Are you looking to maximize space, be more organized, and make the most of your small walk-in closet? Then you’re in the right place! We’ve got 13 fantastic closet organizing ideas you’re gonna love.
Do you feel overwhelmed at the sight of your disorganized closet?
Does your closet look messy no matter what you’ve done?
Do you feel like you have no space in your closet even though you already decluttered?
Then you’re in the right place!
I felt all those things about my small walk-in closet.
And since it was so disorganized, it tended to get messier every time I did laundry.
Because putting things away was a challenge!
My folded clothes would fall over.
And there just weren’t good places to put some of my things.
So I decided to give this small space a complete makeover.
How I Gave My Closet a Makeover
First, I completely cleaned it out.
Then it got some fresh paint.
I followed AnnMarie’s tips to change out the old fluorescent light fixture.
Then hung some peel-and-stick wallpaper.
Next, I reconfigured the layout of my IKEA Billy bookcases which gave me four additional inches of hanging space.
Finally, I installed a shelf at the top of the closet to add more storage space.
Can you believe that’s the same closet?!
I’m still pinching myself every time I walk past it.
Once all the projects were done, it was time to start putting everything back in place.
I’ve got some fantastic closet organizing ideas and I can’t wait to share them with you!
You can use these same tips and tricks to create an orderly and efficient closet in your home that will actually make putting laundry away enjoyable.
I’m sharing everything from how to organize your shelves and hang your clothes, to ways to use storage solutions to make the most of your small walk-in closet.
- How I Gave My Closet a Makeover
- Favorite Ways to Organize a Small Closet
- 1. Use Fabric Drawer Organizers on Shelves
- 2. Use Clip-on Basket Labels So You Know What's Inside Containers
- 3. Hang Denim with S Hooks on a Curtain Rod
- 4. Add More Shelves To Keep Folded Clothing Stacks Shorter
- 5. Contain Purses, Scarves, and Small Items
- 6. Use Slimline Hangers to Maximize Hanging Space
- 7. Get Detachable Velvet Clips for Slimline Hangers
- 8. Add Necklace Hanging Organizers Inside Cabinet Doors
- 9. Adjust Space Between Shelves to Fit What You're Storing
- 10. Use Boot Shaft Forms to Store Boots Upright
- 11. Use Stackable Clear Plastic Boxes That Open From the Front on High Shelves
- 12. Organize Small Jewelry with Stackable Acrylic Drawer Units
- 13. Be Sure to Purge Your Closet Regularly
- Get Started Organizing Your Closet!
- Resources and Shopping Links
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Favorite Ways to Organize a Small Closet
1. Use Fabric Drawer Organizers on Shelves
If you’re like me, you prefer folding your clothes.
You can get inexpensive fabric drawer organizers to hold your folded clothes on shelves in your closet.
I put everything from shorts, belts, sports bras, bathing suits, and T-shirts in these drawer organizers.
Use the Marie Kondo method for folding so that you can easily see everything inside them.
2. Use Clip-on Basket Labels So You Know What’s Inside Containers
The fabric drawer organizers make your closet look so neat because they kind of hide what’s inside them.
But.
You need to know what’s inside them, right?!
These clip on basket and bin tags are the perfect solution to label organizers.
Simply print out clear labels with your favorite font and your baskets are practical and pretty!
3. Hang Denim with S Hooks on a Curtain Rod
Jeans take up a lot of space in a closet whether you fold them on shelves or hang them on hangers.
When AnnMarie and I were shopping one day at our favorite local boutique we noticed they used S hooks to hang their denim.
It was a lightbulb moment!
Bonus: Hanging my denim lets me see whether they’re long or cropped and how distressed they are without having to unfold them.
4. Add More Shelves To Keep Folded Clothing Stacks Shorter
I used IKEA Billy bookcases as an inexpensive way to add shelving in my closet.
The bookcases only have 6 shelves when you buy them. I ended up having to stack folded sweatshirts and sweaters too high and they’d fall over.
When I discovered you could buy more shelves, I ran out and got enough so that the space between each shelf was about a foot.
