A walk-in closet can be such a luxury. There’s plenty of space to work with, and you have room to really get a good look at your belongings to see when you’re trying to put an outfit together. What if that’s still not enough, though? If you’re sick of opening your closet door because things keep falling out, if you can’t find anything when you need it, or if it's too cluttered to step inside at all, you may need some organizing tips.
- Start from Scratch
- Don’t Be Afraid to Eliminate
- Take Advantage of Space That’s Been Overlooked
- Get Creative With Closet Organizers
When you approach organizing your walk-in closet with a solid strategy and helpful tools, you’ll find that you have more room than you think.
First Things First: Start from Scratch
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just wave a wand and your closet would organize itself without you needing to make the effort to deep clean? Sadly, it’s not that simple. If you really want to get a handle on your closet clutter problem, the best thing you can do is start like you’re moving into the closet for the first time. Empty it out.
Once you’ve got the closet cleaned out, you’ll really be able to see what kind of room you have to work with. Give the closet a good cleaning while you’re there. Vacuum the floor and clean the walls and surfaces. Get the closet ready for an overhaul.
Don’t Be Afraid to Eliminate
You have to deal with the things you’ve removed from the closet. Don’t be afraid to get rid of things you aren't using anymore. You don’t have to keep everything you’ve ever purchased or everything that’s ever been gifted to you. If you haven’t worn it in a year, you’re probably not going to wear it again.
Check for damage, too. Stains that won’t come out, holes, faded colors, loose seams. You may want to fix and return some items to the closet, but if it doesn’t seem worth your effort, go ahead and purge it. Organize clothes and accessories into groups: things you’re keeping, things you’re throwing away, things you’re donating to charity or passing on to someone you know. Put the items you’re throwing away or donating in containers and remove them from the area.
Go back through the clothes you’re keeping and make sure you really want all of these items. While you’re doing that, separate out the out-of-season items. You can put those in storage so they’re not in the way. You can put these in garment bags or storage boxes. According to HuffPost, you should avoid using completely airtight containers for seasonal storage, because air circulation helps prevent mold and mildew.
Take Advantage of Space That’s Been Overlooked
You’re not quite ready to put your clothes away yet. Take a look at your closet. What empty space that’s not being used for storage could you turn into useful storage space?
Could you install more shelves on an empty wall? Put up wall hooks? Install additional hanging rods to allow you to hang more clothes? You may be able to double-hang clothes on one wall. Put one rod higher than the other, but make sure the clothes on the lower rod won’t touch the ground. This is a great way to store mix-and-match tops and bottoms. On another wall, you could install a cabinet with drawers to hold folded clothes.
Even the closet door can become storage space. You could use an over-the-door organizer that holds shoes, hair accessories, jewelry, or other items.
Get Creative With Closet Organizers
There are all kinds of closet organizers out there. You probably own belts. You may own ties. You might have scarves. These can all be difficult to store. They slide off hangers. They clutter up surfaces. Did you know you can install racks meant to hold these items neatly in your closet?
There are other helpful organizers you can look into as well. Maybe you need a pants rack, or maybe jewelry trays would be useful for keeping your favorite pieces organized and accessible. You can even create your own. String a ribbon across the closet door and pin your earrings to it. Hang bracelets and necklaces from wall hooks for decorative storage.
Conclusion:
If your walk-in closet is letting you down, it’s probably capable of more. You just have to find the right furnishings, organizers, and organizational strategies to allow you to make the most of the space you have.