Closets are a great concept, but never seem to be big enough. And even when they are a decent size, they can be hard to organize. But as someone with a lot of clothing and not much in the way of closet space, I’ve learned a few things about how to work with minimal space. The personal images I link to below are from this album of my own closet situation. Here’s what you need to know:
General Tips
Use ALL available space, but keep it organized.
Keep out-of-season (winter/summer) clothes out of the way.
You’re more likely to wear something if you can see it.
Keep one or two hooks empty for quick-n-dirty clean up.
Don’t forget the backs of deep shelves and high-up places.
Hanging Clothes
Try installing a second closet rod above your main one. This basically doubles your hanging space. Buy a stool (my preference) or a reaching rod for access. I have often done this myself on the cheap–search around for tutorials or visit your local home improvement store.
Matching hangers makes everything look so nice. I have these Joy Mangano ones and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. I bought a 200-pack or something like that when it was on special. Worth it.
Cascading hooks are bloody genius and work with almost any hanger. Use two at a time!
You can get a tiered hanger for skirts. Mine is over 30 years old and still going strong.
I have yet to find the perfect single skirt hanger commercially available, but it must have spring-clips and smooth rubber grips. The Joy Mangano clips aren’t great–don’t waste your money.
Folded Clothes
Fold all knit items to prevent hanger bumps. That includes sweaters, most T-shirts and some blouses.
Got deep shelves? Fold clothes appropriately. If you still have space behind your folded clothes (i.e. really deep shelves) store your out-of-season sandals/sweaters back there.
If you are using a dresser or other drawers, stack clothes vertically rather than horizontally. (See tip three.) I do this for everything including tights, socks, PJs, and even underwear. By the way, folding your underwear saves space.
For open shelving, be sure not to stack so high that it tumbles.
Feel free to use extra shelving in already existing shelves.
Shoes and Boots
Use an over-the-door shoe organizer—I like these better than hang-in-the-closet versions because hanging space is so valuable. Ideally, look for ones where you can put both shoes in one slot. This is the one I have and I love it.
Small cheap bookshelves are great for boots.
Some people love keeping their original shoe boxes, but this violates tip three.
Bags
Stuff bags with tissue to keep their shape. When using a bag, leave tissue as holding space.
Sit them on a shelf rather than hanging them to prevent handles from stretching out.
Use bookends to keep them up. I built my own.
If you must hang, use an over-the-door coat rack.
For lesser-used bags, create a drawer out of a long boot box. Line them up in the box, and slide it into a shelf–great for deep shelves (tip five).
I love having a junk bowl/box/space for the things that I often but not always keep in my purse like hand sanitizer or a different sized wallet.
Other Accessories
Hang scarves on towel racks–you can get one for less than $15 at your local home improvement store. I have two on the inside of a closet door, but have also had this hanging over a boot bookcase (see above) on the wall before.
For belts, jewelry, sunglasses and basically everything else ever, buy some screw-in hooks in bulk at the home improvement store, and leave no wall or cabinet space uncovered. These are also very handy in the kitchen. They work best if you drill a hole first.
Corral smaller items into open boxes, jars and cups purchased at thrift stores.
Items that you intend to use infrequently can be hidden away in boxes. (The ones in the photo are from Ikea, and hold travel organization tools, special occasion underwear, and hats.)
Creating More Space
Buy an armoire—that’s what I did.
Are you handy? Build a closet in a corner!
Only kind-of handy? Get a stud-finder, drill, closet brackets, a shelf and closet rod. Install brackets, add a shelf on top, and slip the rod into place. Beware of how much your wardrobe weighs; you may need more than two of those brackets. Note: I once installed just the shelf, then had a towel rod underneath for scarves, and below that was the boots bookshelf.
Get a freestanding rack. I have one in my pantry for coats.
The bottom line is that with a little patience, spatial reasoning and a few DIY supplies, you can turn your tiny closet into a tiny closet that holds a lot of stuff.
This story was originally published on 2/12/14 and was updated on 10/21/19 to provide more thorough and current information.