Get organized (and stay organized!) with these clever closet organizer ideas and products.
8 Best Closet Organizer Ideas
Updated on Oct. 08, 2024
When tidying a closet, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the organizing products available these days. We’ve gathered up the best closet organizer ideas to help you narrow down the options and create order from chaos. Whether you need a whole new closet system, or a few well-chosen bins; these products will help you get organized, and more importantly, stay organized!
Find out what makes these beautiful closets work and get some valuable insight from organizing expert Rachel Winter of Happy Home Organizers.
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Shelf Dividers
When you don’t have a lot of drawer space, sweatshirts and other clothing items can be store on closet shelves. To keep folded stacks neat and tidy, use shelf dividers, as seen here in this closet from @meaghankessmanhome. The wire dividers clamp onto the shelves to keep them upright and sturdy. Another clever idea is the clear bins for accessories, which keep everything corralled but still visible.
What We Like About It: “The goal is always to have everything be easily visible and accessible. You want to find what you need when you need it!” says Winter.
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Tidy Bins
Office closets can easily get messy with all those documents and small supplies. Thanks to the various bins, this closet by @sanantonioneat is neat as a pin. Notice how the bins and baskets are sized perfectly to fit on the shelves. Depending on what’s stored inside, you might need a mixture of open baskets and lidded boxes.
What We Like About It: Winter’s favorite container is the clear, shoebox-size bin. “I don’t go to a job without them. They are so practical and easy to use,” she says. “They’re not super fancy but offer a nice, clean look. When you put the lid on, you can stack them too, which is great.”
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Door Rack
Don’t forget the back of the closet door! Your closet door is an untapped resource to store items, freeing up precious shelf space. This kid’s closet from @bringingtidyhome features a door rack that holds diapers, shoes, and accessories. Other clever closet organizers include a rolling drawer unit and matching fabric bins.
What We Like About It: Labels identify where everything belongs for easy cleanup. For a child’s closet Winter says, “Label everything! Labels matter. You want to see everything clearly and know where everything lives. We want to teach our children that decluttering and organizing can be fun!”
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Elfa System
If you’re looking for an entirely new closet system, the Elfa closet system is the top recommended brand from professional organizers. It’s versatile, easy to install, and long-lasting. This closet from @cleanlinesorganizing includes Elfa shelves, drawers, and a hanging rod. But you can completely customize the Elfa to fit the specific organizing needs of any closet in your home.
What We Like About It: This closet system is efficient because it’s not overstuffed. “If you’re suffering with ‘TMS’ or ‘Too Much Stuff,’ you need to purge! Trash, donate, or sell. Items should not be stuffed into a closet. Let your items breathe,” says Winter.
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Pants Hangers
Hanging pants stay organized with the help of specialized pants hangers in this closet from @toritheorganizer. This is a great solution if you have ample hanging space but you’re short on drawer and shelf space. The pants hangers have non-slip padding and are open-ended, so you can quickly grab a pair of pants without removing the hanger.
What We Like About It: In addition to the nifty hangers, we also love that the pants are sorted from light to dark. Color-organizing looks great and makes it easier to find the clothing you need.
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Affordable Shoe Shelves
This immaculate closet by @orderupdesign has shoe racks located on both the bottom and top of the closet. These stackable and affordable shoe racks can be placed anywhere so you can customize your shoe storage without spending and arm and a leg.
What We Like About It: This is a great example of how to make your closet work for you, even if you don’t have the time or money to put in a whole new system. Add-on pieces like these shoe racks work wonders when used strategically.
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Handbag Display
Adjustable shelves allow for a stylish handbag display to make your closet look like a boutique! As seen in this closet from @domycloset, the shelves are set at different heights to custom-fit the handbags and give them plenty of breathing room. It looks beautiful, and all the handbags are visible for easy access.
What We Like About It: To keep a purse collection like this well-organized use the one-in-one-out rule. “The idea is if you bring something new into your home, something old should leave,” Winter says, “If things keep coming in and nothing ever leaves, the result is clutter!”
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Space-Saving Hangers
Not all closet organizers require a big investment. Simply switching out your hangers to an all-matching and higher-quality set will vastly improve the look of your closet. Slim space-saving hangers like the ones used in this closet from @primspace allow you to hang more clothes, keeping the closet better organized.
What We Like About It: The right hangers make a big difference. “Preferably, all your hangers should be the same style and color,” says Winter. “Different styles and colors make a closet look messy. Please, no wire hangers!”
About the Expert
- Rachel Winter is a professional organizer and the owner of Happy Home Organizers based in Arizona. She is a member of NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals).
