Ways to Organize a Messy Closet

by Maria Elena Casillas 11/15/2020

Generally, a closet ought to bring simplicity to your life. Whether it's a large walk-in or an itty-bitty space, a neat closet should be where you can get the things you need any time of the day. However, keeping a closet neat and organized can be more complicated than it seems. One day you have a clean closet that makes you hum James Brown's "I feel good." The next day the closet looks like a sharp gust of wind swept through it. No worries. Erase your closet headaches with these excellent tips.

Remove What You Don’t Need

Take your time to go through every single item in your closet, and discard anything you have not worn in a year or so. You could always donate to your local shelters or clothing drives visiting your community.

Save with Hanging Organizers

If there is no space for shelves or a dresser in your closet, try using hanging organizers to save more space. They are inexpensive and will provide an ideal place to put your folded clothes.

Hang Items on the Inside of the Door

For those that don't have sliding doors, you can add hooks to the inside of your closet door to hang items like scarves, handbags, and jewelry.

Store Out-of-Season Items

If you live in an area that is particular to season changes, storing your clothing from the prior season could free up some of your space. Check for any out-of-season clothes and neatly fold them into a bin or utilize space-saving bags to keep any critters, dust or unwanted things from getting to them. Bin's and saver bags are easy to stack and can fit neatly under your bed or in a corner in your closet.

Add a Light

Some closets come with light, while others may not. If your closet does not have a light fixture, you could easily add one. You may wish to use a preexisting light feature from another area of your home, such as free-standing lamp, or simply use a wall-mounted lamp to give your closet a little more illumination. If you opt for in-depth installation, there are a few key points to remember when it comes to choosing your bulb, such as halogen lights not typically being suitable for small, enclosed spaces due to the heat they give off. Instead, make use of fluorescent or LED options. They're energy efficient and give off minimal heat. Being able to see your things will help you keep them in order.

Store Your Shoes Elsewhere

If your closet has limited floor space, you can store your shoes in a bin under your bed, or in an over-the-door, hanging organizer on your closet or bedroom door. Both are relatively inexpensive and save a tremendous amount of space. If you prefer to do it yourself, there are ample ideas to search for such as recycled PVC shoe holders or repurposing old display furniture, like bookshelves.

Follow these simple tips, and you could save endless amounts of space in your closet. You can then use your well-designed closet as a great home feature to entice new buyers. Talk to your real estate agent about the most popular closet layouts and how to set yours up for an open house.

About the Author

Maria Elena Casillas

You don’t need to do this alone. I am bilingual in English and Spanish, and I have been in the industry for over 20 years, after earning my degree in Business Management and successive studies in Human Resources and Technology. Never content to let my education lapse, I also received a certification in Negotiation Skills from Pepperdine University and attended courses at Stanford University. A leader in the field, I am a member of the Santa Clara Board of Realtors and served as a professional standards ombudsman for 8 years. I completed a term as the President of the National Hispanic Organization of Real Estate’s Santa Clara chapter in 2016, now serving as this organization’s National Vice President. I pursued additional in-depth training to achieve professional designations as an ABR (Accredited Buyer’s Representative), CRS (Certified Professional Specialist), and SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist), GREEN certification, and RCS-D (Divorce Real Estate Specialist). Far from being a meaningless alphabet soup, this demonstrates how proactive I am in pursuing the latest knowledge so that I completely prepared to satisfy all my sellers' and buyers' unique needs. I am committed to Excellence!