Take control of your closets with expert tips, clutter-busting tools, and easy, real-life solutions
Inexpensive Tools to Organize Any Closet
Closets can sometimes feel like the dark subconscious of a household—cluttered and chaotic with forgotten and misplaced belongings. You may be putting off organizing them because you assume it will take forever or, at the very least, a pricey, complicated system.
In fact, it will take just four common, inexpensive storage tools (and a modest investment of time) to tidy up any closet in the house.
1. Canvas boxes
Roomy, collapsible canvas-covered boxes (shown, at top of image) organize anything — and look good while they're doing it. Natural Canvas Boxes, $16 to $20 each, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
2. Hanging shelves
Only 12 inches deep, these shelves and drawers (shown, right) fit in almost any closet. Canvas 6-Shelf Sweater & Accessory Organizer, $17; canvas drawers, $10 for two: Organize Everything, www.organize-everything.com.
3. Shoe bags
The back of the door is a closet's most underutilized space, and the shoe bag (shown, left) may just be the most versatile home-organizing tool. 24-Pocket Vinyl Overdoor Shoe Bag, $15, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
4. Collapsible storage bins
These plastic-lined canvas bins (shown, bottom left) fit in tight spots and hold anything from toys to dirty clothes. Umbra Crunch Cans, $22 each, www.umbra.com.
Transform Your Linen Closet
Use dividers to keep stacks from colliding, store the haute stuff for parties separately, and contain all that good wretched excess from Costco.
The Challenge
In her sprawling ranch house, Lisa Mendenhall, 41, has a single linen closet, 31 inches wide and 23 inches deep, for storing bed linens, blankets, towels, and toiletries for her family of four. In summer the stay-at-home mom was forever repairing the damage her five-year-old son, Jay, did to the tower of beach towels as he pillaged it on his way to the pool.
The Solutions
# Preempt a pileup
Formerly teetering heaps of linens are now separated into manageable stacks with dividers that clamp onto the shelves. These metal-grid panels make it easy to grab a single towel without pulling down all three neighboring piles of linens. Shelf Dividers, $10 for four, Lillian Vernon, www.lillianvernon.com.
# Name that room
Instead of stacking all the sheets in one place and the towels in another, Lisa organized them by room, then labeled the shelves to keep them tidy. Now pulling out a set of towels for the master bathroom is a snap, not a wild-goose chase. Beach towels are in a cubby at Jay's eye level, which means less tidying for Lisa. Brass File Label Holders (2 7/8 inches by 5/8 inch), $2 each, Van Dyke's Restorers, www.vandykes.com.
# Safeguard your keepsakes
Lisa keeps her best tablecloths and napkins in stackable canvas-covered boxes. They're protected from dust and wrinkles, and she never has to scramble through piles of linens the day (or night) of a dinner party. Natural Canvas Boxes, $16 to $20 each, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
# Supply and demand
Another use for a clear vinyl shoe bag: storing all those cotton swabs, toothbrushes, soaps, and other toiletries Lisa couldn't resist buying in bulk. Bonus: freeing up precious shelf space. The clear pockets let Lisa find everything easily as well as keep track of supplies. (Shampoos and medicines should be kept in the high pockets, out of children's reach.) 24-Pocket Vinyl Overdoor Shoe Bag, $15, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
# In a crunch
With their pliable construction, small Crunch Cans can squeeze into any corner. Lisa uses them to store everything from rolls of toilet paper to cleaning rags. Umbra Crunch Cans, $8 to $15 each, www.umbra.com.
Full Version: Organize Your Closets
Five-Step Closet Makeover
Before
Kim Craig, 26, admits that her closet, with its mateless shoes and skirtless suit jackets, was the source of her chronic tardiness. “I’m a single mom, but you’d think three people had their clothes in there,” say the public relations account executive. Small handbags and silkly sleeveless tops fallen from their hangers would disappear into a black hole of broken stilettos and shopping bags, never to be seen again.
