Get Organized: 12 Inspiring, Attainably Neat Closets and Drawers
Most of us don’t have ballroom-size closets. Here are some average-size spaces with good organization
Erin Carlyle
January 9, 2017
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
January is the month when we’re focused on new beginnings. Why not tackle a clean-out of your cluttered closet? We’ve seen your comments saying that it would be easy to stay ultra-organized when closet space was practically unlimited, as it is in many of our most popular closet photos on Houzz. Staying organized in an average-size closet seems, understandably, a lot harder.
Which is why we’ve decided to focus here on closets of the size found in many American homes. You know, spaces that aren’t oversized. Take a look and see if there are any techniques you can copy to create more organization in your closets.
1. Child-size. This closet appears to hold the clothing and personal items of more than one child, thanks to strategically arranged shelving and rods that maximize the space. You could hire a professional organizer to create a system in your home, purchase a system from an organizing store, or create a DIY solution using products from a big-box store or hardware shop. The doors to this closet open outward rather than slide, providing a full view of the organizing system. But the same concept could work just as well for a closet with sliding doors.
1. Child-size. This closet appears to hold the clothing and personal items of more than one child, thanks to strategically arranged shelving and rods that maximize the space. You could hire a professional organizer to create a system in your home, purchase a system from an organizing store, or create a DIY solution using products from a big-box store or hardware shop. The doors to this closet open outward rather than slide, providing a full view of the organizing system. But the same concept could work just as well for a closet with sliding doors.
2. Bath closet. The bathroom closet pictured here is only as wide as five rolls of toilet paper, but it’s efficiently laid out. Labeled wicker baskets corral headbands and ribbons, soap and shampoo, and backup toiletries. The shelves have been adjusted to precisely fit the size of the baskets.
3. Under the stairs. Many of us in two-story homes have dead — or at least poorly organized — space beneath the stairs or in the attic. This (admittedly larger) closet shows how shelving and bins can maximize storage in the space under an A-line or attic ceiling, providing toys and games with a dedicated resting place.
4. Open and shut. This standard-size linen closet looks organized in part because of the color coordination. But it’s also got some other great tricks. Baskets keep loose items neat. The wire unit attached to the underside of the top shelf creates a clever place for rolled-up washcloths. The towels on the second shelf from the top are kept in piles thanks to vertical dividers. And two towel racks attached to the back of the closet door create space for hanging more linens.
5. Gray way. This closet benefits from a series of gray cloth bins that make finding a child’s possessions easier, thanks to the pink labels marking what’s inside each one.
6. Iron it out. This closet isn’t much deeper than the width of an ironing board, but a strategic use of shelving, baskets and an over-the-door shoe storage unit has made it a practical place for storing household necessities like batteries and light bulbs.
7. Wrapping diva. The doors on this standard-size closet have been removed and replaced with a rod and curtains, allowing the homeowner to view all its contents at once. Shelves and magazine holders contain a collection of fabrics and craft supplies, while a trunk displays a ribbon collection. A wall-mounted rack holds rolls of wrapping paper.
8. Jewelry wire. This project really is that simple: Necklaces and earrings are displayed on wires mounted to the wall. You could even place the wires outside the closet — it’s a pretty enough solution that it almost functions as art.
9. The realist. This kid’s closet uses the same concept as some of the previous examples — a mix of shelves, rods and baskets — but we love it because it’s a realistic example of what neat looks like on an everyday basis. Not hotel-perfect, but certainly good enough.
10. Unmentionables. Dresser drawer a mess? It’s easier to keep track of your winter tights and silky items when they’re neatly stored in their own little compartments. You can purchase systems like this at a range of prices. Alternatively, you can adjust the cardboard organizing system that comes inside a wine case to fit your drawer.
11. Gentleman’s drawer. The same concept works well for silk ties.
12. Non-closet wall. Sometimes the best closet is no closet at all. This Brooklyn renter didn’t have enough space for her shoes — she runs a shoe company — so she built shelves in the nook between her living room and kitchen to display them. Why not?
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Some good ideas but when I see shoes inside a closet, placed off the floor, I wonder where all that street & farm dirt falls. IMO, dirt does not belong on my clothes! When you hang something on an over the door closet hanger, you need to make room for the door to shut. A few practical problems that I see in some of the photos.
@pasovasz: I live on a ranch. The only concrete on my acreage is the foundation. So, every single pair of shoes, boots, tennies, mud boots, etc. collect dirt on a daily basis. I keep boot scrapers by my doors to knock off heavy mud. Mud boots get hosed down before entering. I remove them and put on my sneakers, regular boots or shoes. I keep heavy duty door mats at the entrance of each door to use. The mats gets cleaned and hosed down as needed.
As for storage, I keep all my foot wear separate from my clothes on the bottom of one of my closets on two shelves. I have about 10-12 pair of footwear as that is all I require. Once a month I wipe down the footwear shelves. Above them hang my longest items which are robes, midi or maxi skirts and dress shirts. I keep my outerwear on a separate closet.
I to have a "tie" rack I screwed into the back of one of my closet doors that I use mostly for belts and a trio of scarfs so everything lays flat and doesn't obstruct the clothes inside which are two rows of shirts of all types from Ts to button downs.
I think most of it isn't really a problem if one thinks through what the needs are and addresses them appropriately. It can be a problem if one ignores good design.