11 Easy Ways to Maximize Your Closet Space

Written by Joanne Gruber | Edited by Hunter Rising

Last Updated: July 18, 2022 References

So you’re trying to put your clothes away, but where can you find the space if your closet is already stuffed to the brim? Even if you don’t have a lot of stuff, a small closet can fill up pretty fast. No matter what size your closet is, you can find extra room for your things with a few simple organizational tricks. Keep reading for the best storage solutions to use so you can make the most of your closet space!

This article is based on an interview with our professional stylist, Joanne Gruber, owner of The Closet Stylist. Check out the full interview here.

1

Get rid of clothes you don’t wear.

Clearing out your old clothes gives you more room to work with. Go through all of your garments and try them on to make sure they fit and that you still like the style. Save the clothes you love that make you feel comfortable and confident, but set aside any other garments that you don’t want anymore.
- Have a friend or two over while you’re going through your closet and have them give their opinions on which clothes fit you best and which ones are better to get rid of.
- If the clothes you’re getting rid of are in good shape, donate them so someone else can wear them.

2

Store out-of-season items in plastic bins.

Seasonal items take up space you can use for other clothes. Instead of keeping all of your cold-weather clothes in your closet during the summer, fold them up and pack them into clear plastic storage bins. Label the bins or tape pictures of what’s inside to the bin so you can quickly tell what’s inside. Just stack the bins in the corner of your closet or put them on a high shelf that’s out of the way.^{[1]
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- If you don’t have space in your closet for bins, try sliding them underneath your bed.
- Try to declutter and go through your clothes after every season to see which styles you want to keep and which ones you didn’t wear out.

3

Install another hanging rod.

A second rod can double the number of clothes that you can hang. Measure the width of your closet space and get a closet rod that’s long enough to fit.^{[2]
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- Get a hanging closet rod that hooks onto the original rod if you aren’t able to install a new one.
- If you have a lot of vertical space in your closet, you can install a rod to the ceiling for some extra hanging space. This works especially well for long, drapey garments, like dresses or pantsuits, but you’ll probably need a small step stool to reach them.^{[4]
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4

Hang your clothes on slimline hangers.

Using slimline hangers lets you fit more clothes on the rod. Slimline hangers have a thinner profile than bulky plastic or wooden hangers, so they make a great choice for small closets. Get rid of all of your mismatching hangers and switch them out so they all look clean and uniform.
- Try to hang up as many of your clothes as possible rather than folding them. You get in the habit of wearing whatever is on top of a folded stack, but you’re more likely to try different styles if you hang your clothes up.

5

Add a rack to the back of your closet door.

Storage racks on your door work perfectly for shoes and accessories. Look for door hooks or a hanging fabric organizer that clips to the top of the door. Put the organizer on the inside of the door so it’s out of sight whenever you close your closet. Hang up handbags, scarves, robes, or belts if you got hooks, or store shoes, jewelry, or small accessories in the pockets of a fabric organizer.^{[5]
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- Stay away from rigid wire door organizers since they could stick out too far and bump into your closet shelves when you try to close the door.

6

Attach hooks on the wall.

Hanging your jewelry and accessories frees up extra shelf space. Rather than crowding up your shelves, install a few small wall hooks in a line inside of your closet. You can hang multiple pieces of jewelry on the same hook to save even more space.^{[6]
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- Adhesive hooks work great if you’re renting your home and don’t want to damage the walls.
- Line hooks vertically up your closet wall and hang a handbag from each one for an easy way to display them.

7

Tidy up shelves and drawers with dividers.

Dividers break shelves and drawers into sections where you can store items. Folded piles of clothes could tip over and take up more space, so slip a shelf divider next to the stack. Now the clothes will stay neat and you can put another stack next to it. If you have drawers in your closet, add in a few drawer dividers to make compact spaces for similar garments and accessories.^{[7]
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- For example, you may divide a drawer into 2 sections to keep your undergarments and socks organized.

8

Put folded clothes in a hanging cubby organizer.

A hanging organizer adds more vertical storage for tees and sweaters. A cubby organizer has multiple cubes that are perfect for storing any of those sweaters or shirts that you don’t want hanger marks on. Just hang the organizer from your closet rod and put your items inside. You can even add small storage baskets to keep loose accessories from falling out.^{[8]
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- If you don’t have any room to hang an organizer, get some stackable floor shelves for your items.
- Hang up corner shelves in your closet since they add a lot of extra storage in an under-utilized space.

9

Organize your shoes on a shoe rack.

Shoe racks clear out the clutter on your closet floor so you have more space. Get a shoe rack that has a few shelves so you can stack all of your shoes in one spot. Put similar styles next to each other so they’re easier to find.^{[9]
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- If you have taller shoes or boots, get a shoe rack with adjustable or removable shelves.
- When you’re putting heels away, alternate pointing one shoe forward and one shoe backward to save even more space.

10

Put infrequently used items on a high shelf.

Storing items on an upper closet shelf leaves more room lower in your closet. Save the top shelf for items like extra bed linens, decorations, seasonal clothes, and other items that you won’t need every day. Put the extra items into storage baskets or bins so they stay safe, and label the baskets so you can tell what’s stored inside at a glance.^{[10]
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- If you have more vertical space above your closet shelf, you can install another wire shelf for extra storage.

11

Display your clothes on racks outside your closet.

Additional racks in your room let you prioritize closet space for larger items. If you have clothes that you wear frequently, keep them out of your closet so they’re easier to access. You cycle outfits out of your closet and put them onto a garment rack in your room and keep jackets on a coat rack.^{[11]
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- A blanket ladder works great for hanging up scarves, pants, or clothes that you’ve worn that aren’t quite dirty yet.
- Put your high heels on a metal grid in your room so you can see all of your options and break out a pair you may have forgotten about.