Step 1: Instant Shelving
Since Kim uses her light wool and cotton sweaters year-round, she keeps them neatly folded on hanging canvas shelves — a much cheaper solution than hiring a carpenter to build custom shelves. Canvas 6-Shelf Sweater & Accessory Organizer, $20, Organize Everything, www.organize-everything.com.
Step 2: Shoe In
Kim traded in her overburdened shoe rack for plastic boxes. They’re shorter and trimmer than standard shoe boxes, so they stack compactly on the shelf. And because they’re clear, she can find what she needs without tripping on her own heels. Clear Shoe Drawers, $7 each, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
Step 3: Fold Everything
Limited drawer space forced Kim to hang clothes she otherwise wouldn’t have — including heavy winter sweaters, which were getting stretched beyond recognition. Now she organizes and protects them in large canvas boxes. Natural Canvas Boxes, $16 to $20 each, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
Step 4: Hang It All
Kim uses padded hangers for delicate sleeveless tops and plastic ones (with attachable clips for pants and skirts) for everything else. Natural Cotton Canvas Hangers, www.containerstore.com, $6 for two; tubular hangers, www.containerstore.com, $19 for 72; Super-Hold Clips, www.containerstore.com,$1.30 for four.
After
Step 5: Clear and Present
Instead of riffling though an old oak bureau to find socks, underwear, and belts, Kim now uses clear plastic drawers. The stack of five is low enough to hang tops above, but the 15 3/4-by-19 3/4-by-8 1/8-inch drawers hold even more folded clothes than the bureau did. Large Tint Stacking Drawers, $13 each, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com
Before
Kim Craig, 26, admits that her closet, with its mateless shoes and skirtless suit jackets, was the source of her chronic tardiness. “I’m a single mom, but you’d think three people had their clothes in there,” say the public relations account executive. Small handbags and silkly sleeveless tops fallen from their hangers would disappear into a black hole of broken stilettos and shopping bags, never to be seen again.
Step 1: Instant Shelving
Since Kim uses her light wool and cotton sweaters year-round, she keeps them neatly folded on hanging canvas shelves — a much cheaper solution than hiring a carpenter to build custom shelves. Canvas 6-Shelf Sweater & Accessory Organizer, $20, Organize Everything, www.organize-everything.com.
Step 2: Shoe In
Kim traded in her overburdened shoe rack for plastic boxes. They’re shorter and trimmer than standard shoe boxes, so they stack compactly on the shelf. And because they’re clear, she can find what she needs without tripping on her own heels. Clear Shoe Drawers, $7 each, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
Step 3: Fold Everything
Limited drawer space forced Kim to hang clothes she otherwise wouldn’t have — including heavy winter sweaters, which were getting stretched beyond recognition. Now she organizes and protects them in large canvas boxes. Natural Canvas Boxes, $16 to $20 each, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
Step 4: Hang It All
Kim uses padded hangers for delicate sleeveless tops and plastic ones (with attachable clips for pants and skirts) for everything else. Natural Cotton Canvas Hangers, www.containerstore.com, $6 for two; tubular hangers, www.containerstore.com, $19 for 72; Super-Hold Clips, www.containerstore.com,$1.30 for four.
After
Step 5: Clear and Present
Instead of riffling though an old oak bureau to find socks, underwear, and belts, Kim now uses clear plastic drawers. The stack of five is low enough to hang tops above, but the 15 3/4-by-19 3/4-by-8 1/8-inch drawers hold even more folded clothes than the bureau did. Large Tint Stacking Drawers, $13 each, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com
Transforming a Hall Closet
Store oddly shaped items in special bins, use small boxes that fit into tight spaces like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, and keep everything from crashing down onto your head.
The Challenge
For Micki Burns, a 30-year-old family therapist and postdoctoral fellow in psychology, the hall closet in her loft served only as dead storage for "miscellaneous junk," such as phone books, cleaning supplies, and an old cooler filled with her dissertation research. Now, she says, "I can use the space for day-to-day items and instantly find what I'm looking for."
