15 Of The Best Closet Organization Ideas, According To Experts

Organize your closet like a professional with these tips from the experts.

Our closets have the potential to help us start the day functioning properly or frustrate us from the outset. Let’s be honest: most of us would certainly prefer functionality over frustration. Properly organizing a closet increases the chances of your day beginning and ending smoothly.

“Not only does organizing assist in streamlining your daily routine of getting dressed, but it also projects your day in a positive way, freeing up time and boosting self-confidence,” says Nialya Suarez, Atlanta-based owner and organizer at Organized Simplicity. With the hustle and bustle of life, work, and family, many of us could use more productive days and more free time. 

But if time is of the essence, organizing a closet might not be the ideal way you want to spend your time. However, it can save time in the long run and improve how we feel, giving us the confidence and calmness to begin and end our day with positivity.

Before Getting Started

As with most things, it might feel daunting to know where to start, especially if you’re staring at a messy and unorganized closet. Luckily there are a few small steps you can take initially—even with a small closet—before getting down to business with the organization process.

Before beginning to organize your space, look closely at the closet you plan to organize. Consider pulling all the items out of the closet so you can see everything clearly and pinpoint what may not necessarily need to go back into the closet. “Begin with an edit…If you don’t wear it, let it go. If it doesn’t fit, let it go,” Suarez says. The next step is creating categories of clothing, shoes, accessories, and other items. “This step assists in seeing how much of one category there might be. Bonus, it might aid in removing a few pieces that are unwanted or discovery of ones that might have been forgotten about,” she explains.

Then, you’ll want to gather the necessary containment for items. Last, begin adding items back to your closet. You don’t have to feel tied to a specific way of organization, but you do want to be sure that it works for you. “Work with the setup for a few weeks and take note of what works and what doesn’t, then make necessary changes,” says Suarez. 

As for organizing a closet like an expert organizer, we’ve curated a list of detailed tips and ideas. Many of these can be implemented no matter the shape or size of the closet. 

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Declutter the Closet

As hard as this may be to hear, decluttering is the key to keeping the closet organized. A rule of thumb here is that if you haven’t used it or worn it within the last year, it might be time to give away, donate, or dispose. Less is better when it comes to organizing.

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Organize by Color

Color coding your closet wardrobe can create an immediate sense of peace and calm when entering. By color coding from dark to light and grouping colors together, finding that elusive favorite pair of black jeans or white blazer becomes a thing of the past.

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Choose Matching Hangers

Visual continuity can create a sense of peace, and matching hangers achieves that calm.  We certainly need peace in our closets like no other place in our household. After all, this is the place where we begin and end our day. When all the hangers are matching colors and sizes, the closet space is not only serene but maximized to its fullest potential.

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Add Storage Containers

By adding storage bins to your closet, you can easily maximize the space you have, especially if the closet is on the smaller side. Containers keep items together and help tricky folded items (like shirts) stay neat and accessible on your shelves. Just be cautious about the type of material you use. You certainly don’t want a favorite sweater snagged on a rattan woven basket.

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Add Matching Baskets

To create continuity and organization inside the closet, consider adding similar baskets of the same material in different sizes. You can store different items—hats, accessories, and linens—yet create aesthetic continuity with matching baskets or containers.

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Use Vertical Storage To Maximize Space

In a small closet, storage can be a source of frustration. Stackable baskets for sweaters can alleviate these frustrations and increase the amount of storage. Store bulkier clothing items like sweaters and sweatshirts in stackable baskets so they are visual and accessible.

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Use Labels

Everything has a place, and there is a place for everything. Adding labels to storage bins and containers will help everyone keep items neat, tidy, and put away. A label machine can definitely help with taking the headache out of handwriting

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Arrange Shoes in Upright Clear Tubs

If you’re struggling to find shoe storage for those that are worn less than others, placing out-of-season shoes in clear tubs can alleviate that issue. Stack them on higher shelves to keep them out of the way, yet visible. Change them out with the seasons (and inventory what you haven’t worn), so that you keep only what is in season. 

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Utilize the Higher Shelves

Though they’re less convenient, don’t forget about the value of the upper shelves in your closet. Higher shelving, though less accessible, can provide precious storage space for items that you don’t use as often. Consider using these shelves for off-season items like shoes or items less frequently used, such as luggage and travel bags.

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Add a Shoe Rack

For shoes worn often, adding a shoe rack in the base of the closet can maximize wall space and clear floor space. It also keeps shoes neatly organized and in plain view for when you’re ready to grab a pair and slip them on.

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Use Dividers for Accessories

For everything from handbags to duffel bags, using dividers like these wire ones pictured, helps accessories stay visual and organized. They are designed to keep accessories from flopping over, and they can be used to separate items such as sweaters, tees, denim, and pants.

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Create a Boutique-style Experience in Your Closet

By creating a boutique-style space where everything is organized, sleek, and accessible as soon as you walk in, you will be able to easily find items and create an experience when dressing up or down.

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Add Hooks for Accessories

Hooks come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and application methods, so they are ideal as a space-saver for jewelry, oversized puffy coats, or hats. Allowing you to utilize spaces like the back of the door and even the sides of shelves, hooks give hard-to-store items a designated space that is as aesthetically pleasing as it is functional.

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File Fold Clothing

If you have drawer space in your closet area, you can easily maximize every inch of the drawers by “file folding” your items. Simply stack items front to back after folding so that you can easily view all the items when opening the drawer. This avoids the task of sifting through multiple items to access what you need.

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Install a Wall Shelf

If you need more storage for items and you have the space for them, installing wall shelves can alleviate the stress of figuring out where to place items. With a multitude of sizes, styles, and price points available, this easy fix can help you make use of those hard-to-reach corners or wasted empty space at the top of the closet or above the clothes rack. 

Rebecca Jones