30 Closet Designs Made to Clean the Clutter

Nick GerhardtUpdated: Feb. 03, 2023

Clear out the clutter in your closet once and for all with these how-to-declutter closet designs. Get a jump start on spring cleaning.

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shutterstock_414427738 closet storage hacks

Maridav/Shutterstock

Add Levels

Don’t think everything must be at the same level. Add some shelves and drawers among the hanging clothes. This will help break up the space and allow you to fold items such as jeans and sweaters so they don’t take up space on hangers.

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Ikea

Use a Bookshelf

Here’s a clever IKEA hack that uses an IKEA bookshelf in the closet for extra storage. Try using multiple bookcases if you have the space to store items such as bags, shoes and folded clothing.

Photo: Courtesy of IKEA

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Amazon

Shower Ring Hooks

Here’s a great way to hang all those tank tops and scarves in your closet. Clip plastic shower rings on a hanger and put scarves through the rings or unclip, put the ring through tank top armholes and reclip. Place the hanger at the end of the closet rod with all your shirts.

Photo: Courtesy of Amazon

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Soda Tab Hangers

Pull off those soda tabs and put them to work in your closet. Just slip them around the hook of a hanger and it will allow you to drop a second hanger in the tab so you can hang more clothes in the same space.

Photo: Courtesy of Get Organized Wizard

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Family Handyman

Clothing Storage Solutions: Turn Your Hangers

Once you're gone through your closet and weeded out the unused items, turn all hanging clothing with the hanger facing outward. After wearing an item, return it to the hanging rod with the hanger facing the back of the closet. After one year, all articles of clothing still facing outwards were not worn, and you can consider getting rid of them. Find out how to get rid of anything.

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Closet Storage Ideas: Store Unused Hangers in a Magazine File

Keep loose hangers from falling to the ground and untangled in a magazine file. This way they're ready and easy to transport for laundry day. Keep the rest of the items on the closet floor in a storage bin or tote, making it easier to pull out from closet corners or clean behind.

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Closet Storage Ideas: Consider Fabric Bins

Keep accessories like belts and ties off the floor and organized in divided fabric bins like these from Rubbermaid. They're sized for smaller closet shelves. Bins can stack to save space, and work great for jewelry and accessories too.

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Family Handyman

Build a Shoe Storage Booster Stool

Build this handy stool in one hour and park it in your closet. You can also use it as a step to reach the high shelf. How to make storage shelves: All you need is a 4 x 4-ft. sheet of 3/4-in. plywood, wood glue and a handful of 8d finish nails. Cut the plywood pieces according to the illustration. Spread wood glue on the joints, then nail them together with 8d finish nails. First nail through the sides into the back. Then nail through the top into the sides and back. Finally, mark the location of the two shelves and nail through the sides into the shelves. Don't have floor space to spare? Build these super simple wall-mounted shoe organizers instead!

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Family Handyman

Wine Dividers

Don’t throw those cardboard wine dividers in the recycling bin just yet! If you struggle to keep shoes organized in your child’s closet, try inserting those dividers into a basket or tub and use it as a clever DIY shoe storage solution.

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Family Handyman

Closet Nook Shelves

Don't let the recessed space at the ends of a closet go to waste. One of our favorite ways to maximize the closet space you already have is to install wire shelving to hold blankets, towels or bedding. Find out how to declutter your closet. Wire shelves are available in a variety of widths. Measure the width and depth of the space. Then choose the correct shelving and ask the salesperson to cut the shelves to length for you. Subtract 3/8-in. from the actual width to determine the shelf length. Buy a pair of end mounting brackets and a pair of plastic clips for each shelf.

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Clothes storage ideas for small spaces: Double-decker closet rod

All you need to gain a lot of hanging space in your closet is two metal closet brackets and a length of closet rod. If your existing closet rod is at least 66 in. from the floor, there's enough space to add a second rod below it and still hang shirts and slacks. We placed the top of the rod 35 in. from the floor, which allowed just enough room to hang two levels of pants. Locate studs on the back wall of the closet with a stud finder. Then attach metal brackets to the studs. Use a level to align the brackets along the top. Space the brackets no more than 32 in. apart. Need even more storage? Check out these easy ways to expand your closet space.

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Family Handyman

Storage for Small Spaces: Two-Story Closet Shelves

There's a lot of space above the shelf in most closets. Even though it's a little hard to reach, it's a great place to store seldom-used items. Make use of this wasted space by adding a second shelf above the existing one. Buy enough closet shelving material to match the length of the existing shelf plus enough for two end supports and middle supports over each bracket. Twelve-inch-wide shelving is available in various lengths and finishes at home centers and lumberyards. We cut the supports 16 in. long, but you can place the second shelf at whatever height you like. Screw the end supports to the walls at each end. Use drywall anchors if you can't hit a stud. Then mark the position of the middle supports onto the top and bottom shelves with a square and drill 5/32-in. clearance holes through the shelves. Drive 1-5/8-in. screws through the shelf into the supports. You can apply this same concept to garage storage. See how to build double-decker garage storage shelves here.

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The Container Store

Use the Buddy System

Keep pairs of socks with their mate, pajama sets or matched outfits together by using a small sock clip after laundry. This will help pairs stick together, even if they’re discarded on the ground.

Photo: Courtesy of The Container Store

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S-Hook Hang-Up

Pick up a pack of S-hooks at a home center and turn wire shelving into a rack for cleaning gear. Plus: Here are 10 tips for cleaning your whole house.

