25 Smart Ideas to Maximize Your Closet Storage Space

Is your closet so crowded and disorganized that you have to frantically search for clothes and other items each time you get ready to go out? If you’re in need of some solutions to free up space and organize your cluttered closet once and for all, then keep reading! Welcome and Hello Cleaner’s DIY. Here are smart ideas to maximize your closet storage space.

1. One simple way to create more space is to add small hooks to the walls both inside and outside your closet. They’re cheap to buy and easy to install; peel and stick ones are great for light items like scarves and hats, though you may want to consider attaching sturdier hooks with screws for heavier items such as bags.

2. Larger hooks or hand towel rings like the ones you see in kitchens or bathrooms also work great and can hold multiple items at once. This means you can keep all of your scarves or bags in the same place and you won’t have to go hunting for a specific one that usually gets buried under loads of other stuff!

3. Attaching shower rings to a hanger will allow you to hang multiple smaller items in one place, reducing the total number of hangers you need and helping you to stay organized. It also lets you hang up delicate items instead of shoving them in a drawer where they could become wrinkled and ruined.

4. The next time you have a can of soda, keep the ring pull (or tab) because it may just come in handy. You can use it to connect two or more hangers together and stagger your shirts or jackets using minimal closet space. This is an ingenious hack, as it uses vertical space instead of just horizontal. It’s super helpful if you have a tall, thin closet.

5. Smaller items like clutch bags and wallets can often get lost under piles of clothes and bulkier items. One way to keep them in plain sight and out of the way is to attach clear, acrylic holders to your walls. It’s a practical but also brilliant way to display your bags and accessories without losing them or forgetting about them entirely.

6. Once a piece of jewellery gets lost in a crowded closet, you probably won’t see it again for a while. However, if you keep each piece of jewellery in a jewellery box with allocated sections for earrings, bracelets, etc., then not only will you know exactly where to find it, it’s also less likely to get tangled with other jewellery or to become damaged. You can decorate each section with a different colour or add smaller sections using cardboard to really personalize the box. This works for organizing other small items like socks and underwear too.

7. For larger pieces of clothing that are seasonal or bulky like winter sweaters or tracksuits, fold them up and store them in storage bins. There’s no point using up valuable hanger space on clothes you don’t wear all year round, so fold them up and keep them stored neatly until it’s time to bring them out again. You can even make your own storage bins using cardboard boxes and old fabric.

8. Clothing Dividers. There’s a reason why stores use clothing dividers – because they work! [clothes shelf with jeans in the closet] Normally they’re installed so that customers can find the right size easily, but there’s no reason why you can’t use them at home to find a certain dress or jacket the same way. [clothes young brunette women in glasses] You can divide your wardrobe into as many sections as you want without compromising on space. Plastic or cardboard dividers are cheap to buy, or you can even make your own.

9. Shoes can take up a lot of storage space, especially if they’re not sorted neatly. Investing in a shoe rack or keeping your shoes organized on shelves or in cubbies at the bottom of your closet not only looks nice but also separates them from your more delicate clothing items.

10. Sunglasses and regular glasses are usually quite fragile, so they need to be kept separate from your other possessions, especially if you wear them regularly. However, they also need to be easily accessible. So why not display your collection by hanging them from a wire or string in an empty picture frame? Simply grab a pair off the wall and you’re good to go!

11. Don’t you just hate when your clothes slip off of your hangers and become a crumpled mess at the bottom of your closet? Well, you can stop that from happening with a simple fix. Just wrap some pipe cleaners around the corners of your hangers and the friction will stop your clothes from falling off!

12. If you have a huge and ever-growing wardrobe, it can be hard to keep track of where everything is, particularly if you’re always adding things and re-arranging your closet. An easy fix for this is to use chalkboard labels. Attach them to boxes or hangers, and when you need to switch things up, just erase the label and re-write it!

13. Some people find it way easier and much less hassle to replace the door of their closet with a curtain. This creates a bit more space when a closet reaches its maximum capacity and means you won’t have to fight to close the door every time you take something from it.

14. Alternatively, you could opt for adding extra shelving to the inside or outside of your closet door. You probably wouldn’t normally think of adding a shelf to a door because things might fall off when you open or close it. If you’re smart like us, though, you’ll simply opt for the type of shelving that can be found in a pantry – you know, the ones with sunken trays or barriers to stop things falling off when the door opens.

15. Try livening up your wardrobe by colour coordinating your closet. You can use different coloured hangers for certain items (yellow for summer-wear and blue for winter clothing, for example), or use different coloured storage boxes for various clothing and accessories. This is a particularly good idea for people who like to dress according to the theme or occasion.

16. You could even take things a step further by painting sections of your wardrobe to signify which areas are dedicated to certain items or occasions. Closets don’t have to be boring and monotone, so get creative and get the paintbrush out!

17. This one may seem obvious, but if you haven’t already, separate your clothes according to the activities you use them for. For instance, you should keep all of your work clothes in a separate area to your casual clothes. This will speed things up when it comes to getting ready in the morning.

18. Once you’ve sorted your clothes by activity, sort them again within their sections by item. That means all of your work socks and all of your casual socks should no longer be mixed so you won’t have to worry about grabbing the wrong ones when you’re in a rush. Remember to use labels for maximum efficiency.

19. If your closet has lots of hanging space but no shelving units or cubbies, it’s time to change that! Invest in a wardrobe or piece of furniture that offers a variety of storage options, or modify your current closet to include areas for shoes, underwear and other things that need their own space.

20. Certain parts of your closet can be used for dual functions. For example, a shelf or a chest of drawers can double as a base for your dressing table and a place to store your jewellery and accessories. Think about how you can get the most out of every nook and cranny.

21. A mirror is a great addition to any closet and isn’t very space-consuming at all. Hang one on the wall or on the back of your closet door. Being able to see what you’re wearing the second you put it on will save you time and make it easier to put things back in the right place, rather than leaving a pile of rejected outfits on your bedroom floor.

22. When space is at a premium, sliding wall units are essential because unlike conventional pull-out drawers or doors that pivot, sliding mechanisms can be stored out of the way when not in use. You can hang all of your thinner items like belts on a closet bar that slides out when you need it and tucks away when you don’t.

23. There’s often space towards the top or bottom of a closet that goes unused, yet it doesn’t have to be that way. Think vertically and use stackable storage boxes to get the most use out of your closet’s capacity. If your closet is tall, you might need to invest in a step stool to reach the top, but it’s worth it so that you can keep out-of-season clothes and things you rarely need up and out of the way.

24. Building on that last point, if you’re going to use storage bins and boxes, make sure you buy or make ones with handles. There’s nothing worse than filling your closet with storage containers only to find that you can’t pull out a certain box or bin because it’s wedged too tightly between the others.

25. And finally, it’s always a worthwhile idea to hang a laundry bag on the door or keep one somewhere in your closet space. This prevents you from leaving dirty clothes lying around and keeps your closet from becoming disorganized. It also helps you to keep track of which clothes are and aren’t available in your wardrobe and when it’s time to put a wash on.

Which of these smart ideas is your favourite? Is there anything we missed? Feel free to share your ideas with us in the comments. If you enjoyed the article, remember to leave a like and subscribe to the blog, so you can stay up to date with our latest tips and tricks! Thank you so much for reading. We’ll see you again next time!