Having a closet with shelves can go either way – they can be super helpful or they can be a little bit of an issue. If not used properly, your closet can easily turn into a big mess! This blog post will help you by giving you some of the best yet simple tips on how to organize a closet with shelves.
If you’re anything like me, your closet can become messy fast. Even more so when you feel like you don’t have the space for all of your stuff.
It can get super irritating having to rummage through your clothes, looking for that one sweater or shirt when you’re in a rush in the morning. But don’t worry, with a few tips, you can easily have a much more organized closet.
Stay with us and we’ll teach you some really easy tips and tricks (and things to buy) to keep your closet clean and organized.
This blog post is all about how to organize a closet with shelves.
How to Organize a Closet with Shelves Easily
1. Go through your closet
The first thing that you should do to create more space in your closet is actually getting rid of what you don’t use. Take the time to pick out clothes or items that you don’t use any more to either throw away or donate. The easiest way is to have three separate piles: keep, donate, or trash. If you’re 50/50 on it, I would put it in the donate pile just in case because you’re going to have to hang onto it anyway, which will give you a little bit longer to think about it. I promise this is the best thing that will clear up more space instantly!
2. Acrylic shelf dividers
Typically with closet shelves, they’re large and very open. But just because they can appear large doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to maximize the space by adding something to divide it up. Acrylic shelf dividers are perfect for closet shelves because you can see through them and you can adjust their size. Having these will allow you to create more than one stack of clothing in a cleaner way. The above picture shows one option from Nordstrom Rack, but below I have linked a cheaper option from Amazon.
3. Baskets
Baskets are another great way to maximize the space of your shelves. You can either get clear or wired baskets, depending on your style. Clear baskets are typically easier to see what item is in your basket while wired baskets tend to be sturdier. Also, I would absolutely measure your closet shelves before buying any so you can get the best fitting baskets possible. You want to make sure you can utilize all of your open space. Below, I have linked similar but smaller baskets below:
4. Stackable shelves
Stackable shelves work great if you have larger shelves, where you can stack one or two on top of each other. These are very durable shelves. So if you have some heavier items, these would be perfect for you. Stackable shelves tend to be a little more on the expensive side, though, so it depends on how much money you would want to spend on something like this for your closet. Below is a link to stackable shelves that are clear, but much sturdier than the ones above:
5. Fabric cubes
These cubes, like the ones in the picture above, are a great option if you are looking for a cheaper option as well as something that’s not as dangerous if it would fall down. I say this because it is very easy to go try to pull something out of one of these baskets and accidentally pull it down with you. If the closet that you are trying to organize is in your child’s room, I would absolutely recommend these fabric cube organizers because they are much softer and less likely to cause damage if they accidentally pull it down somehow. These fabric cubes are also collapsable and easily stored in other places if you’re not using them anymore. Below is a link to similar cubes in the picture above:
6. Label everything
One of the easiest ways to organize your closet is by labeling all of your drawers/baskets/cubes, whatever you may use. If you know exactly what’s in them, then it’s so much easier and quicker to get what you need. Sometimes people don’t love the aesthetic of labels, but you can definitely make it cuter if that’s what you want. Labels are also amazing for children who are trying to learn how to put their own outfits together in the morning, or for the tired mom that needs a little extra help remembering where each item of clothing is. Above is a super cute set of printed baskets that you could buy, or you could also cheaply get a label maker and stick them on your own baskets!
7. Sort by category
This is one of the best hacks – sort your clothing by category! There are so many categories to go about this, but it’s whatever would personally help you the most. You can categorize by color, by event, by season, etc. For example, you can categorize your clothes by work vs. non-work or formal vs. casual. Again, it’s your personal preference and whatever will help you the best keep the closet organized.
8. Roll your clothes, don’t fold
This is something that people don’t think about, but depending on what clothing item we’re talking about, folding might actually be more annoying. Let me explain – if you’re trying to grab one piece of clothing that is perfectly folded, it’s super easy to accidentally grab its neighbor or have a bunch fall down on top of you. Nothing is more annoying when you’re trying to get ready quickly and a whole avalanche of clothes falls down on top of you. The main article of clothing I do this for is jeans! Keep your sanity and roll your jeans instead of folding them.
9. Vacuum bags
Is there anything in your closet that needs to be in there because there’s no other space, but you don’t use it? Maybe you have a big, puffy coat that you love to wear in the wintertime, but is it currently going to be springtime? That’s a perfect item to go into a vacuum-sealed bag. This will allow you to have so much more space in your closet. They can be a little annoying to use, but the amount of space that they can give back to you is amazing. Below, I have linked cheaper vacuum bags.
10. Install a hanger or hook
This is a great idea for those who have built-in shelves. Are the shelves big enough that you could add in a hanger? This is a small, but super helpful idea if you can do it. I would typically add a hanger for clothes and accessories that you tend to wear on the daily – your coat or jack, your purse, etc. This wouldn’t work for something that you don’t usually wear or use because it will be blocking other items that you will want to get to. Below are golden hangers similar to the ones above:
11. Utilize space below
Now that you have divided all your shelving space up, let’s see if there’s any extra that you can still use! What about at the bottom of your closet? A lot of people typically don’t utilize this or they just throw all their shoes down there. We don’t want to do that because we can easily organize this area to create even more space for whatever item of clothing you want. You could add another fabric cube or stackable shelves – whatever fits the items that you need.
12. Thin hangers
If you have a mixed closet, meaning a closet with some shelves and at least one rod for hanging clothes, this hack is for you! If you still need the space, I would recommend getting thinner, plastic hangers for articles of clothing that can handle having a thinner hanger. Do not put super heavy clothing on one of these, but if you could exchange your lighter pieces out, it will help with the space. Additionally, a lot of people like velvet hangers as well because they say it doesn’t slip. I will say that can be the case, but just note that these velvet hangers can also carry moisture in them – be careful with what types of clothing you use them with. Below are thin, velvet hanger if you would like to try them:
13. Use that door space
If your closet has a door, absolutely use this space if you need to! There are so many great organizers that you can hang on your door that will give you easy access to your clothes or accessories. For example, a door is a great place to put a shoe or jewelry holder. Not only do these help keep your items organized and clean, they also put them at eye-level so you don’t forget that you have the things that you do. Below are two links to my favorites that I’ve personally used in the past.
This blog post was all about how to organize a closet with shelves.
