Closet Organizer and Closet Organization Tips

Follow these simple tips and tricks to create a functional and organized closet space anywhere in your home.  Finding a great closet organizer system is the key!

Back in August, I started decluttering the kids’ bedrooms as part of The Home Decluttering Diet. Both of our boys have huge bedrooms and lots of space for storage, so there was lots to go through.  As I was working on Matthew’s room especially, I realized how he much he had outgrown his room. He’s now 14 and most of the stuff in his room represented what he loved at least 3 or 4 years ago – not his current interests and needs.  It was definitely time for an update!

This post is sponsored by iDesign and contains affiliate links.  As always all opinions are 100% my own.

Closet Makeover

The first thing that I decided to tackle in Matthew’s room was his closet.  Since he had a pretty big closet space, we used it a lot for toy storage when he was younger.  Over the years, we accumulated more and more stuff, and since we could always make room for it, I didn’t really keep up with decluttering what was no longer used.  As I was going through everything this summer, however, I realized how many items were in there that he hadn’t used in years.  So many toys, bins, and momentos, etc. that he didn’t even want.  Here’s our closet before…

It wasn’t really unorganized – it was just filled with way too much stuff that he didn’t need or want.

So… I think I’m actually going to call this a closet makeunder.  You know those makeover shows where the guest wears way too much make-up, has her hair teased as high as possible, and wears the most outrageous clothes?  And then the reveal comes and everything is toned down and understated so you can really see the beauty shining through?  That’s what I think of with this closet refresh.  This process was about getting rid of all of those things that were no longer wanted or needed to create a more functional, grown up space.

Our Closet Design and Organization Process

Once I had everything cleared out of the closet, I started to think of different ways that I could design the layout and make it more functional.  Like most teenage boys, staying on task and getting ready in the morning isn’t Matthew’s strong suit, so I wanted a place that I could put everything that he needed to get ready in one place. I also wanted the design to fit a teenager’s tastes while still being super easy to keep clean and organized.  {I’m sure we all know how much teenage boys like to clean their rooms!}.  Here’s the basic step by step process that we went through…

Add some interest.

I had some shiplap removeable wall paper that I purchased many months ago for another project that fell through, and thought that it would be perfect for the space.  It brightened up the closet and I love the added texture and dimension that it provided.  If you don’t want to use wall paper, you could just use a fresh coat of paint or get more creative with painting stripes or stencilling.

Find a good closet organizer.

Having a good closet organizer is the foundation for any functional and well organized closet. I knew that I didn’t want to put the wire shelf back in, so I had to come up with another closet organizer that would work in the closet space. I totally love the iDesign modular closet system from Walmart that we ended up going with.  The neutral design was exactly what I was going for and it provided all of the storage that we needed. I was pleasantly surprised at how sturdy and substantial the unit was and it comes with all of the parts needed to secure it safely to the wall.

The unit went together easily in about 30 minutes plus another 15-20 minutes to secure it to the wall and mount the clothing rods.  The assembly instructions were really clear and all of the parts were included.  We just needed a drill and screw driver and also ended up using slightly bigger anchors than what came with the unit.

The drawers are huge and have reinforced bottoms to help prevent sagging.  We use one drawer for socks/underwear {and I also put the deodorant in here so he remembers to put it on every day!}, one for pajamas and comfy wear, one for shorts and other summer stuff, and one for sports gear {bathing suit, goggles, ski pants, long underwear, etc.}. All of these items were previously in his dresser on the other side of the room, so it’s nice to have it all together! TIP: Since the drawers are so big, you can divide them up with smaller bins to make it easier to keep smaller items sorted and organized.

Optimize your storage with coordinating bins.

Sort any remaining items that you want to store into categories – accessories, personal momentos, bags, non-seasonal items etc.  Once you know exactly what you have, you’ll be able to choose the best storage products to meet your needs. Using the coordinating Codi bins from the iDesign closet system, you can mix and match storage options to totally optimize your space. The bins fit perfectly on the shelving unit if you prefer to have closed storage or you can place extra bins along the floor under the clothing rods. I also really like this design with two side storage pockets.

