Real Life Closet Organization Ideas

Do you ever struggle to find REAL life closet organization ideas that actually work? I get it!

Get more home organization ideas here.

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I’m currently fully immersed in my 5 week Organization and Decluttering Challenge.  The desk and paper organization is done and this week’s focus is on clothing and closets.

But…I’m tired.

Organizing is really exhausting work. So, for all you weary souls, I feel you. Organization and decluttering can be physically tiring but also emotionally draining.

As I’ve been going through all of my things the past few weeks – purging, donating, keeping, selling – I am becoming increasingly frustrated, and embarrassed, that I have allowed myself to accumulate so much stuff.

My hope is that this organizational challenge will change my mindset in addition to giving me uncluttered spaces.

So if you are tired, know it’s natural and you are not alone. Some days you will not accomplish everything you set out to do and that is ok.

Don’t give up! Keep at it. A little at a time is better than nothing at all.

In the end, you will have the reward of a space that you have conquered. We own our stuff, it shouldn’t own us.

Ok, I feel better after my little speech. I just thought it was necessary as I know this process is hard and I want you to feel encouraged to just take care of one. thing. at. a. time!

Before organizing your closet, follow these crucial steps:

It is key to know what you have to work with, so you’ll need to do the following before you become concerned with how you will be organizing your clothing.

1. Clean out your entire closet.

As much as I’d like us to skip right past this step (I am not a big fan of cleaning), it is necessary. Take everything out of your closet. Tidying up is necessary! Go through the basic organization process with ALL of your clothing:

• Keep – the clothing you truly love and envision yourself wearing.
• Purge – tattered clothing that cannot be repaired easily.
• Donate – anything you no longer love, doesn’t fit, or you just are tired of.
• Sell – if you prefer to sell any of your clothing items to second hand stores or garage sales.

Only after you have done this will you know what you need to organize.

Above you can see my daughter’s pile of clothing during her closet reorganization project! She purged 3 full bags of clothing that no longer fit!

By the way, she did this all on her own without prompting. I couldn’t be more proud;-)

2. Address the lighting in your closet

Is your closet too dark? If so, brighten things up a bit!

Even changing light bulbs to clean, white light can make a world of difference. Unflattering lighting is the last thing we need in our closets, am I right!

3. Assess your needs for storage containers and organization tools

Since you’ve already had the opportunity to go through all of your clothing items, you now know exactly what you plan to put back into your closet.

It’s important to make the most of your space. We all have closets of different sizes and shapes. My hope is that I give you some options that you might really be able to incorporate into your closet organization process!

Real Life Closet Organization Ideas

Organizing a closet can be incredibly daunting. This is especially the case after looking through photos from high end homes staged for photo shoots for “closet organization ideas”.  Trying to imagine how that possibly could work in a real person’s home has my mind boggled.

It seems as though the articles I’ve read show images of 5 shirts, 3 pairs of pants, and a few sweaters. All of the items are perfectly spaced with perfect hangers. While this is probably closer to what I should be moving toward, it is not my reality.

I don’t want you to struggle!

So today, I will be sharing several closet organization ideas that we can make work in our real homes!

1. Keep your closet organized and tidy by making it easier to maintain!

Let’s not make life hard for ourselves! If something is easy to put away, the likelihood of it getting put back where it belongs is much higher!

• Choose storage containers that are clear if possible.
• Keep things you use most convenient to reach and use.
• If your containers have a lid, ensure it is easy to open and close.
• Label bins as able so you know the contents.

2. Use your vertical spaces in your closets to maximize space

I came across this boot organizer and loved it. If you have lots of boots that are a challenge to store, this fun boot rack is a great way to use a tall hanging space to get the shoes out of a pile in the floor. I live in the midwest, so lots of boots around here!

The rack keeps the boots in better shape, plus you can actually see what you have!

Boot Butler Book Storage Rack as seen on Rachael Ray

There are lots of other ways to make the most of vertical spaces, especially if you have a small closet. A double closet rod can add significant hanging space!

Whitmor Double Closet Rod – Heavy Duty Closet Organizer

3. Try to use storage containers you already have

I love that Marie Kondo, famous for her KonMari Method of organization, encourages the use of shoe boxes for clothing organization.

What a great way to repurpose a shoe box and put it to good use!

Above, I mentioned using clear boxes as able so you could easily see the contents. BUT…there are occasions you do not necessarily want to see all the contents.

To make shoe boxes prettier, use contact paper to decorate them. If you are hoping to create pretty organizing storage containers that are also inexpensive, this is perfect!

For more decluttering and organization ideas during this month’s challenge, take a look at my other posts:

• 5 Week Organization and Decluttering Challenge ( Week 1: start here!)
• Declutter Your Desk and Mind to Be More Productive (Week 2)
• Should You Join the KonMari Bandwagon

Take a moment to visit some of my blogging friends on their organizational journey! You are going to love their ideas, too!

• Jenny from Single Girl’s DIY: The Unexpected Tool For the Perfectly Organized Linen Closet
• Pam from Busy Lifestyle Gal: An Organized Laundry Room Closet
• Jennifer from Sunflower Mom: 4 Surprisingly Easy Ways to Keep Clothes Closets Mess Free
• Renee from Busy Creative Living: Tidying Up the Linen Closet in 5 Easy Steps

Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest organization board for reference later!