Do you have too many clothes, but not enough room? Or are you always looking for that one shirt you want to wear, but it’s always missing? These closet organization hacks will help you locate your clothes quicker and get ready in a heartbeat.
I know how annoying it is if you have to dig through your closet to find a shirt or those socks that were going to wear with your shoes.
It doesn’t have to be so chaotic all the time if you implement some smart strategies to organize your closet.
These closet organization hacks are tested and approved by a dorm-living college student, so feel at ease knowing how tiny my closet was.
This post is all about closet organization hacks that you should implement right now.
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information. Thank you!
Closet Organization Hacks to Try Right Now
First, before you get into anything, visualize how you want your closet space to work.
Do you want your closet to look visually appealing? Quick to pick your clothes and get ready? Or all of the above?
You want to map out the space in your closet and make sure that you are fully optimizing your area.
Answer some of these main questions:
- What clothes are you planning to put in your closet? (in-season or everything?)
- Do you currently have a system that works?
- How many sections do you need? (one section per clothing type or by color?)
- Are you looking for a long-term or short-term method?
- How often will you buy or get rid of your clothes?
By targeting these questions, you will have a rough idea of what items you want in your closet, how often you might need to change the clothes, and how much effort you will put into reorganizing your closet space.
I have what I want in mind…now what?
After you got what you are planning for, time to go through your closet.
If you happen to feel overwhelmed by taking everything out and sorting, I recommend sorting through colors or by sections.
But if you don’t feel overwhelmed, take everything out of your closet and sort them into different piles.
Have a pile for:
- donate
- sell
- keep
Photo by Ron Lach
Then, split up your clothes into what you will put in your closet and what you will save for the next season.
Store away your windbreakers and heavy coats under your bed or in storage boxes if it’s going to be hot and sunny.
Prepare to give yourself a few hours or a day to clean out your closet. Make sure to take pictures of any clothes that you want to sell and post them online.
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Recommended Organization Essentials
After you got all your sorting done, here are some of the top closet organization tools that I use to keep my closet put together.
1. Drawer Organizers for Undergarments
If you have a dresser or drawers within your closet, I highly, HIGHLY recommend getting a set of these drawer organizers.
You can either get plastic drawers or rolling drawers to fit in your closet for additional storage. Before I got a set of these organizers, I would stuff my socks and undies in a small basket that would always get messy.
After getting these organizers, I was able to quickly locate what I need and organize it after I do the laundry.
If you have trouble with missing socks, you won’t have that problem anymore. My favorite part is all the slots that are included which makes the entire system easier to organize.
I place these drawer organizers at the top because if you had to get one thing-this is it. This is what I would recommend for anyone who has dressers or drawers and want to have a better system for their undergarments.
2. Slim Velvet Hangers
Velvet hangers are also a great addition to any closet. Make sure you get these slim ones instead of bulky hangers that take up twice as much space.
There are two main pros of velvet hangers: non-slip and slim. Do you have a bunch of spaghetti strap dresses or chiffon blouses? Don’t fret because these hangers will keep your clothes hanging.
You can save twice as much room by opting for slim hangers that you can store in your closet.
I used to use those regular plastic hangers and those weren’t it. They were bulky and my sweaters always slip right off them.
It’s so convenient now since I can hang my sweaters and jackets WITHOUT zipping them up and they still don’t fall (what kind of magic is this).
If you live in dorms where you get itty bitty closets, these hangers will help save you so much more space.
3. Hanging Closet Organizer
If you don’t have a dresser or drawers, then a hanging closet organizer will be able to take care of your clothing organization needs.
You can get one either with a few or many slots to hold clothes. I recommend designating one slot for tank tops, one for t-shirts, and one for thicker clothes.
Another option is to store your knitted clothes since hanging them will deform them.
If you live in a dorm or small apartment, then getting one of these hanging organizers can double as a linen organizer. Store any extra bed sheets, towels, or pajamas in the organizer to separate them from your clothes.
You can also use it as a clothing reminder where you can put clothes that you wore once to rewear again next time. Save water and the environment by being economically conscious by wearing your clothes more than once.
A tip is to wear your clothes on alternating days and you can use the organizer to help you:
- Top shelf: clothes that you wore yesterday
- Middle shelf: clothes that you wore the day before
- Bottom shelf: clothes from before
Interested in reading more posts like closet organization hacks? Check out 17+ Jaw-Dropping Life Hacks for Students.
4. Pant Hangers
Do you have jeans or pants that always take up a large chunk of your closet space? You can save space by getting these pant hangers which double as a space-saving agent and an organizer.
Maximize the space that you have to store other clothing items. You can pick up one or two of these to organize all your pants, skirts, and bottoms.
No more rolling or folding your bottoms which means quicker closet organization.
