How to Organize a Closet, Step by Step

A closet that works makes every morning easier. You can see what you own, grab what you need and put it back without a fight. Good closet organization isn’t about expensive custom systems. It’s about keeping less, giving everything a home, and using a few simple products well.

Here’s the process I use as a professional organizer, step by step.

Step 1: Declutter one category at a time

Start with a single category, like every pair of jeans or every sweater, and take all of it out at once. Seeing everything together makes it much easier to decide what to keep.

For each piece, I use the method from my Closet Guide: Like It, Love It, Over It:

• Love it: goes back in the closet.
• Over it: goes in the donate bag.
• Like it: set aside, then revisit after you’ve finished every category.

Be honest about space. Keep only what fits comfortably, with a little breathing room. If the closet is full, the answer is usually editing, not more storage. If decluttering alone feels like too much, our decluttering service is made for exactly this.

Step 2: Switch to matching hangers

This is my favorite quick fix. I recommend making sure all your hangers are the same color. It’s a small change, and it makes a big difference in how your closet feels. Pick the type that fits how you live:

• White plastic hangers work for almost anything and are the most affordable option.
• Velvet hangers are great for things that slip off, like silky blouses and wide necklines, and they’re slim, so they save space.
• Solid wood hangers cost more and take more room, but they give a closet a high-end feel.
• Velvet hanger clips turn a regular hanger into a skirt or tube-top hanger. I love them for anything tricky.

You don’t have to replace every hanger in one day. Buy a pack at a time as you edit.

Step 3: Hang by category, then by color

Group hanging clothes by type (tops, pants, dresses, jackets) and then by color within each group. Long items go where they won’t hit the floor, and everyday pieces go in the easiest spot to reach.

If you hang a lot of clothes, or you’re organizing a kid’s closet, closet rod dividers show exactly where each section starts, so things go back in the right place.

Step 4: Fold what holds its shape

Jeans, sweaters and sweatshirts fold well on shelves. Clear shelf dividers keep those stacks neat and separate, and they work for a purse collection too.

Inside dressers, bamboo drawer dividers keep socks, underwear and pajamas from turning into one big pile. Measure the depth of your drawer before you buy, so the dividers fit.

Step 5: Give shoes and hats a home

If you have the space, I prefer shoes on shelves instead of in baskets. They stay nicer and you can see what you have. A stackable shoe rack fits on the closet floor, and it comes in a wider 33-inch size too. Put everyday shoes in front and dressy or seasonal pairs higher up.

For hats, choose based on your space:

• Shelf space: a hat stand holds baseball caps upright.
• Wall space: wall hat hooks display hats and make them easy to grab.
• Rod space: a hanging hat organizer uses space you already have.

Step 6: Use baskets for small things and off-season items

Fabric baskets on the shelf above the rod are perfect for socks, accessories, swimsuits and off-season clothes. Label each one with a clip-on label so you know what’s inside without pulling it down. See how to label your home for more ideas.

Step 7: Keep it up

• One in, one out. When something new comes in, something old goes in the donate bag.
• Keep a donate bag in the closet. When you try something on and it’s not right, it goes straight in.
• Do a quick seasonal edit when you swap summer and winter clothes.

Get help from a professional organizer in Utah

Orderly Nest Organizing’s professional organizers help families across Salt Lake County, Northern Utah County and Southern Davis County with closet organization, from small reach-ins to walk-ins and kids’ closets. Book a free consultation, or browse all of our favorite organizing products.