A closet can be a tidy and well organized place to store your clothes and other possessions. It can also be a place where random objects pile up until you have no idea what’s there. If the latter sounds more like your situation, there are some steps you can take to regain control of your closet space.

1. Take Inventory

The first way to start organizing a closet is to take everything out and begin sorting it. This is a good time to get rid of anything you aren’t using. Any piece of clothing you haven’t worn in the past year can safely be discarded. Donate clothing that’s in good condition, throw out the rest. This will give you an easier job of re-organizing whatever is remaining.

2. Upgrade Your Hangers

Getting additional hangers, or better quality ones can go a long way to making your closet space neater. Wire hangers are not sturdy enough for most clothes, so stick with sturdy plastic and wooden ones. Make sure you use the appropriate type of hanger for each item. For example, jeans and trousers should have the type of hangers made for pants.

3. Store Your Clothing Seasonally

If you have lots of clothes, you can better utilize your closet space by keeping items you will not be using for a few months elsewhere. For example, if you have heavy winter coats and other cold weather wear, there’s no point in wasting valuable space for these items in the summer. You can keep them in flat storage boxes or clothing racks until they are needed.

4. Keep Your Shoes Organized

A large collection of shoes randomly scattered around a closet contributes to a feeling of chaos. There are many options for storing shoes in a neat and easy to navigate manner. You can get cubbies, closet organizers or stackable bins for shoes, just to name a few options. Shoes are another item that you may want to categorize by season to save space. If your closet space is scarce, you can keep footwear that isn’t going to be used this season in another place.

 

Keeping your closets organized can be challenging. If you want one of those classy closets that you see on TV or in the movies, make the effort to use these spaces efficiently and you can take back control of your closets. That way they serve you rather than confuse and frustrate you.