The Solutions
# Gift closet
Micki got a bin to keep wrapping paper from wrinkling. (It could also store tennis rackets or yoga mats.) Vertical Gift Wrap Organizer, $10, see www.containerstore.com for store locations.
# Hide and see
Clear blanket bags keep out-of-season linens dust-free and easy to locate when you need them. Clear Vinyl Blanket Storage Bag, $7, www.containerstore.com.
# Divide and hide
A leaning tower of phone books and photo boxes was divvied up among hanging shelves; handbags that used to spill out the door were stashed there too. Drawers hold small items, such as scarves. Canvas 6-Shelf Sweater & Accessory Organizer, $17; canvas drawers, $10 for two: Organize Everything, www.organize-everything.com.
# Bag it
Micki gets out the door more quickly in the morning now that the pockets of her shoe bag hold just about everything she needs for the week, from water bottle and ID to keys and umbrella. 24-Pocket Vinyl Overdoor Shoe Bag, $15, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
# Downsize
Micki now stores her dissertation materials in labeled canvas boxes; small ones give easy access in tight spaces. Small Natural Canvas Box, $16, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
# Standardize
Replace a mishmash of hangers with a row of wooden ones — an easy upgrade. Bumerang Hangers, $3.50 for eight, Ikea, www.ikea-usa.com.
# Let there be light
A battery-operated light in an unwired closet makes finding things easy. Wall-mounted holders keep brooms from knocking you out when the door opens. GE six-inch Fluorescent Closet Light, $9, Lowe's, 800-445-6937. Crawford Broom Clips, $3 for two, Ace Hardware, www.acehardware.com for store locations.
Store oddly shaped items in special bins, use small boxes that fit into tight spaces like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, and keep everything from crashing down onto your head.
The Challenge
For Micki Burns, a 30-year-old family therapist and postdoctoral fellow in psychology, the hall closet in her loft served only as dead storage for "miscellaneous junk," such as phone books, cleaning supplies, and an old cooler filled with her dissertation research. Now, she says, "I can use the space for day-to-day items and instantly find what I'm looking for."
The Solutions
# Gift closet
Micki got a bin to keep wrapping paper from wrinkling. (It could also store tennis rackets or yoga mats.) Vertical Gift Wrap Organizer, $10, see www.containerstore.com for store locations.
# Hide and see
Clear blanket bags keep out-of-season linens dust-free and easy to locate when you need them. Clear Vinyl Blanket Storage Bag, $7, www.containerstore.com.
# Divide and hide
A leaning tower of phone books and photo boxes was divvied up among hanging shelves; handbags that used to spill out the door were stashed there too. Drawers hold small items, such as scarves. Canvas 6-Shelf Sweater & Accessory Organizer, $17; canvas drawers, $10 for two: Organize Everything, www.organize-everything.com.
# Bag it
Micki gets out the door more quickly in the morning now that the pockets of her shoe bag hold just about everything she needs for the week, from water bottle and ID to keys and umbrella. 24-Pocket Vinyl Overdoor Shoe Bag, $15, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
# Downsize
Micki now stores her dissertation materials in labeled canvas boxes; small ones give easy access in tight spaces. Small Natural Canvas Box, $16, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
# Standardize
Replace a mishmash of hangers with a row of wooden ones — an easy upgrade. Bumerang Hangers, $3.50 for eight, Ikea, www.ikea-usa.com.
# Let there be light
A battery-operated light in an unwired closet makes finding things easy. Wall-mounted holders keep brooms from knocking you out when the door opens. GE six-inch Fluorescent Closet Light, $9, Lowe's, 800-445-6937. Crawford Broom Clips, $3 for two, Ace Hardware, www.acehardware.com for store locations.
Transforming a Child's Closet
Add an extra pole to fit more mini clothes, buy kid-size hangers, and make sure you can find that dress from Grandma before your little girl outgrows it.
The Challenge
As one of six sisters, Adrienne Wooldridge inherited enough baby clothes and gear to last through daughter Sumner's third birthday. The closet's single rod was at full capacity, but the tiny frocks left a good portion of the vertical space unoccupied — "an abomination," says the 29-year-old stay-at-home mom, considering that the floor was cluttered with two big plastic bins full of clothes.
