Closet Organization Ideas for a Functional, Uncluttered Space

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Regardless of your closet’s size, the most important component is organization. Here are some closet organization ideas that create a functional, gorgeous space that’s uncluttered and has designated spots for everything.

“Out of clutter, find simplicity.” — Albert Einstein

Before you get started with adding fixtures and getting your closet organized, pull out all your clothing and accessories, and edit them down. Limit the items in your closet to pieces that you love and use. This helps in cutting the visual clutter and overwhelm people sometimes feel when entering their closet. Some important tips to use during the editing process include:–Donating anything you haven’t worn in the last year–Donating or recycling any clothing or accessories that are torn, broken, or permanently stained–Having a tailor alter items that you like but don’t fit properly

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” — William Morris

Now that you’ve selected your wardrobe items worth displaying, it’s time to create an efficient and beautiful space with our closet organization ideas.

Color Coordination

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Hang like items like pants, tops, dresses, and jackets in the same area, by color. Use the same type of hanger for a finished, cohesive look. This will create an organized collection that makes pieces easy to find while looking great.

A Space for All Seasons

Get into the habit of cleaning and storing seasonal items until you need them. Keep boxes or baskets to store winter items. Space Bags that can be vacuum-sealed save tons of space, especially for bulky items like down jackets and winter gear. Trade them out as needed and store the summer items in their place.

Invest in Drawers

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Drawers are some of the best closet storage pieces. If adding drawer space to your existing closet, opt for a combination of shallow and deeper drawers. Keep drawers organized by adding dividers or inserts like the drawer above. Shallow drawers are great for everything from jewelry to scarves and sweaters. It’s easier to find items in a shallow drawer than stacking them (where they can be forgotten) in a deep drawer.

Store folded items like sweaters or t-shirts vertically, instead of horizontally, so you can see all folded items in a drawer.

Organize The Little Things

Use trays and cubbies to hold smaller items. For accessories like belts or ties, smaller cubicle storage organizes smaller items best and most beautiful.

Display Your Day

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A great way to be inspired to get dressed every morning is by creating a designated spot in your closet to hang and display your outfits. If you have the room, create a dressing area with a storable ironing board and a bench or chair for prep and dressing time. Add a mood board of favorite, inspirational people or magazine photos to help lift your mood and get dressed.

Open Shelving

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Add a contemporary touch to your closet by adding open shelves. The open shelf is the perfect spot for a display of favorite handbags and other objects including neatly folded sweaters. Some good ways include a built-in, freestanding bookcase or wall-mounted floating shelves.

Light It Up

Add lighting throughout your newly-organized closet. There are a number of clever, low-voltage, and battery-powered lights that can be added to shelves, drawers, and other dark corners. Look for lighting that turns on and shuts off automatically for drawers and cabinets. Good lighting highlights your organized closet, makes it easier to find items, and makes your closet look bigger.

Go Small

A closet with large drawers and big, deep shelves is not as efficient as you’d think. Things get lost in back, shoes become a jumbled mess, and items stacked in tall shelf spaces topple over easily or make it difficult to grab the bottom items. Make these big spaces smaller and more efficient by adding dividers into the drawers, designated shoe holders, or extra shelving to break up the open shelf space. Make it a rule to stack no more than five items per shelf.

Keep Your Closet Organized

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Once you create a beautiful and uncluttered closet, keep it that way. Put items in their place as you use them. If a section seems to look disorganized often, figure out how you can better organize that section. Perhaps you may need a catch-all basket or a box for some of the items in the unruly area. Make a habit of periodically donating your clothes and accessories you no longer use. David Lewis, famed industrial designer for Bang and Olufsen said it best:

“Truly elegant design incorporates top-notch functionality into a simple, uncluttered form.”