Organizing Tips for Your Closet

Organizing a closet is a personal thing, which is why most people prefer to do it themselves. Only you really know what you use the most and where you would like for it to be when you need it. However, it can be hard to decide, with so many options out there. We've assembled a few tips and tricks that some people find helpful when deciding how to organize their closet. Whether you want an elaborate system or just have a few dollars to invest, these tips can get you started in the right direction.

Designing your own system can be a lot of fun. Go ahead and dream big when you design your closet. You don't have to do everything in the design, but it can help you get ideas about what will work best for your space. You may decide to add on sections at a later date, and just leave them blank for now.

For example, many people find drawers in the closet extremely useful. There is so much little stuff that we want to keep out of sight. Ties, underwear, belts, spare shoestrings, you name it; it probably needs to be stored in the closet. A closet drawer can be divided into sections that help you keep everything in its place. If you don't have room for an entire dresser or series of drawers, you might be able to install just one or two underneath an existing shelf. Drawers don't take up much space, but they can get rid of all of the little things that clutter up your closet.

Another thing that many people are doing now is to double up on the bars. Most people don't hang a lot of suits and dresses anymore, so why do we need an eight foot long bar dedicated to hanging these long items? We don't. Most people can get away with a one to two foot bar dedicated to long dresses and coats. Think locker-style hanging area for long items on one side of the closet.

If you do hang a small bar on one far side of the closet like we're talking about, then you can use the next foot or two of space for shelving. Shelves can be used for anything from underwear baskets to photo albums. You will find lots of uses for shelves in your closet.

Next to that you can hang two bars, one high and one low. You can hang all of your shirts on one and all of your pants on the other. Measure how many feet of hanging room you started with, usually eight feet, and measure how many you have now. With the one short bar for hanging dresses, plus the two for hanging shirts and pants, you should have nine to twelve feet of hanging space, plus the shelves that you installed.

You can create so much more usable space in a closet if you just use your imagination. When you're done, update your clothes hangers to finish it off. A good clothes hanger is sturdy and attractive. Wood hangers are cheaper than you may think and can really add a high-end feel to your closet. Coat hangers are best for coats and suits because they help them to keep their shape at the shoulders. When your hangers look good, your entire closet will look good!