The Solutions
# Found space
Unable to hang her vinyl shoe bag from the folding closet doors, Adrienne used an unclaimed spot on the wall. The pockets hold spare powder and lotion, as well as small things that get lost in a drawer. 24-Pocket Vinyl Overdoor Shoe Bag, $15, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
# Within reach
Some of Adrienne's hanging canvas shelves hold blankets and diapers. "I like not having to fumble to pull diapers out of the packages in the middle of a diaper change," she says. "That can be disastrous." Sumner's most frequently snuggled toys are stashed on the lower shelves, where she can reach them easily. A couple of Crunch Cans accommodate the rest. Canvas 6-Shelf Sweater & Accessory Organizer, $17; canvas drawers, $10 for two: Organize Everything, www.organize-everything.com. Umbra Crunch Cans, $8 to $15 each, www.umbra.com.
# Box it in
Unlike the disorderly bins that once held Sumner's outgrown clothing, large canvas boxes, labeled by size, stack neatly on the shelves. Natural Canvas Boxes, $16 to $20 each, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
# Double-decker
A second closet pole that attaches to the existing one with metal hooks maximizes the vertical space. The upper bar, at mom height, holds Sumner's current clothing; the lower bar stores her future wardrobe, so Adrienne can remember what her daughter has. By the time Sumner fits into the clothes on the lower bar, she'll be tall enough to reach them and old enough to dress herself. Double Hang Closet Rod, $14, Organize-It, www.organizes-it.com.
# Be consistent
To create a sense of order, Adrienne used sturdy white plastic hangers to replace the mismatched ones that came with the clothing. Children's Tubular Hangers, $4 for 10, Organize Everything, www.organize-everything.com.
Add an extra pole to fit more mini clothes, buy kid-size hangers, and make sure you can find that dress from Grandma before your little girl outgrows it.
The Challenge
As one of six sisters, Adrienne Wooldridge inherited enough baby clothes and gear to last through daughter Sumner's third birthday. The closet's single rod was at full capacity, but the tiny frocks left a good portion of the vertical space unoccupied — "an abomination," says the 29-year-old stay-at-home mom, considering that the floor was cluttered with two big plastic bins full of clothes.
The Solutions
# Found space
Unable to hang her vinyl shoe bag from the folding closet doors, Adrienne used an unclaimed spot on the wall. The pockets hold spare powder and lotion, as well as small things that get lost in a drawer. 24-Pocket Vinyl Overdoor Shoe Bag, $15, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
# Within reach
Some of Adrienne's hanging canvas shelves hold blankets and diapers. "I like not having to fumble to pull diapers out of the packages in the middle of a diaper change," she says. "That can be disastrous." Sumner's most frequently snuggled toys are stashed on the lower shelves, where she can reach them easily. A couple of Crunch Cans accommodate the rest. Canvas 6-Shelf Sweater & Accessory Organizer, $17; canvas drawers, $10 for two: Organize Everything, www.organize-everything.com. Umbra Crunch Cans, $8 to $15 each, www.umbra.com.
# Box it in
Unlike the disorderly bins that once held Sumner's outgrown clothing, large canvas boxes, labeled by size, stack neatly on the shelves. Natural Canvas Boxes, $16 to $20 each, the Container Store, www.containerstore.com.
# Double-decker
A second closet pole that attaches to the existing one with metal hooks maximizes the vertical space. The upper bar, at mom height, holds Sumner's current clothing; the lower bar stores her future wardrobe, so Adrienne can remember what her daughter has. By the time Sumner fits into the clothes on the lower bar, she'll be tall enough to reach them and old enough to dress herself. Double Hang Closet Rod, $14, Organize-It, www.organizes-it.com.
# Be consistent
To create a sense of order, Adrienne used sturdy white plastic hangers to replace the mismatched ones that came with the clothing. Children's Tubular Hangers, $4 for 10, Organize Everything, www.organize-everything.com.