How to organize a bedroom closet

• Nobody wants to have a messy, disorganized closet, but it's all too easy for things to spiral out of control.
• This is the ultimate guide on how to organize a bedroom closet and the tools you need to do it.
• Read more: The best storage containers to buy

It's the stuff of sitcoms, but not so funny in real life: a closet so overstuffed with accessories, clothes, shoes, and miscellaneous couldn't-think-of-anywhere-better-to-keep-them items that just opening the door releases an avalanche of belongings.

Or more commonly, you throw the items you wear most often onto the nearest chair because the thought of trying to find that one sweater underneath all the others in a teetering is just overwhelming. 

A bedroom closet that's a disorganized mess definitely can slow down your mornings, cause you to waste money on clothing or shoes you'd forgotten you owned, and perhaps worst of all, create a low-simmering anxiety whenever you contemplate the contents. You tell yourself, "I definitely need to deal with this," start to feel overwhelmed at the seemingly insurmountable task, and then close the door, promising yourself that you'll deal with it "later."

In reality, it's actually not nearly as tough to tackle a disorganized closet as you fear — the worst part by far is the anticipation — and the satisfaction you'll feel when you open those closet doors to reveal a neatly organized wardrobe is priceless. 

What you need to organize your closet:

• Nonslip hangers: Zober Nonslip Velvet Hangers
• An organizing system: Rubbermaid Configurations Deluxe Custom Closet Organizer
• A shelving unit: AmazonBasics 4-Shelf Shelving Unit
• A hanging organizer: Simple Houseware 5-Shelf Hanging Organizer
• A shoe organizer: Seville Classics 3-Tier Shoe Rack
• Closet shelf dividers: Evelots Closet Shelf Dividers

How to organize your bedroom closet:

Step 1: Get rid of things you don't need

You can't tame the clutter if you're unwilling to get rid of it. That's why every organizing project has to start with a purge.

Block off a few hours, roll up your sleeves, and start taking everything out of your closet, Marie Kondo-style — shoes, clothing, accessories, and whatever else has accumulated inside the tight confines of your bedroom closet.

Now comes the hard part. One by one, you need to make a decision and relegate every single item to one of these four categories:

1. Trash: These are the things that are beyond hope or repair. Those worn-out sneakers or broken heels. The permanently stained shirt. The cracked belt and the old, frayed baskets shoved to the back of the closet. If it belongs in the dumpster, that's where you put it.
2. Misplaced: Many bedroom closets harbor a wide range of belongings that really belong elsewhere in your home. Now's your chance to return those things to their rightful spots, whether that's the garage, the kitchen, the living room, the library, or even your car.
3. Donations: Chances are you're holding onto items that don't fit your current style or that you've outgrown. If the item is in good condition but you don't want it, donate it. Make sure that you're donating things that aren't dirty or stained — the donation pile isn't the same as the garbage pile. 
4. Keepers: Once you've weeded out the trash, the misplaced, and the donations, what's left are your keepers. Now you've whittled your wardrobe down to only those garments, shoes, and accessories that you want to keep and plan to wear or use. These are the items that are going back into your closet once your organizing system is finalized.

Step 2: Clean your closet

Once your closet is empty, it's easy to vacuum those back corners and wipe down the walls that otherwise rarely get attention. Take this opportunity to clean the space from top to bottom, including floors, shelves, and walls. If you really want to give your closet a makeover, consider giving the interior a fresh coat of paint. A pastel or bright hue is a great way to add some cheer to the utilitarian space.

To get cleaning and give your closet a fresh look, check out our buying guides:

• Best cleaning cloths
• Best cordless vacuum cleaner
• Best interior paint
• Best paint roller
• Best paint brush

Step 3: Choose an organization system

Now that you only have clothing and shoes you love and wear regularly, it's time to decide how you want to organize them. There are a few ways to go about it:

• Separate clothing by type, such as pants, skirts, shirts
• Separate clothing by season, which generally means summer and winter wear
• Organize by outfit, which makes rushed morning dressing a snap
• Divvy up your wardrobe by color

While most people prefer to separate their wardrobe by type, feel free to use whichever system works best for you, and most importantly, is easiest for you to stick with.

Step 4: Choose organizers that make the best use of the space

The typical bedroom closet has a hanging rod and one shelf. While that's a good start, it's not nearly enough to fully organize anything but the tiniest wardrobe.

There are hundreds of closet organizing tools available, but the following are some of our favorites.  

Velvet hangers

One of the easiest ways to give your closet a polished appearance is with a set of matching hangers. Forget about those wire cheapies from the dry cleaner. Instead, hang your items on thin, nonslip "velvet" hangers like those made by Zober. No more camisoles sliding to the floor, and far less chance of creases across the knees of dress pants. 

A built-in closet organizer

If you really want to get your closet into shape, a full-closet organizer is your best bet. And while there are super-expensive and complicated closet organizing systems available, there's no need to break your budget when it's so easy to install the Rubbermaid Custom Closet Organizer, which transforms most typical bedroom closets into a well-organized, workhorse of a space.

Extra shelving

If your closet has an open wall area, make use of it with a wire shelving unit, such as the 4-shelf unit from AmazonBasics. Now you have a place to stack folded sweaters, hats, shoes, purses, and a basket or two for holding scarves and other small accessories. This one can also be used in the kitchen or anywhere around the house that could use some extra organizing.

A sturdy shoe rack

A shoe rack like the excellent 3-tier unit from Seville Classics keeps your favorite kicks neatly organized in pairs. Just imagine being able to immediately spot the pair of shoes you want instead of wearing whatever you can find. 

A hanging shelf organizer

If wall space isn't available, you can still add extra shelf storage with a hanging closet organizer, like a 5-shelf cubby from Simple Houseware. These types of organizers are especially good for kid's closets, as you can tuck a full outfit into each cubby, making it easy for your kindergartener or early-elementary aged child to get dressed on their own, but go ahead and get one for your own closet, as well, then use it to hold folded sweaters, purses, and hats.

Shelf dividers

You probably know that heavy knits, such as sweaters, should always be stored folded on a shelf, rather than on a hanger. The problem is that a tower of sweaters tends to tip over, dropping clothing onto the floor. To the rescue: Evelots closet shelf dividers. These handy wire dividers slip right onto a shelf and keep sweaters, purses, or other large items neatly stacked.  

Check out our other home organization guides:

• The best clothes hangers 
• The best closet organizers
• The best storage containers
• The best shoe racks