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Check the Pockets

Slip an accessory pocket over the hanger of an outfit to match socks, underwear, barrettes, hats and more ahead of time. You can purchase accessory pockets at Amazon.

Similar to an accessory pocket, see why a shoe organizer is one of the best storage solutions around.

Photo: Courtesy of Amazon

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Family Handyman

Behind the Door Storage: Tool-Apron Storage

Tool aprons can be modified to store nearly any household item. Just sew a variety of pocket widths in the aprons, then mount the aprons by screwing a wood strip through the top of each and into a door. For hollow-core doors, use hollow anchor fasteners to hold the screws firmly to the door.

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Family Handyman

Behind the Door Storage: Ironing Board Storage

Ordinary coat hooks on the back of a closet door keep your ironing board out of the way but close at hand when you need it. Looking for more nifty storage hacks? Check out these garage storage ideas.

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Family Handyman

Add-On Clothes Rod

Here's an easy way to add space for hanging clothes (or at least clothes that don't require a tall space). Hang a second clothes rod from the upper rod with lightweight chain. Attach the chain to screw eyes directly or use S-hooks or carabiners. Carabiners make adjusting the height of the extra rod a snap.

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Family Handyman

Behind the Door Storage: Closet Glove Rack

If you don't have radiators, finding a good spot to dry wet hats and mittens can be tough. Tossing them into a plastic bin gets them out of the way, but they never dry and it's no fun putting on damp mittens in the morning. This simple back-of-the-door glove and cap rack allows wet things to dry and keeps easily misplaced items organized. Just string clothespins on aluminum wire (it won't rust) and stretch it between screw eyes on the back of a closet door. This also works great out in the garage for drying garden and work gloves. Make your own mitten drying rack with these inspirational ideas.

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Family Handyman

Belt and Other Hang-Ups

Where do you store your belts? How about on this inexpensive and easy-to-make belt holder? All you need is a wooden hanger and some cup hooks. If some of your belts have unusually thick buckles, just widen the cup hook slightly with a needle-nose pliers. This is a great way to hang small handbags, too. We also have tons of storage ideas for the kitchen.

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Lillian Vernon

Behind the Door Planner

No closet space to plan a week’s outfits? Try an over-the-door organizer like the Days-Of-The-Week Hanging Organizer. Keep extra organized with a message center equipped to handle all the chaos.

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ToysRUs

Closet Rod Divider Tags

Does your kid keep growing or do multiple children share a closet? Separate hanging clothing by size just like they do in the stores with closet rod dividers that you can label. Maximize closet space by learning one little trick.

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The Container Store

Double Down on Hanging Clothes

Double your hanging space with a Doublet adjustable closet rod. Try hanging special occasion clothes high, and casual clothes on the lower rod where you can easily reach. Take your storage game to the next level in the kitchen with the greatest tips we’ve assembled.

Photo: Courtesy of The Container Store

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Family Handyman

Get organized!

Annoyed by an overstuffed closet packed so tightly that you can’t find your favorite shirt or shoes? Where the closet rod bends under the weight of all of “his” and “her” clothing?

If so, the simple DIY closet shelves organizing system we show here is a great solution. It utilizes the closet space much more efficiently by dividing your closet into zones that give your slacks, dresses, shirts, shoes and other items their own home.

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Family Handyman

Build Your Own Melamine Closet Organizer

Walk through the closet aisle at any home center and you’ll see lots of closet organizers-everything from wire shelving systems to ones that look like real wood cabinetry with all kinds of fancy accessories. And while these systems are designed to work in just about any type of closet, you can get a fully custom closet organizer-and possibly even save a few bucks-by building one yourself. Here’s how we built ours using melamine panels, plus some tips on building your own.

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Family Handyman

Install Wire Shelving

Wire shelving is popular because of its price, flexibility and ease of installation. Wire shelving can be designed to meet almost any need at a fraction of the cost of a custom built-in system. And while learning how to install wire shelving isn’t quite a no-brainer, you don’t need to be a master carpenter or own a fully equipped cabinet shop to get it done. See how to install wire shelving.

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Family Handyman

Box Up the Closet

Here’s the key to this whole closet organization system: The large box is twice as tall as the small box, and the height of each box is equal to twice its width. That means you can combine them in dozens of different configurations. For more versatility, you can drill holes and add adjustable shelf supports to any of the boxes. See the complete plans here.

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Family Handyman

Triple Your Closet Storage Space

If you have to dig through a mountain of clothes to find your favorite sweatshirt, it’s time to take on that messy closet. This simple-to-build system organizes your closet with shelf, drawer and hanging space for your clothes, shoes and accessories. Buying a closet system like this would cost you at least $500, but you can build this one for about half that.

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Family Handyman

Custom Designed Closet Storage

If you find yourself rummaging in your closet every morning mumbling to yourself, “One of these days I’ve got to get organized,” then read on, because we’ve got a solution.

For about the price of a dresser, you can install modular closet organizers that practically double your storage space and look great too. The units are constructed of particleboard with a durable Melamine coating. Although wire shelves are more economical, the modular systems offer several advantages. They look like a built-in unit, offer adjustable shelves and closet rods, and allow you to add drawers or shelves in the future.

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Family Handyman

Wall-to-Wall Closet

Need more closet space as you determine how to declutter? You gain tons of storage space by stealing a few feet from a room and building a new closet, complete with double doors. Finally you’ll have room enough for that mound of shoes, the clothes packed on closet rods and the pile of boxes. In this article, we’ll show you how to build a closet like this, concentrating on framing simple walls and hanging double doors.

Originally Published: March 07, 2018