Since we pretty much had our storage needs met, we filled the shelves with a few of Matthew’s favorite things – some pucks from his hockey puck collection, a bobble head from his birthday trip last year, and a Mickey hat just waiting for our next Disney vacation. The little pails on the lazy susan are labeled for gift cards, small change, foreign money that he’s collected, etc.

Add in extra functional pieces and design elements.

Once the main closet organizer is installed, you can get a better idea of what space is still left for any other items that you might want to include in the space. We got a new laundry hamper and I found this shelf mirror that seemed to go with it perfectly.  It’s just right for a little last minute check before leaving!

Don’t feel like you have to fill up all of the space.  It’s nice to have a little breathing room!  If you do happen to have some extra wall space, you can look for wall storage units or small hooks for bags, hats, hoodies, etc.  I added a simple black hook and a wire wall storage piece on a small wall space in the back corner. Right now it’s great for extra hats, clothing accessories, or a few little knick knacks that will probably creep in.

Open things up.

We actually love the look of the closet so much that we’re thinking of leaving the doors off it.  It’s kind of sad to keep it hidden. Matthew never remembered to shut the doors anyways and it makes the room feel more open.  It also allows more light in when he’s getting ready.  What do you think of the no door look?  I’m still not sure if we’re crazy or not.

Kid’s Closet Organization Tips

If you’re thinking about doing some kids’ closet organization yourself, I’ve put together a few little tips for you.  I think the biggest thing is to go in with some kind of a plan.  There’s nothing worse than a torn apart closet and no idea what to do with it all!

Declutter, declutter, declutter.

I can’t stress enough how important this step is.  Even if you have the room to store things, why keep them if they’re no longer used or loved?  Getting rid of those items can totally open up knew possibilities for changing the function or design of the space.  Kids change so quickly and their needs will too.

I always recommend taking everything out of the space so you can really see what you have. Having an empty space allows you to start fresh and visualize new ways that your storage could be configured.  New ideas just seem to pop into your head! It’s also a great time to clean into all of those corners. 😉

Make things easily accessible.

We all know that kids aren’t going to take a lot of time to find things or put things away, so make it easy for them!  Use pull out bins or drawers that are light weight.  Store items that you want your kids to have access to on the lower shelves and put other items up out of reach. Don’t be too concerned how neat and tidy the drawers are – if items are sorted and out of sight, it’s still a win! You can build on the neatness as they grow.

Look for adaptable storage solutions.

I think modular storage units are ideal for most closet spaces so they can be adjusted throughout the years as your needs change {And we all know that nothing changes quite as quickly as kids do!} If you have a upper and lower clothes bar, keep in season items on the lower bar, and place out of season items higher up.  As your child gets bigger, you can always change up your organization system.

Have a donation bin.

Kids grow like weeds and, unfortunately, they can sometimes outgrow their clothes faster than we can keep up!  The best way I’ve found to keep this organized is to keep a donation bin in the closet {ours is on the top shelf of the closet organizer!} for any clothing items that your child outgrows. Once it’s full, you can run it down to your local donation center or sell any particularly good items online.  For younger children, it might also be helpful to keep a bin of any hand-me-downs or other clothing items that are the next size up.

I hope that gives you a little motivation to start decluttering and organizing those closets!  If you’re still looking for more ideas, you can check out our master bedroom closet HERE.

Shop the Post

The pre-sale for the iDesign closet organizer goes live on Walmart.com on October 1 with the exclusive launch starting on October 9. Grab one before they’re all gone {and enter the sweepstakes below for an opportunity to get one FREE!} This modular closet system would be great in any clothes closet, linen closet, front entry closet, etc. I think it would also be amazing for some craft room storage!

iDesign Modular Closet Storage System Sweepstakes

Do you want to be one of the first people to try out this awesome closet organizer?  You can enter below for a chance to win your own modular closet system.  Just follow the prompts on the Rafflecopter below to enter.  This sweepstakes is only open to US residents.  If you’re in Canada and are interested in ordering from the US site, you can find the modular closet system HERE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More Organization Ideas

For more organization ideas, check out these posts…

How to Declutter Your Clothing

Kids Bedroom Organization

Fridge Organization Using Bins and Mason Jars