Your small apartment closet doesn’t have to be a cluttered mess. Here are seven ways to keep your clothing organized when space is limited.

Closets are notorious dump spots. 

Since you can just close the door and not see the mess, it becomes easy to ignore a mess piling up.

If you’ve noticed that entering your closet is becoming harder to do, stepping over shoes, bags, and boxes of clutter, it’s time to get it organized once and for all!

These seven creative ways to organize your clothes in the closet will help you tackle this mess.

Organize by the Three-Level System

This system organizes your clothes by their level of usage. 

For example, if you have a pantsuit that you wear every week to work, you don’t want to be digging for that suit every time you wear it. 

It should be easily accessible.

To organize your clothing in this manner, you would hang your most used items at eye level.

This strategy makes them easily visible … you just grab them and go.

The next level of the three-level system is your less used items. You’ll store these below eye level. 

Since you won’t need them as often as your faves but still need them periodically, you’ll want them generally within arm’s reach.

This level is easily reached simply by bending down. 

Lastly, your third level of rarely used clothing will be stored up high. These would include your hats, big winter clothing, or special occasion items. 

Depending on the layout of your closet, you may have to get a step stool to reach them, but at least they won’t be getting in your way all the time.

Find Innovative Hangers

It may be that you don’t need a new system but simply new tools. 

In the closet, the most important and diversifying tool is the humble hanger.

What used to be nothing more than an ugly, simple wire fabrication now comes in many different materials with a more sophisticated design.

A luxurious-feeling felt-covered hanger is not only fancy but stops the clothes from slipping off the hanger and falling to the ground.

There are also two-hanger sets for skirt suits and coordinates. These gadgets usually have one regular hanger and a pant hanger with clips or a rod connected. 

This way, you won’t have to look for the two pieces separately:

They’ll always be together.

Due to the ever-present tiny closets, innovative storage problem-solvers created space-saving hangers.

These Wonder Hangers hang five or more shirts on one hanger, then unhinge to allow you to use more space on the hanging rod.

To optimize the corner space in your closet, you can install a circular trouser rack like this spiral clothes rack.

S-shaped hangers are perfect for foldovers like pants or sweaters because they gently let them hang without causing a crease or tugging at them.

Use Baskets

Baskets are wonderful catch-alls for items that are hard to store. 

You can place big baskets on the floor for folded sweaters or smaller ones up on the above shelf for hats, gloves, and scarves.

Install an Extra Rod

Most closets come with the traditional one rod straight across, but imagine the possibilities if you added another rod! 

You’d have double the hanging space.

Of course, not all items would fit on these double rods, but there will be just enough room for shorter items like blouses and shirts.

They would also be suitable for hanging bags!

You can even use hangers with clips for tall boots to keep them upright.

Also, not all rods install horizontally. When you install slide-out rods that come towards you, you can easily see the items without shuffling through them.

Add Hooks

You can add useful storage options in little nooks and crannies of unused wall space in your closet with hooks.

You can use hooks to hang hats or belts, scarves or bags, and even the hangers of your next day’s outfit.

You can certainly fit plenty of hooks on the inside of the closet door, on unused wall space, or — if you’re tall enough — from the ceiling. 

If you plan on hanging heavy things from these hooks, you’ll want to install the traditional kind that screws into your wall. 

If not, you can use the convenient peel and stick Command hooks for easy installment and removal.

Organize According to the Seasons

When the seasons change, the weather changes, and our clothing changes with it.

For this reason, it is smart to organize your clothing according to the seasons. 

When the temperature drops in the fall and winter, your wardrobe will be drastically different from summer. You’ll need space for your winter jacket, warm scarves, heavier pants, sweaters, and long boots.

In the summertime, all those oversized bulky items can get in the way. Store them in bins or baskets under the bed, in vacuum-sealed bags, or on the top shelf of your closet.

That way, you’ll have more hanging space for spring and summer clothing. Bring out your flowy dresses, swimsuits, and sandals. 

You now have room for them!

When the temperature drops again, do the same with your summer clothes as you did with your winter ones. Store them out of the way to allow more room for your winter wardrobe.

Color Code Your Clothes

If you are a stickler for coordination, you’ll appreciate this method of organizing your clothing. 

When you organize your clothes by color, it makes matching easier. 

It also makes finding a certain item easier.

If you are looking for that black shirt that perfectly matches your denim skirt, there is no need to sift through your entire closet.

You’ll know to look in the area with all your other black clothing.


Conclusion

Having a better-organized closet can cause a ripple effect of a more organized life overall. 

It will be easier to find the clothes that you want to wear. 

It will be easier to get ready in the morning.

It will be easier to get to work in the morning. 

It will be easier to get your work done on time. 

Can you see the difference it would bring to your life simply by organizing your closet?

Adam Marshall is a freelance writer who specializes in all things apartment organization, real estate, and college advice. He currently works with The Verge Greeley to help them with their online marketing.