So you’re trying to put your clothes away, but where can you find the space if your closet is already stuffed to the brim? Even if you don’t have a lot of stuff, a small closet can fill up pretty fast. No matter what size your closet is, you can find extra room for your things with a few simple organizational tricks. Keep reading for the best storage solutions to use so you can make the most of your closet space!

This article is based on an interview with our professional stylist, Joanne Gruber, owner of The Closet Stylist. Check out the full interview here.

1

Get rid of clothes you don’t wear.

  1. Clearing out your old clothes gives you more room to work with. Go through all of your garments and try them on to make sure they fit and that you still like the style. Save the clothes you love that make you feel comfortable and confident, but set aside any other garments that you don’t want anymore.
    • Have a friend or two over while you’re going through your closet and have them give their opinions on which clothes fit you best and which ones are better to get rid of.
    • If the clothes you’re getting rid of are in good shape, donate them so someone else can wear them.
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2

Store out-of-season items in plastic bins.

  1. Seasonal items take up space you can use for other clothes. Instead of keeping all of your cold-weather clothes in your closet during the summer, fold them up and pack them into clear plastic storage bins. Label the bins or tape pictures of what’s inside to the bin so you can quickly tell what’s inside. Just stack the bins in the corner of your closet or put them on a high shelf that’s out of the way.[1]
    • If you don’t have space in your closet for bins, try sliding them underneath your bed.
    • Try to declutter and go through your clothes after every season to see which styles you want to keep and which ones you didn’t wear out.
3

Install another hanging rod.

  1. A second rod can double the number of clothes that you can hang. Measure the width of your closet space and get a closet rod that’s long enough to fit.[2] Install the rod about 26–30 inches (66–76 cm) off of the ground so you have enough room to hang shirts and pants without brushing against the floor. Keep longer garments, like dresses and suits, on the higher curtain rod.[3]
    • Get a hanging closet rod that hooks onto the original rod if you aren’t able to install a new one.
    • If you have a lot of vertical space in your closet, you can install a rod to the ceiling for some extra hanging space. This works especially well for long, drapey garments, like dresses or pantsuits, but you’ll probably need a small step stool to reach them.[4]
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5

Add a rack to the back of your closet door.

11

Display your clothes on racks outside your closet.

About This Article

Joanne Gruber
Written by:
Professional Stylist
This article was written by Joanne Gruber and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Joanne Gruber is the owner of The Closet Stylist, a personal style service combining wardrobe editing with organization. She has worked in the fashion and style industries for over 10 years. This article has been viewed 7,441 times.
3 votes - 67%
Co-authors: 6
Updated: July 18, 2022
Views: 7,441
Categories: Closets
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