Blog Post

How to Properly Arrange The Clothes in Your Closet

Marielle Robie • Jan 17, 2022

If you know how to arrange clothes in a closet, your life will become easier. You'll be able to find what you need when you need it. Of course, that's a lot easier said than done. Even the most well-intentioned fashionista will have trouble keeping their closet in a state of maximum efficiency, and before they know it, their once clean and stately walk-in is reduced to a jumble of wrinkled shirts and scuffed shoes.

Thankfully, there are a few simple steps you can take to turn your heap of clothes into a crisp and organized storage system.

Clear out the oldies
Utilize other storage spaces
Take a fresh look at your closet
Add necessary accessories and components
Group items accordingly
Tidy up with neat folding and hanging

Ready to get started? Read on to learn more!

Downsize The Clothes You Have to Arrange

If you haven't worked on arranging your closet lately, the odds are pretty good you're not totally sure what's in there. This is your opportunity to get rid of all the stuff you don't use. That corduroy jacket with patches on the sleeves you haven't worn in a decade or more? It's time to give it the old heave-ho.

Take everything out of the closet, and while you're doing so, separate the items you're keeping from the ones you're not. If you can, donate the old or unwanted articles of clothing to a friend or charity. Anything that can't be salvaged can be thrown away. There's no reason to hold onto that outgrown pair of acid-washed jeans from the '90s, so just get rid of them.

Your Home May Have Other Storage Options

It's possible the reason your closet is so disorganized is that you rely on it too much for storage. It's an easy place to stash homeless items and become a repository for vacuum cleaners, toys, prints, golf clubs, and dozens of other non-clothing items. If after removing the unwanted items you still have too many things to store, consider using another part of the house with additional space.

Perhaps a corner of your office would be a good spot for a wardrobe. If you're the kind of person who likes to keep outfits around for specific holidays, place them in a bin that can be stored elsewhere. Just because it's technically "clothing" doesn't mean it absolutely has to be kept in the master closet.

Reevaluate Your Closet

Once everything's been removed, step back and take a good look. Consider the way you've been using the closet up until this moment. Is it working for you? Are there some changes you can make so it's a space you really love instead of merely tolerate?

While reimagining the space, think about your daily routine when it comes to your clothing, shoes, hats, and so on. What frustrates you? Are there things you always have difficulty finding? As you start to refill the closet, make sure the least-used items are stored in the back, with the more commonly worn clothing in the front. Infrequently used ski gear and tuxedos shouldn't be blocking the path to your favorite button-down shirts and sundresses.

Make Necessary Upgrades

If after undergoing a thorough review of your closet's pros and cons you find that your storage space is lacking, there are a variety of different components you can add to enhance it to better fit your needs. You can install clothing rods at heights appropriate for you and your partner or new shelves to accommodate any number of shoes, hats, or coats.

Adding racks for shoes and trays for jewelry will allow you to store non-clothing items as well. Expanding your closet’s storage style and capacity doesn’t have to be expensive, but it’s worth noting that — as explained by DASI Innovations in Can Custom Closets Increase The Market Value of My Home -custom closets can do wonders for a home’s resale value. Remember, prospective home buyers will be attracted to storage spaces and upgrades, and that can make a big difference when it’s time to sell.

Divide Items Into Separate Zones

One of the most effective ways of increasing your closet’s efficiency is to neatly divide its contents by type. What that “type” is will differ depending on the person. You can start with obvious categories like shirts, jackets, and dresses, then organize them based on color and/or length.

To make life easier, put the high-use articles of clothing in easy to reach places and the low-use ones tucked neatly away. Closet dividers are useful for clearly delineating zones for different varieties of clothing. If you require more clarity in the geography of your closet, make generous use of organizers. The Spruce has helpfully put together this list of their favorite organizers of 2022.

Maintaining Your Closet

After you’ve purged your closet of yesteryear's fashion choices and upgraded with new components and dividers, you’ll need to put in at least some effort to keep that area up to snuff. Once a month, give your closet a once-over. As always, discard the items that no longer appeal to you, and clean up anything that’s poorly hung or out of place (looking at you, partner-less sock!)

An underrated aspect of closet maintenance is the age-old practice of high-quality folding and hanging. You deserve to have clothes that look as nice as your closet, so it’s worth taking the time to perfect this time-honored science. Need help? Real Homes has a helpful how-to on Marie Kondo's KonMari folding technique.

Conclusion

Your closet plays an important role in your life. Much like a car, it can either get you where you're going with speed and efficiency, or it can break down and leave you stranded on the side of the road with a wrinkly sweater. So… it’s not a perfect metaphor.

The point is, there are things you can do to rectify a sub-standard closet. By learning how to properly arrange your wardrobe, you'll gift yourself the pleasure of a well-organized space and easier routines.