If you have slacks or more formal bottoms, I recommend hanging them up instead of stuffing them inside dressers or drawers.
You don’t want to have a bunch of creases or wrinkles on your bottoms for special occasions or events.
5. Large Storage Bags
If you have off-season clothes, you can also store them in storage bags like these. Not only are they durable, but also heavy-duty and clear which makes it easy to view the contents inside.
So if you have a lot of clothes, you can store them in these storage bags and slide them under your bed or on the bottom of your closet.
If you live in dorms, you can also store these bags on top of your closet.
You can also place linens or extra bedding items inside these storage bags to separate them from your clothes.
And bonus points, you can pack your luggage in these babies and move in or move out of your dorm or apartment simply.
6. Rolling Drawers
Ok, I admit this is somewhat cheating, but getting a set of rolling fabric drawers will extend your closet space by so much more!
This set of rolling drawers can be used as a dresser or for your undergarments. Store your sports bras, undies, and socks in these bins for quicker access.
You can also use these bins to store clothes for different occasions. An example can be:
- Top drawer: daily wear
- Middle drawer: workout clothes
- Bottom drawer: pajamas
Organize the bins according to how they would work best for you.
Other Hacks for Closet Organization
And if those tools weren’t enough, check out some of these other tools that you might not have thought of for closet organization.
You don’t have to use items that are specifically for the closet, you can find products that work out for you.
1. Command Hooks
You might not have thought about using command hooks to organize your closet, but hear me out.
Pick up a pack of these and stick them on the inside of your closet door. Then, hang your belts, hats, and accessories on these hooks to help you get ready faster in the morning.
Hanging your accessories on hooks will allow you to have a wide overview of your items and be able to find them quickly.
You can even designate one door for belts and the other for any bucket hats, caps, etc.
And if you want your bags or purses out of sight and out of mind, use command hooks!
2. Extension Rod
Extension rods aren’t only for the showers, you can use them in your closet too!
You can double the amount of space in your closet by placing an extension rod on the bottom part of your closet.
Use it to hang your bottoms, skirts, and pants. This way you can use the top rod for your shirts, tops, and lengthier items.
Another way to use extension rods in your closet is for your shoes. You can get a pack of two plastic extension rods and stick them horizontally across the bottom of your closet.
Then place your sneakers, boots, heels, platforms, and sports shoes on top of the extension rods. Make sure that the rods aren’t spaced too wide apart so your shoes won’t slip through.
3. S Hooks
Another great tool for closet organization is s hooks. You can use these for anything, anything.
Hang your purses and bags on these hooks to easily browse through them.
If you want a cheaper alternative to the pant hangers above, you can opt for these s hooks.
Hang your jeans by their belt loops and pants by their tags. If you don’t want to use command hooks, you can use these s hooks to hang your belts, caps, and accessories too.
Make sure you are purchasing the right size of s hooks for your closet rod since some may be thinner or thicker than others. Go for a larger size of s hooks to be on the safe side.
Any extra tips???
Still not enough ideas? Well, sit tight as I introduce more ideas to organize your closet.
If you want to organize your closet based on color, you can go from light to dark colors.
You can also sort based on sections. Work from top to bottom, and assign tops to upper racks and bottoms to lower portions.
If you have a certain routine like picking your bottoms first before picking a top, you can place your bottoms towards the top rack.
Remember, you don’t need every single item on this list to have an organized closet. Get only the items you need and fit them within your routine.
And you don’t need to purchase the items here if you find cheaper alternatives elsewhere. These items are only recommendations that have helped or inspired me to organize my closet efficiently.
Thankfully, my closet is still organized and easy to navigate since I implemented my system.
A brief rundown of my system…
Then, I have two sets of rolling drawers under my clothes which act as dressers. For the first rolling drawer, I place all the pajama tops and large t-shirts that I wear to sleep on the top. In the second drawer, I place all my pajama bottoms. And on the last drawer, I place all my pajama sets. Yes, I love pajamas because I love sleeping.
In my second drawer, I place all my undies, bras, and socks in drawer organizers which makes them so much easier to find. In the lower drawers, I like to store my hats, belts, and accessories where I put the last finishing touches to my outfit.
There is this extra space on the top of the two drawers where I like to put clothes that I have worn once.
I also have a hanging shelf where I store my knitted cardigans, knitted tops, and clothes that don’t do well being hung.
On the top of my closet, there is a rack where I store all my off-season clothes and extra bedding.
This system has been AMAZING for me and it works for me because I don’t need to find my missing sock or shirt anymore. I created a routine where everything has somewhere to go. There is no debating after laundry on where to find a space for a top or bottom.
Reorganize your closet today so you can get ready faster AND try on more different clothes that might have been hidden in the deep realms of your closet.
Have fun organizing and hopefully, these tips helped you out!
