The Best Organization Products, Tips and Tricks for Small Closets

I wish I could say I have a huge closet... I 'need' one, but unfortunately, I do not. It's a walk in with 3 walls of shelving, which sounds big, doesn't it? Nope. I store most of my stuff at my parents and Grammie's since I chose to live downtown. One of the cons of living the city life is the much smaller living spaces. But the pros definitely outweigh the cons, in my opinion!

One of the nice things about having a small closet, though, is that it forces me to be organized and neat or else the closet can quickly look like I've become a slob/hoarder. I know a lot of you followed my closet purge last month on Snapchat and so many of you have e-mailed and messaged me requesting that I do a post on how I took control of my closet and how I make do with the small space. 

There is a lot of information, so I am going to break it up into a few posts. Today's post is all about the things I ordered to help me with my organization. I'll link to the exact product, share why I like it and how I use it. Here we go! 

Over the Door Valet

This is probably the best invention ever and I'm really not sure how I'm just finding out about it now. I bought this exact one and the quality is superb. It's super sturdy and able to really hold up to anything I should hang on it. It hooks right onto a standard door and offers tons of additional hanging space. I love this for planning out outfits or hanging things that need to be steamed. I also use it for my incoming purchases so I can keep everything organized on what I need to take photos of! This is not only great for those with small closets that need additional hanging space, but it's great in general because it is completely separate from anything else hanging in your closet so you can really see everything on the bar and get organized. Could not recommend this more! 

Baskets

I got mine from Homegoods, but they're sold at so many different home stores and places like Target (there's a huge selection, here, although they are slightly more pricey). You might be saying well, duh, Sydney, using baskets is nothing new. Well, Callie gave me this really great tip. I have shelves right above the hanging rods in my closets which are great. However, I can only stack so much without piles toppling over and there is still a ton of space left between the piles and the ceiling. So, I turn the baskets on their sides (like in this photo) and fold/stack the clothing in the basket just like that. Then, the top of the basket creates another level like a shelf and I can stack more on top. You can get cheaper bins (like plastic ones), but I really think the baskets look nicer. 

I stack thick sweatshirts that take up a lot of space in the basket, so if I want to pull the entire basket down to go through them, it's easy, but I can also see every sweatshirt in the basket in plain sight, too. On top of the basket, I have folded canvas totes that I can grab if need. They're also stacked in a neat order so everything is in plain sight. 

Hanger for Cashmere Travel Wraps

I am a big proponent of trying to always fold sweaters/wraps/etc. because that is the best way for the item to keep its shape. However, I have a ton of these cashmere travel wraps (also here). I've raved about them here on Summer Wind for years because they really are the best. I've amassed quit the collection and when they are folded, they take up a ton of space. So, I bought this pant hanger that is supposed to hold 4 pairs of pants, but instead, I hang my folded cashmere wraps on it. It's a huge space saver and hanging the wraps hasn't messed up their shape at all. 

Hanging Closet Organizer

This is one of those things that I suggest spending a little more on for higher quality because the ones you get from Target/etc. are more likely to rip/break/etc. (here's an Amazon prime one that seems to be decent quality for the price). Again, this is another, DUH product, but I don't use it as it is traditionally supposed to be used. I have one hanging at the very beginning of my closet and it touches all the way to the floor perfectly. In some shelves, I stack my favorite pairs of denim for easy access, but in other shelves, I store all of my sunglasses (these clear drawers are amazing for keeping sunglasses organized and dust and scratch-free), I store my jewelry (these are quality, stackable jewelry storage, more options here), and on one of the shelves I store all of my camera gear for easy access. On another shelf, I store my most-used clutches and smaller handbags. Basically anything you use the most, store in these hanging shelves so you are able to see it in plain sight and access it quickly and easily.

Shoe Cubes

My shoes were just sitting on the floor of my closet which was just a disaster. Finally, I measured one wall of my closet and added in several of these shoe cubes. Now, each pair has its own home and every time I take a pair off, I am sure to put them back exactly where they belong. This took care of about 45 pairs for me and then I even use the top of the cubes as an added 'shelf' for my sneakers. You can also use cubes like these (which come in all different sizes and configurations) to store things like clutches/small handbags/etc. 

Coat Rack that isn't for Coats

This rack is slim and streamlined for a very minimalist look. I use this to hang all sorts of things from baseball caps, to nightgowns (they just hang by their straps), to belts, to robes. It hangs on the wall behind my door so you can't see it unless you are fully in my closet. I had it this way because it does look a little 'cluttered' so I wanted it to be as hidden as possible. But to have these extra hooks in such a minimal way is a huge help. I also saw this clever trick on Pinterest. I wouldn't do it with tank tops, but I have so many night gowns/chemises that I think this would be a great storage option!

Skirt Hangers

I was folding my tennis skirts with all of my other athletic clothing and I hated how wrinkled my skirts would get. I would end up having to actually steam them, which is kind of ridiculous, so I started hanging them in tiers in my closet. It takes up very little space since you can hang so many on 'one' hanger! 

Folding Step Stool

When you can't properly reach something, that's where things can start to become a mess the quickest. I got a nice step stool that can easily fold up and be stowed away. That way, I can properly reach the highest points of my closet. This may seem like a no brainer, but I talked to so many friends/family members who don't have one of these!

Storage Drawers

I have three of these. One in my bathroom closet and then two in my walk-in closet. They are game-changers. They are honestly pretty ugly, and the quality isn't top notch, but they are practical. They are stored right below my hanging clothes, so luckily they are kept pretty out of sight. For the two in my walk-in closet, I store my pajamas and other things that can be folded and out of sight... like leggings, t-shirts, etc. I also make sure to fold everything in rolls (like this) to use up all of the available space. I also made sure that the tops of the drawers were totally flat. A lot of the plastic drawers out there have a lip on them (like this one) that makes the top of them unusable as shelves. These are flat and therefor, I put my least worn shoes on top! 

Clear Hooks

Admittedly, this is no genius tip, but I have a lot of these all over the place. I use them to hang things like baseball caps in my closet, dish towels (inside the door under the sink, so they're not visible), and more. I love that they are clear so they are a little less noticeable! 

Products mentioned in this post: