Cluttered closets are a common problem in households, so closet organization becomes increasingly important, especially in smaller homes and smaller closets. The first and most important step in closet organization is cleaning out the closet and getting rid of items no longer being used. Some items can be thrown away, while others can be donated to charity. This process alone will free up a significant amount of space and make closet organization much easier. Once the closet is cleaned out, begin organizing by priority: store items that are seldom used farther back in the closet or on higher shelves, and keep commonly used items at the front.
Many closets feature shelves up high on which seldom-used items can be stored. This is a great way to prioritize the closet space, but one should be sure to avoid placing heavy objects on the highest shelves. Getting heavy objects up onto the shelves and down from them can not only be difficult and stressful, but also dangerous. Use the shelf for lighter objects and objects that will not cause injury should they fall, such as winter blankets during the summer, or summer clothes during the winter. Such items will only need to be accessed once or twice a year, and if they fall, injuries will be avoided.
Continue closet organization by considering using storage systems. Shoe racks are the most common of these storage systems, and these come in a wide variety of styles and functions. Some fabric shoe organizers can be hung from the back of the closet door, keeping the shoes off the floor entirely and freeing up space on the closet floor for larger or heavy objects. Broom closets may benefit from wire organizers that hang off the back of the door and hold an iron, ironing board, brooms, and mops. Lightweight, compact shelving units can be purchased in several sizes to fit in the closet and hold even more commonly used items.
One way to free up space in a closet and make the space more functional is to remove large, bulky items that do not fit well in the space anyway. This will allow better closet organization and prevent too much space from being used up by a bulky, awkwardly shaped object that can be stored somewhere else in the house or in a shed. If this is not possible, and the items on the floor or low shelves interfere with clothes hanging from the rack, consider purchasing high-quality hangers that will allow pants and tops to be hung from the same hanger, thereby eliminating clutter and reducing the amount of garment hangers required.