Affordable + Easy Closet Organization Ideas
I recently spent a couple of weekends organizing my closets, and today I’m sharing some of my favorite cheap closet organization finds.
At our last house, I was really spoiled. I had a huge closet in our bedroom, and I installed a really fantastic organization system in it. It was easily the best closet I’ve ever had, and everything was so organized. Since we moved here, I’ve been floundering a bit because my closet situation is, ahem, less than ideal.
I have two identical closets in my bathroom. They’re both small-ish, and they’re doing a lot of heavy lifting. They have to hold all of my clothes, our dirty laundry, all of our off-season accessories, our luggage, and a few other random things that don’t have another home. Basically, they’re stuffed to the brim. And neither one of them has much in the way of systems – just a hanging rod and couple of shelves.
I haphazardly organized things when we moved in a year ago and I hadn’t touched it since. It was high time to spend a few hours organizing things, and so over the last couple of weekends I’ve been cleaning things out and doing what I can to whip it into shape. I’m not ready to spend much (or really, any) money on systems for this closet because I don’t have a long-term plan yet. Instead, I want to focus on using what I have and making it work for now.
I’ve gotten really good over the years at whipping a closet into shape without spending a ton of money, so today I wanted to share a few of my tricks. You absolutely don’t need a fancy closet system or tons of specialized tools to make your closet fucntional. You just need to know what works for you and be willing to put in a little elbow grease!
How to Organize Your Closet Without Built-In Systems
Know What You Need to Organize
Your first step is to take a minute to think about what you use the space for and what specifically the problem is. For example, I had a few bags and purses floating around on the shelves in a pile. Those needed a better home. I also store our extra toilet paper in one of our closets, so I needed a setup for that – which isn’t something everyone needs!
Think about how you use the space now, how you’d like to use the space, and what unique needs you have that are making it harder to keep the closet organized. If it helps, you can even make a quick list of the categories of things you need to organize in your closet! This can help keep you on track and make sure you don’t miss anything.
Get Specific!
As you’re planning out what you want to do in your closet, I highly recommend taking a minute to think through specific solutions for small problems. For example, I have a lot of baseball caps. I could just throw them all on a shelf and be done with it. But, if I really want things to feel organized, it’s better to have a system!
Specific things I have purchased storage solutions for include:
- Baseball caps
- Purses
- Scarves / Neckties
- Shoes
- Travel essentials
Again – just think about what categories of things you need organized and search for specific solutions for those things! I’ve linked a few of my favorites below to get you started.
Don’t Be Afraid to Adjust
Sometimes, we set something up in our home and then leave it that way indefinitely. Not because it’s working, but because it’s easy. When it comes to keeping a bare bones closet organized, though, it’s vital that you adjust if it’s not working! If you notice a regular friction point or a category of things that always is in disarray, do something about it! Just because you have spent time setting it up one way, that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. Give it a few weeks and ask yourself what’s working and what’s not, and then adjust from there.
Purge Regularly
Okay, so you’ve got the closet organized – how do you keep it that way? One of the best ways to keep your closet organized and manageable is to go through it on the regular. I try to do a big clothing purse twice a year, and it makes a huge difference! It also is a great time to take a minute to check if your systems are working for you, adjust anything that needs adjusting, and just generally do a quick reset.
Closet Organization Favorites
Alright, now for the fun part! Here are some of the closet organization solutions I’ve used the most over the years. These are all really great for specific needs and should help you whip your closet into shape in no time. Yes, even if all you currently have in there is a measly hanging rod and a simple shelf.
- This closet extender rod is great if you’re low on hanging space! I added it to my younger son’s room because he couldn’t reach his hanging rod, and it doubled his hanging space.
- These plastic drawers are a classic and I’ve used them for years to make closets a little more functional! I have one in the bottom of one of my closets and it holds my workout clothes and a few seasonal things I don’t reach for often.
- I bought this shoe rack shortly after moving into our house because I had nothing for my shoes. It’s been a game changer. It holds so so much and is so affordable.
- I left my old baseball cap holder at the last house and my caps have been a mess since then. I don’t have a ton of wall space here, so I found this skinny one. It was only $10 and it’s perfect for keeping my caps organized.
- These fabric storage bins have been a staple in my closet for years now. They can hold so much, and they’re super sturdy.
- If you have shelf space, these plastic dividers are fantastic for preventing them from getting chaotic.
- I love these adhesive hooks (they’re perfect for hats and accessories!) and they’re perfect if you don’t want to deal with drilling holes.
- If you don’t have shelf space, these hanging storage racks are a great alternative!
Consider this your official reminder that you don’t need a fancy closet organization system or a ton of money to create a closet that works for you. You just need a little intentionality, some creative solutions, and a bit of patience!