In terms of closets, there are the Haves and the Havenots. The Haves are blessed with spacious walk-in closets that boast rows of shelves and closet rods. They have closets so big, they look like clothing boutiques. On the other hand,  the Havenots are spatially challenged, meaning it’s challenging for them to find space for anything. Not to worry, though. Even the smallest closet can be optimized for the most user per square foot possible.

Purge

The first step of any closet reorganization is to start with only the clothes you wear right now. Not the ones you plan to wear next summer. Not those skinny jeans you plan to fit into again one day. And not your ex’s clothes he left there two years ago when you broke up. Did you really think you were going to wear a pair of Neverland mens flight pants any time soon? No? Then get rid of them.

Pull everything out of your closet and put them into separate piles--keep, donate, trash, and storage. Remember that most of your clothing donations need to be in good condition. No holes or stains. If it’s in very good condition and still wearable by someone, you might consider a consignment shop, which will pay you for your still fashionable discards. Or maybe you can have one of those parties where everyone brings some clothes they’d like to get rid of and swaps with their friends. But remember that the whole point is to get rid of clothes, not bring more in.

Better Hangers Make Things Better

Now is the perfect time to do something about that hanger problem you have. Oh you didn’t think you had a hanger problem? Think again. Plastic hangers may be cheap but they also make your clothes look cheap. And although wood hangers have a more boutique look, they take up a lot of space. The solution is the velvet or flocked hanger. These hangers keep your clothes from falling off. They’re also much thinner than plastic or wooden hangers, so overall your clothes will take up less space.

Up and Up and Away

Now that you’ve gotten rid of some of the unnecessary clothes in your closet and you’ve upgraded to better, thinner hangers, it’s time to take full advantage of all the space available. Most closets come with one or two rods for hanging clothes. If you stick with this basic setup, you miss out on the vertical space available. Considering adding another rod or shelving higher up in the closet to take advantage of it. Don’t forget to look down, too. And the back of the closet door is space, too. Any wasted space there? Shelving, racks, hooks, and baskets can all be use to maximize space.

Everything In Its Place

Now it’s time to start putting your clothes back in the closet. Remember that by organizing like to like, you can cut down on the time it takes to find your clothes and eliminate the “I don’t have anything to wear” argument each morning. One way to do that is to color group everything. Put all your reds tops together, hang all your blue jeans together, etc. This works if you have a wardrobe with pieces you can wear almost anywhere. For those how have a more segregated wardrobe, group items by when you wear them--work wear with work wear, streetwear with streetwear, etc.