This keeps my bulkier folded clothes nice and neat.
5. Contain Purses, Scarves, and Small Items
Closets are where we put all kinds of smaller items: purses, scarves, hats, accessories, etc.
These items can get all kinds of messy.
Store things you use regularly in containers you can easily reach.
I chose to put things like out of season purses, scarves, and hats in small wood crates from Crates and Pallet that fit on top of the narrow Billy bookcases.
6. Use Slimline Hangers to Maximize Hanging Space
Okay, so this may not be a closet organizing idea, but it definitely makes a difference.
After all, when you have a small closet, maximizing space is the number one goal!
Did you know that 10 plastic hangers take up 3-1/4 inches of space?
But 10 slimline hangers only take 1-1/2 inches.
This one simple change can help your clothes fit so much better in your closet.
7. Get Detachable Velvet Clips for Slimline Hangers
If you have items that don’t hang well on regular hangers, check out these detachable velvet-covered finger clips.
You can attach them anywhere you need on the hangers.
They’re great for hanging skirts and strapless dresses.
8. Add Necklace Hanging Organizers Inside Cabinet Doors
I’m loving these rows of hooks for hanging my necklaces.
They can be hung with adhesive strips or with picture hanging nails.
I put them inside the doors of my cabinets.
You can use them for bracelets and earrings too.
9. Adjust Space Between Shelves to Fit What You’re Storing
When you’re working on organizing your closet, be sure you make use of the ability to adjust the heights of shelves!
You’ll be able to fit much more on your shelves if you don’t have unused space.
10. Use Boot Shaft Forms to Store Boots Upright
If you have tall boots, you really need to get something to help them to stand up straight!
If they don’t, they end up taking up more space.
There are lots of options available, but I love these inexpensive boot shaper inserts.
11. Use Stackable Clear Plastic Boxes That Open From the Front on High Shelves
If you have room to add another shelf at the top of your closet, it’s a great place to store off-season clothes and shoes.
In the past I used plastic shoe boxes with lids.
They work, but you have to pull down each box if you want to get things out.
Until now!
Someone came up with the brilliant idea of making stackable boxes with doors that open in the front.
They’re great for shoes or anything else that you need to store neatly.
12. Organize Small Jewelry with Stackable Acrylic Drawer Units
If you need to store jewelry in your closet, these acrylic drawers with insert dividers are a great option.
You can adjust the size of the dividers to fit rings, earrings, bracelets, watch bands, and more.
They come in lots of different colors too.
13. Be Sure to Purge Your Closet Regularly
My best closet organizing idea is taking time to purge it regularly.
Here’s a tip to make cleaning out your closet really easy each year: after you’ve done a purge, turn all the hangers around so they face the wrong direction.
Every time you wear something and then return it to the closet, turn the hanger to face the right direction.
At the end of the year, you can see at a glance which clothes you didn’t wear that year!
These clothes are where you start.
Go through those items first and decide whether you want to keep or donate them.
Then turn the hangers around again and start over.
Get Started Organizing Your Closet!
I have one regret with getting my closet organized: I should have done it years ago!
Using some of these simple closet organizing ideas will get you going in the right direction.
Taking the time to regularly declutter, buy smart storage solutions, and maximize vertical space can help to create a more efficient small closet.
And now that it’s done, I always put things away neatly because I’m motivated to keep it looking great!
As Marie Kondo famously said, “The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.”
Making the time to organize and declutter your small closet isn’t just a chore: it can be truly transforming! This slob is proof of that.
It’s time to create the closet of your dreams – what are you waiting for?
Resources and Shopping Links
Click on any image to shop items from this post
Sources: Curtain Rod for Hanging Jeans | 4-inch S Hooks | Small Wood Crates | Necklace Organizing Strips | Stackable Clear Plastic Shoe Boxes | Slimline Velvet Hangers | Stackable Jewelry Organizer with Dividers | Fabric Drawer Organizing Cubes | Gold Clip-on Basket Label Tags | Tall Boot Shaft Supports | Large Wood Crates
If you have any questions or suggestions, contact me or leave a comment!
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