45 Closet Organization Ideas to Make Your Mornings Stress-Free
This expert advice will change your daily routine.
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Dealing with a cluttered closet is frustrating — with clothes falling off hangers and shoes piled on the floor, it's nearly impossible to find what you need. And with spring cleaning underway, it's the best time to rethink your closet design and establish organization systems that actually work.
To help you streamline your space, we tapped professional organizers, interior designers and bloggers for their best closet organization ideas — and they're surprisingly simple to implement. Find inspiration for every budget, whether it's investing in a closet organization system or trying a DIY hack, like clear dividers for handbags, small items corralled in wicker baskets or rods built from copper pipes.
Keep in mind: Before you begin hanging shelves, labeling baskets or color-coordinating clothing, start by editing your current wardrobe and shoe collection.
First Things First, Purge Your Closet
There's no point in organizing clothes or accessories you never wear. Make a donation pile and as you organize, add items you haven't worn or used in the last year! Here's a great example of a minimal collection on display from NEAT Method.
Fold Sweaters and Sweatshirts
Take note from Lisa Jacobs of Imagine it Done and display sweaters on open shelves. Now, each garment is fully visible, making it easy to slide down the right one as you get ready.
Install Glass-Front Doors
Swap in glass-paneled closet doors, allowing you to see your entire wardrobe without looking inside. In this streamlined closet, LA Closet Design adds a few drawers and a pants rack.
Photo by: Meghan Bierle O’Brien
Maximize Space by Stacking Shoes
Shoes take up less space when stacked on top of each other — and these affordable plastic slots make it possible. In this organized walk-in, Lisa Jacobs of Imagine it Done sets up slip-ons, sneakers and dress shoes down low and boots above.
Carve Out Space for a Mirror
Hang a mirror nearby, so you can quickly check your appearance as you choose an outfit. Here, Strom Interior Studio creates a small vanity area in this luxe walk-in — perfect for putting on jewelry or applying makeup.
Photo by: Amanda Archibald
Arrange Shoes by Color
Ranging from dark to light, thoughtfully arrange shoes by color (especially if you have a collection as big as this one). When everything's on display, there's no more digging around the closet for that pair of heels you haven't worn in a while.
Set Up an Area for Accessories
Once you've chosen your outfit, stride over your dedicated accessory station — complete with handbags in glass-front drawers, a jewelry box and back-lit mirror for admiring the final look.
See more at LA Closet Design »
Photo by: Meghan Bierle O’Brien
Build Bars and Shelves With Copper Pipes
Here, Stefanie Fabrico of Project Makes Perfect embraces an industrial look with exposed wood walls. She skips the fancy closet system, creating shelves and clothing rods with copper pipe, instead.
Photo by: Amanda Archibald
Store Sneakers in Acrylic Bins
Sneakerheads need to adopt this organization method from The Curated Dwelling: Store sneakers in clear, stackable boxes to protect them from dust and moisture. Not to mention, it's easy to see where everything is.
Label Bins for Small Items
Tuck smaller items, like belts, gloves, scarves, socks or underwear into storage solutions, just as NEAT Method does in these decorative wood bins. Add labels to stay organized as you dress.
Hang Double Rods
Double up the curtain rods to maximize vertical space in your closet and avoid overcrowding. Here, LA Closet Design hangs long-sleeve shirts and jackets up top and short-sleeve shirts and pants below.
Photo by: Meghan Bierle O’Brien
Group Clothing by Color
No matter how much clothing you own, organizing by color is an easy way to keep track of every garment. Feel like wearing pink today? You know exactly where to look.
Maximize Vertical Space
Take storage all the way to the ceiling, just as designer Anastasia Casey of The Interior Collective does in this bright closet. A built-in system includes rods, open shelves and drawers, then wicker bins are stacked on top — great for seasonal items.
Photo by: Madeline Harper
Swap in Matching Hangers
Streamline your closet with all matching hangers (personally, I prefer velvet hangers). Professional organizers Danna Bitton and Shira Rom Bitton of Organize Dwell group like items, so it's easy to find exactly what you need.
Use Dividers for Handbags
Adjustable clear shelf dividers (which are super affordable on Amazon) instantly refresh this walk-in closet and give each purse a home. Added bonus? This setup will also help your handbags keep their shape.
See more at LA Closet Design »
Photo by: Meghan Bierle O’Brien
Use a Mix of Storage Solutions
For a newborn baby, Laura Kinsella of Urban OrgaNYze installs clothing racks, drawers and shelves, then adds various bins to accommodate more than just clothing.
Categorize Clothing by Style
Separate clothing by type (think dresses, short-sleeve tops, long-sleeve tops and pants). And if you've got at least five sequined outfits, feel free to give them their own section.
See more at LA Closet Design »
Photo by: Meghan Bierle O’Brien
Incorporate Comfortable Seating
If you've got the space, reserve a comfortable place to sit — it's helpful for trying on shoes. In this modern setup, designer Nicole Hirsch opts for a curved bench.
Install Recessed Lighting
Brighten up your everyday items by adding small LED lights on each shelf, just as Organize Dwell does here. This way, you can properly see every color and detail, and can ensure matching fits.
Keep Small Accessories in Drawers
Those small items you tend to misplace, like socks, sunglasses or cuff links, can be neatly organized in drawers. This keeps your must-haves within reach, while freeing up much-needed counter space.
See more at LA Closet Design »
Photo by: Meghan Bierle O’Brien
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things home and interior design. Prior to joining GH in 2022, she wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, Chairish, BobVila.com, Unique Homes Magazine and LODGING Magazine, in addition to crafting product copy for home brands like BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries.
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
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