Closets are one of the most essential areas in an apartment, yet they are often overlooked. Not to mention, a cluttered closet makes getting ready in the morning complete and utter chaos.
But the New Year is right around the corner, and there’s no better time to tackle that stack of clothes that’s been piling up in the back of your closet. By utilizing the closet hacks we outline below, you can transform your closet into an organized and efficient space that makes getting ready far less of a headache.
1. Assess Which Items to Donate by Using this Clever Trick
The best way to clear out closet space is to donate or sell some of your clothes. But what to sell? It can be so hard to part with items, especially shoes and clothes.
Here’s a clever hack from Apartment Therapy: turn all hangers in your closet so the hooks point towards you. When you wear an item, put it back on the hanger the way you would normally. Reassess your closet in six months and donate any clothes with hooks facing the wrong way.
2. Group Clothing by Type
When organizing your closet, it may be tempting to organize by color. However, we recommend organizing by clothing type instead. That way, you can easily find sweaters, jeans, tops, skirts, and pajamas.
3. Utilize Floor Space
If you have enough floor space in your closet, consider adding a small plastic dresser, rolling cart, or shoe rack to organize shoes, handbags, belts, jewelry, and other items. When organizing your shoe rack, organize by activity. Keep sneakers and casualwear on one side of the rack and dressier shoes on the other side.
Maximize storage space throughout the rest of your apartment too. You can invest in vacuum seal bags that fit neatly under beds, couches, and various other nooks and crannies throughout your home.
4. Free Up Drawer Space With This Legging Organizer
We’ve all acquired a wide range of leggings and sweatpants with the rise in “athleisure” over the years. But these items take up a considerable amount of space in drawers and are tough to hang on regular hangers.
This handy legging organizer does the trick. Its curved design helps you see each pair and you can use it for sweatpants, tights, leggings, tank tops, and even pajamas.
5. Use Shower Rings to Hang Scarves
Rather than tying your scarves up in a ball and stuffing them in the back of your drawer, put shower rings on a hanger and loop your scarves through the rings. This will keep them from getting crumpled and will make it far easier to determine which one to wear when you can see them all in one place.
6. Create Double Hangers Using Soda Tabs
In addition to utilizing shower rings, pop the tabs off of a soda can to create double hangers. Opt for durable hangers made from wood or metal to ensure the hanger can hold the weight of the clothes.
7. Use This Closet Organizer to Free Up Space from Backpacks and Handbags
If you have an array of backpacks, handbags, and purses taking up space in your closet, we recommend this space-saving closet organizer for backpacks and purses.
Hang 6+ bags on each to free up shelves in your closet. Additionally, cascading hooks are great for layering your clothes and making the most of vertical space.
8. Utilize Slimline and Cascading Hangers
Invest in slim, non-slip hangers to save space and keep clothes from falling on the floor, especially if you own silk dresses and blouses.
Slim hangers take up less space than traditional hangers, allowing you to fit more clothing in the same area. Slim hangers also don’t pull on sweaters and delicate materials, leading to less snag and stretch marks on the shoulders of your items.
9. Keep Items in Clear Bins so You Can See What’s In It
When organizing, opt for clear storage bins so you can easily see all the contents in your closet. This will come in handy with items you don’t use on a daily basis, eliminating the need to flip all of the bins upside down when trying to find a specific item.
Clear bins not only serve as a great way to organize your items, but they also protect less-used clothing from dust buildup.
10. Rotate the Clothing in Your Closet by Season
Swap out clothing by season to free up valuable closet space and utilize items relevant to the cold/warm weather.
Seasonal rotation also encourages wardrobe reassessment every few months, offering the opportunity to part with items that no longer fit. Rotating your closet seasonally also promotes a functional, decluttered wardrobe.
11. Use Suitcases for Seasonal Rotation
Suitcases taking up space in your closet? Use luggage to your advantage by filling it with sweaters, ski coats, blankets, and linens that are out of season or infrequently used. Store the suitcases under your bed or on the top shelf of your closet.
12. Prioritize Placement for Kids
If you have kids, you know they love to rummage through closets. Store jewelry and other important items on higher shelves and keep softer items such as sweaters, t-shirts, and blankets at eye level.
If you’re organizing closets in your kids’ rooms, store clothes worn every day at eye level. Halloween costumes, hand-knit sweaters, and other items that aren’t worn often should go on a shelf that’s out of reach.
Things to Consider
Maximizing closet space in an apartment requires a combination of thoughtful organization and creativity. By implementing some of the tips provided above, you can transform your closet into a visually pleasing space that is both organized and functional.
If you’re in the market for a new apartment, Draper and Kramer offer an extensive portfolio of luxury properties in Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Phoenix, and various other areas. Our apartments feature plenty of closet space and storage solutions as well as a wide range of luxurious amenities. Explore our properties by visiting draperandkramer.com today.
