Well hello there! I’m sure many of you feel that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to get your closet organized. You’re not alone! As a professional organizer who has helped hundreds tackle their closet chaos, I totally get the struggle. I used to stand in my walk-in closet – staring blankly at the explosion of clothes, shoes, and accessories – wondering where to even begin. I’d attempt to organize, get overwhelmed, and abandon the project unfinished. Sound familiar? Well, I’m here to tell you that you can have an organized closet! It just takes breaking it down into small, manageable steps.
In this post, I’ll share the 5 easy steps I use to help my clients (and myself!) organize their closets stress-free. No more overwhelm, okay? With my guidance, you’ll be able to transform that disaster of a closet into a peaceful, orderly oasis in no time!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Step 1: Sort Through Your Clothes Ruthlessly
I know, I know, getting rid of clothes can be so difficult! But pruning your wardrobe is hands-down the most critical first step. Go through every item and decide whether it “sparks joy” as Marie Kondo would say. If something is worn out, doesn’t fit anymore, or you just don’t love it – say goodbye!
I love to use Cas from Clutterbug’s questions for help in decluttering your wardrobe:
- Have I worn it in the last year?
- Does it look great on me?
- Would I purchase it again?
Pro Decluttering Tip: Make three piles as you sort – Keep, Donate, Trash. Having a system keeps you focused. And don’t forget to try on pieces you haven’t worn in awhile. Feeling confident in your clothing is key.
Step 2: Invest in Storage Essentials
Now that you’ve pared down your clothes, it’s time to corral them neatly with some key storage pieces. First, sturdy hangers (I recommend these velvet ones from Amazon) in the same style ensure clothes hang straight and evenly.
Next, shelving units are great for folded sweaters, jeans, and accessories. This hanging shelving unit is great if you have room on your closet rod. So is this one. If you have some floor space, I really like this free-standing unit (I use these in our rental properties). I recommend getting a shelf liner with these as well. These cubes are great to use as well as an affordable solution. Hey – who’s up for a trip to Ikea? I’m in! They have a lot of options for closet storage.
Finally, shoe racks instantly tame wildly strewn footwear (this wooden shoe rack looks nice and is foldable. This shoe rack will solve a lot of your shoe organization issues!). Check out my Closet Storage Favorites at the end of this article or on the Recommendations Page if you need brand recommendations!
Pro Organizing Tip: Measure your closet space first so you can choose the right size and amount of storage essentials. Buying in sets provides a cohesive look.
Step 3: Categorize Like Items
A common mistake is hanging tops randomly mixed with dresses and pants all together. Instead, you want to group like categories. All long sleeves together ordered by sleeve length. All pants together ordered by length then color. All dresses. You get the idea.
This makes finding what you need so much easier. It also helps you identify holes in your wardrobe at a glance so you can fill them appropriately.
Pro Categorizing Tip: Use closet dividers with tabs for broad categories like Tops, Bottoms, Dresses. You can label the tabs clearly with category names.
Step 4: Design for Daily Use Items
Think through how you actually use your closet. What do you reach for and need access on a daily basis? Many of my clients rely on a small section of hooks just inside the closet door to hang pieces like robes, most-worn jackets, and laundry bags. Some even use over-the-door racks behind closet doors to hang belts, scarves, and necklaces.
Evaluate your habits and unique needs. Then design ways to have your most used items readily available. Doing this step really pays off in added convenience!
Pro Design Tip: Pretty baskets hold folded pajamas, underwear, socks. Labeled clear bins corral accessories. Wall hooks or over-the-door racks add space.
Step 5: Maintain with Quick Daily & Weekly Tasks
Congratulations – you have an organized closet! But in order to reap the ongoing benefits, you must establish maintenance habits. First, do a regular quick tidy like hanging clothes back up and returning shoes to racks. Next, spend 10-15 minutes each week keeping your system on point.
For example, wipe shelves clear of dust, spot clean interior doors, laundry dry cleaning returns, cycle out of season items, rehang fallen clothing, and rearrange shoes. Building these habits ensures things never revert back to chaos!
Pro Maintenance Tip: Schedule closet organization on your calendar as you would any important appointment. Consistency is vital.
Whew! When you see everything laid out step-by-step like this – it really isn’t so intimidating! Just remember to tackle one task at a time instead of getting overwhelmed looking at the whole picture.
Take breaks when you need to and don’t be too hard on yourself. Rome wasn’t built in a day! Having an organized closet may take some diligence, but I promise it is SO worth it!
Now that you’re armed with my secrets that have helped countless women organize their closets once and for all, what step will you start working on first? Let me know in the comments – I’m so excited for you!
My Closet Storage Favorites
Recommendations for organizing closets:
- Hanging shoe organizers – Clear plastic with multiple pockets to store shoes upright and maximize space.
- Velvet hangers – Slim profile takes up less space than regular hangers.
- Shelf dividers – Slide into closets to separate categories like pants, shirts, sweaters.
- Drawer dividers – Plastic or wood to create compartments for socks, underwear, accessories.
- Garment racks – Free up closet rod space and double hanging capacity.
- Vacuum storage bags – Compress off-season clothes to gain room.
- Scarf/belt/tie racks – Mount on wall or hang over door to neatly store accessories.
- Space-saving pants hanger – Maximizes space, hangs 10 pairs of pants, scarves, etc. (this legging organizer is great, too!)
- Sturdy storage boxes – For hats, purses, sweaters to make stacking/storing easy.
- Closet rod extender – Double hanging space by adding another rod.
- Over-the-door hooks – Utilize back of door to hang robes, bags, hats, etc.
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