comes down to a matter of personal needs.
Over-the-door organizers will be a good fit for those who don’t want to rearrange too much, but still require extra space for footwear or clothing. Hanging organizers maximize the space on your existing clothes rack, with cascading tiers or rows of shelves to quickly stow items. For those who’d like to add another structure to their closet, whether that’s a shoe rack or set of drawers, a freestanding clothes rack or stackable storage will be the best bet.
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