Creative Closet Organization and Storage
Organizing each closet at Pine Daisy House is a semi-annual affair. Yep, you guessed it, around the time of the New Year we spend a day sorting, purging, organizing and streamlining some, of our closets.
I’ve said it before over on Instagram, while this modern cabin has loads of charm, closet space is prime real estate around here. The master closet is left wanting due to its narrow alley. Bedroom closets, while full of installed shelving are not too big either. Now don’t get me wrong we have plenty of closets but everything is just a hair too small. All in all we are required to think very strategically about storage.
Over the past few years I’ve gotten pretty good at maximizing the space we have.
Here are my best tips for utilizing and maximizing the closet space you do have.
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Not Too Much, Not Too Little
This is the age old challenge right? How much is too much? How much is too little? Only you know the answer. Back in May I shared with you the start of my journey to a capsule wardrobe . In that post I encourage you to start by purging, decluttering and sorting. Only you can determine what you need to keep and part with. In my post from May I help you tackle the “What do I need to keep?”question.
Today when we went through my son’s closet that’s exactly how we began. We made four piles:
- Give away pile
- Pass on to a friend pile
- Time to throw away pile
- Keep pile
Once we finished sorting and making the necessary piles the fun really started!!! Time to organize aka decorate!
Bins, Baskets, Hangers, and Organizers
It just so happened at the exact time we were sorting through his closet our neighbor was getting rid of some plastic storage crates. So we used the crates and created make-shift drawers with five of them on his closet shelves.
Baskets and plastic bins are really inexpensive ways to organize shelving in any room or closet. I’ve seen storage crates in assorted colors for as little as a dollar during certain times of the year. They work perfectly as organizational hubs for clothes, books, toys, undies, belts, socks, off-season clothing. You name it, the possibilities are truly endless.
Slim hangers (like here) or shoe and sweater organizers are also great tools for maximizing closet space. Essentially I recommend to think as creatively as you can about the items you are wishing to store, shop your house for unused vessels, and start putting things away!
Make the Most of Unused Space
A few of our closets have a fair amount of really awkward space. Our daughter’s closet is a very small walk-in style that was built under the stairs. So the ceiling declines significantly as you near the end of the closet.
As she grows into young adulthood we have been at a loss about how to use her closet space to its fullest potential. After many months of trying various solutions we found that two of her old bookshelves (you know the rinky-dink particle board kind) would fit perfectly in her closet. She isn’t in need of much clothes hanging space currently so the added shelving allows for organized storage and frees up floor space in her room.
Shoes, purses, pom poms, books and stuffed animals all have a very nice designated spot in the closet now. She still has room for a dozen or so hanging items which is all she really needs at this point in life.
If you find yourself wondering how to use low ceiling closets consider inserting a short bookshelf, or turning crates on their side to create short shelving.
Change the Door and Pull the Curtain
Our mudroom is a glorious pass through from the garage. It’s full of ample built-in shelving to help ease our storage whoas. When we moved-in the mudroom door opened into the room. Well, you bet your britches I took that puppy off its hinges (read all about it here) and made it into a sliding door. Voila floor space! Then I bought some in expensive curtains and tension rods and covered all the shelves to give the small room a more spacious, clean, feel.
One of my biggest tips for keeping your house looking less cluttered, is to close the cabinets, closet doors, and shower curtains all the time. Just get into the habit.
The simple act of taking a door off its hinges, turning it into a slider, and covering floor to ceiling utility shelving with a curtain did wonders for our mudroom closet/storage.
Use Your Closet Space Wisely
We only have so much space. So we gotta maximize it! Most times I find that once I get the first step done (the purging and sorting part) the rest is a synch. I shop around my house for unused baskets or bins, I even use left over Costco boxes to store decor and go to town with creatively storing my items.
I think that’s really the trick, deciding what to keep then being creative with how to store it.
Do you sort and organize areas of your home during this time of year? A few weeks ago I built a new Intentional Living Tool called Your Organized Home. In it I share tangible ways for you to de-clutter, organize, and clean all the areas of your home. It’s a perfect companion for this time of year as many of us are giving our homes some organizational love.
Tell me in the comments, what areas need an organizational overhaul in your house?
With hope for you and your intentional home,
