Even if you’ve been downsizing and decluttering with clarity and consistency, the closet can seem like the last frontier of chaos. In many homes, a closet is the final resting place for unsightly over-crowding, used as the last resort after all other messes have been cleared away. That’s why organizing and maintaining a closet space, especially if it’s small, can seem like a never-ending challenge. But it doesn’t have to be! Try some of these organizing tips to help keep your closet functional.

Simplifying Your Closet

Whether it’s clothes, cleaning supplies or other “essentials,” you’re probably storing too much in your closet already. Be choosy about what you put in your closet, and consider taking on the challenge of a monthly wardrobe purge. Not sure how often you wear your clothes? Try hanging all of your hangers backwards, and flipping the hanger when you wear an item. If you haven’t flipped the hanger for an entire month, free that space for a more versatile and usable piece of clothing.

Ironically, the cleaning closet might be your messiest cupboard. If you open the door to a myriad of cleaning products, multiple vacuums, and a hodge-podge of dirty dust rags, it’s more likely to resemble an explosion of aspiration than a reprieve of freshness. If you’re storing multiple products with the same function because you’re afraid of some of the chemicals in your cleaning supplies, consider transitioning to green cleaning products, or making your own eco-friendly supplies. By combining baking soda, white vinegar, borax and lemon, you can make nearly every household cleaning product you need, in exactly the right quantity for the day. Find more non-toxic cleaning solutions at EarthEasy.com.

Divide and Conquer

One of the easiest ways to lose valuable closet space is by mis-dividing it. It may be industry-standard to have one hanging rod at eye-level for your clothes, but what about adding a second rod, extending three feet lower than the first? You’ll be able to hang twice as many clothes without adding much extra space.

The same strategy works for shelving. Using shelf dividers can help you more efficiently place clothes or items. And if you don’t plan to pile things three feet deep, why have three feet of space between shelves when one foot will do? Alternately, adding baskets that hang under the shelf can fill up that extra space between shelves without using all your energy just to move shelves closer together. All in all, it’s helpful to know that the manufacturer’s strategy of dividing your closet might not be the most helpful strategy for you. Choose your own adventure. 

Finding Unused Space

Don’t forget that the sides of your closet, the doors, and the space above the door are all valuable storage spots. You can use hooks, racks or pockets to take advantage of these small spaces and add a few more things. Space above the door of a walk-in closet is great for hanging luggage, or other items you don’t use very often. You can also store off-season clothes or other items in your dormant luggage, too.

With a measuring tape and some exacting calculations, you can build an item-specific cabinet of perfectly-proportioned nooks and crannies to store all of your stuff in an orderly way. So, it’s time to get to work!