Every closet needs the same handful of closet must haves, no matter its size or who’s organizing it. Everything after that depends on your personality and there are two posts around that coming in hot.
People who want to see everything: This is me for everything that’s current for the season.
People who don’t want to see everything: I want the rest hidden away and out of mind.
You may be firmly in one camp or the other, though.
Most Closet Organization Ideas Assume We All Organize the Same Way
My hot take: most closet organization ideas are written as if we all sort our stuff the same way. We don’t. There are a few things every closet needs, and then there are the things that depend on who you are and what this stage of life looks like. Seeing
Take the time to figure out how you like things organized, and it will last forever. (Or at least until this stage of life morphs into the next one, or you move, etc. But generally once you figure out these random preferences, this really will work and you’ll see why it never “worked” before. It wasn’t you and you’re not broken.)
Closet Must Haves for Women, Whatever Your Closet Size
Whether you’re working on small closet organization or a big walk-in, the closet must haves for women are the same short list: hooks, matching hangers, a catch-all tray, a trash can, a box cutter, scissors, and packing tape. You may or may not need a stool, depending on your height and how high your stuff sits.
I think everyone needs matching hangers, no matter what. This is pretty standard advice.
Thin velvet hangers come in lots of colors. Why bother to buy a special color and “coordinate” your closet’s essentials?
I really believe your spaces should be beautiful to you, so don’t underestimate the value of taking the time to coordinate the little things in your closet, like a carefully color theme & palette of bins + hangers + trash can + hooks + stool , to bring delight to your day as you dress for whatever you face.
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
-William Morris
I know that your closet can be a place that is both useful and beautiful, with a little thought and planning.
You need a catch-all tray no matter your organizing style (hidden/visible/detailed/catchall).
I like this scalloped tray and this set of trays in 4 different colors, but would go hunting in your kitchen or your Mom’s kitchen first.
If you don’t mind things out, go further: one tray for bangles, another for necklaces. They could all live in old tea cups, ceramic mugs you’ve made, bowls from someone you love (Hi Phee!!).
Be creative.
I have an old needlepoint stool in my closet that I both plop down on and use to climb up for out of season shoes, etc.
An acrylic stool gets you to the upper shelves.
This kilim stool is beautiful too. It reminds me of a George Smith sofa I let get away 17 years ago.
For double duty, a storage ottoman works well.
You can use it to climb up for higher shelves and store things (returns? off season clothes? clothes for a friend?).
Love this round storage ottoman in lots of solid colors, a block print storage ottoman, and a faux fur storage bench I’d happily climb on, too.
Wardrobe Organization Ideas Nobody Pins: The Return Box and the Trash Can
Put a trash can in your closet.
I got this one straight from Gretchen Rubin: keep things where you use them. Tags come off in my closet, so the trash can lives there.
It might as well be pretty:
or water hyacinth in lots of colors (because we are creating a whole moment in your closet, right???)
My return station or tag cutting off station lives there too: one little box, scissors, a box cutter, a Sharpie to color over old barcodes, and tape. Packages get opened where the clothes are.
To build your own, start with an aesthetic box cutter, pretty scissors for price tags, a Sharpie, and tape that’s just for the closet.
The box itself depends on your type (you want to see everything or you prefer hidden storage?!), so definitely read the next two posts to see which one resonates.
Small Closet Organization Ideas Start With a Cleanout
We don’t declutter the same way either. Some of us want the whole closet on the bed in one weekend, and some of us would rather go fifteen minutes at a time. That’s why I built a 30-day closet cleanout challenge with five cleanout styles and a quick email prompt each day.
The Weekend Warrior tries everything on and posts polls in AMC to decide fast. The Wear-Tracker Sleuth tracks what she wears in the app for 30 days and lets her own habits make the call. Clear out first, then organize what’s left. There area. few other cleanout “types” too and when you figure out which one you are, it tends to stick and you’re never overwhelmed again by a cluttered closet and the need to purge.
Wardrobe Organization In a Closet That Makes Getting Dressed Beautiful
If your budget and time allow, make the closet beautiful, regardless of its size.
Don’t leave a beautiful closet to a huge walk-in situation or a someday mentality.
Start with the lighting: a floral light fixture, a scalloped opal glass flush mount, a rattan flush mount, a black flush mount, or a three-globe semi-flush mount. If there’s no carpet, add a beautiful rug.
Hooks give the chair pile somewhere better to go. Let your hooks show some personality, too.
Brass tiger hooks, brass bow hooks in two sizes, and gold pink clover hooks are a good start. For a floral theme, mix and match lily of the valley brass hooks with brass or ivory rose hooks and a bumble bee hook. You can use adhesive hooks work if you’d rather go digging for a screwdriver.
A valet hook does the job, too. It’s great in addition to hooks for things like puttings things aside for a trip, the week, or the next day.
Don’t forget the shelf fronts: My most unhinged suggestion
Then dress the shelves. You read that right. Unhinged but so personal.
Run ribbon along the front edges of wooden shelves. My shelves are 1″ wide, which is probably fairly standard. I hold mine on with upholstery thumbtacks, so it isn’t permanent the way glue would be.
Try geometric ribbon, floral jacquard in several colors, gimp ribbon, or vine ribbon. Pick something that brings delight.
And put things you love on the shelves. Mine have pictures of my kids and cards they’ve made me.
Getting dressed can be a beautiful way to start your day, no matter your closet size.
Closet Organization Ideas for Your Style: Seen or Unseen?
Once the basics are in, the next question is personal. Do you want to see your stuff, or not?
That’s where Cassandra Aarssen comes in. Her Clutterbug method says traditional organizing fails because we don’t all sort the same way, and I believe that completely. Her quiz puts you in one of four types, two who want to see everything and two who don’t.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
