Here are inexpensive ways to organize your closet with products from Amazon, Target and HomeGoods. All the steps are outlined from start to finish. I’m joining my friends, Annie, Cindy and Sheri with their organizational tips at the end of the post.
Luckily in this house I have a large closet with a built-in shelving system. In San Francisco, my last closet was tiny and had sliding glass doors that came off the tracks almost everyday.
I wasn’t excited to start this project, but now that it’s finished, I love seeing my closet and I think you will love yours, too!
The Walk-in Closet Before Organizing
It wasn’t horrible, but I wasn’t happy. I don’t love the reddish wood color but the design and layout are good.
After: Inexpensive Ways To Organize Your Closet
Clear Out The Closet, Purge, And Clean The Floor And Shelves
Before diving into organizing solutions, take some time to eliminate clutter and clean your closet. Remove items that no longer fit, are out of style, or you simply don’t wear anymore. Donate or sell these items to free up space and make organizing easier.
I was shocked how dusty the shelves and floors had gotten over the last year and a half (even with somewhat regular cleaning). I made a vow to try to not have items on the floor to make it easier to clean/vacuum. It felt great to donate four big bags of clothing.
Use Matching Hangers
Rehang clothing on matching velvet hangers from Amazon (with these hangers for the sweaters).
Hang Items Back In The Closet According To Type, Then Color
Multiple Pants Hangers Can Create More Hanging Space
These pants hangers from Amazon were not hard to put together.
Inexpensive Clear Shoe Boxes And Shelf Dividers Create More Storage
On the shoe racks, using clear boxes allows for more vertical space. These are budget-friendly from Amazon. They had to be assembled. But I love how everything is visible and they are stackable. I’m thinking about buying more since they keep shoes dust-free, too.
Inexpensive clear shelf dividers keep purses upright and work for sweaters, tank tops and t-shirts, too, if you want to fold and stack them.
A Tray And Jewelry Racks Create Pretty Organization For Accessories
My necklaces, bracelets and earrings stay visible with these racks from Amazon and the ceramic bowl that my daughter made for me. The bamboo tray is several years old.
Adequate Lighting
We have overhead lighting as well as cordless rechargable task lamps for my jewelry.
If Space Allows Add:
A Target Full Length Mirror and Steamer Stand make getting dressed easier. I use the clothing stand for steaming as well as for creating outfits and for organizing my travel wardrobe.
We like having hooks for our robes.
Bench and Pretty Rug
The Studio McGee bench from Target (more colors) is nice to sit on to put on shoes. I was happy with the quality of the Target swivel chair that I purchased for Our Guest Room and decided to buy this piece.
Incidentally, I have a Target Red Card that is connected to our debit card that gives me 5% off every purchase and free shipping. If you shop at Target much…it can save you a lot of money.
I picked up the 5 x7″ wool rug at HomeGoods for around $120. It makes the room brighter and fresher.
The drawers above contain socks, underwear, pajamas, scarves and belts. We have dressers in the bedroom for other items.
The top shelves hold bins and baskets for travel packing cubes and my boots.
I hope this has given you some closet organization ideas. My closet actually makes me happy!
Let’s see what my friends recommend.
Most Lovely Things
Cindy Hattersley Design
Sheri Silver
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A+++ on your fabulous closet reorganization. There’s nothing better than walking into a neat and well organized closet and seeing everything in its proper place. My closet is pretty good but would be nice if it was a little bigger! I just need to purge some things that I don’t wear anymore. Great job, Mary Ann!
Hi Mary Ann,
I am lucky to have a huge closet, but it could use a little polishing up. Thanks for the great tips!
Xo Heidi
Mary Ann! I think your closet looks like a lovely boutique. Especially the jewelry area! I love the lamps, the bowl that Alie made, the photograph. What fun it must be to get dressed in your closet!
Xo
MA! You have a closet to envy. I love the addition of cordless lamps. Brilliant. Also great idea to keep things off the floor, for some reason all the dust in our house seems to find it’s way to our closet. Ugh. Anyway, back to my closet envy … I wish I had such a nice, big space. Awesome tips! xo
Everything looks great! So many great tips! I had a fabulous closet at my old house it was a size of a small bedroom and it had shelves, cubbies, a window seat and so much more. I even had a chaise lounge in it! This new house has a horrible closet and honestly I have yet to figure out a system that is going to work. I am bookmarking this post so that I can use some of these tips in my redesign.
Isn’t a closet purge cathartic?! I have also used the acrylic shelf dividers for my nicer handbags. In addition, I purchased Innies Quilted inserts (Container Store) which really help your bags hold their shape. So many terrific ideas in this post.
Thanks, Catherine…I need to check out Innies!
Thanks for the inspiration, Mary Ann — lots of helpful ideas, and your renewed closet looks wonderful! I have so much clothing to either fit into, or let go off ;-} I have a newish house and custom-designed closet (by moi…), but I have allowed the clutter to build up, and left many “aspirational” garments in drawers and hanging, even after removing many others to a guest room closet! A lot of tough decisions to be made in there and ~20 years of clothing to review and let go off…
You can do it, Joan!!
Bravo, great job and nice updates. When we downsized, we went from separate his and hers walk in closets to a single walk in and things are a little tight! On our list of things to do is better organization. I waste time walking from my shower to my closet to my bedroom drawers to the closet etc. I guess the steps are good for me, lol! Rug and small lamps are great touches.
Ha!…that’s what I always think “these steps are good for me!” When organizing our closet I threw most everything on the bed and bedroom floor…so it was a lot of steps.
Wow Mary Ann – what a transformation! So many great, clever and easy-to-implement ideas here! And I love that bench; I have been looking for a clean and simple one for my own closet and am order this one today! xo
Your closet came out great! How lucky you are to have such a large walk in. Our home is 75 years old…we only have 1 larger one and the remaining two are small. What will be challenging is when we remodel the kitchen we are removing an adjoining closet in our office to give us more space. At some point we will have a closet system installed in the primary bedroom to make it more efficient. I just ordered Allison Bornstein’s book so I am hoping it will help me pare down my clothing!
Linda
I read Allison’s book at my daughter’s house. I need to order my own copy.
What a great idea to put a pretty rug in your closet. Those acrylic shelf dividers are game changers! I love how you created that charming little jewelry area. You have inspired me to finish organizing my closet!