Have you always dreamed of a minimalist wardrobe or are you simply short on space and keen to get your clothing in tip top order? If you’re looking for clever space saving wardrobe ideas to maximise storage in your closet, you’re in the right place! 

It’s not always easy to figure out how best to store clothing and accessories in your wardrobe and often it can feel like there just isn’t enough space for everything. 

The following guide will help you to figure out the best way to make the most of the space you have, whether that’s drawers, hanging space, open shelving or a combination of the three!

Benefits of an organised wardrobe

Having an organised wardrobe where everything has a home can bring so many benefits! Below are just a few:

• You will have better visibility of the clothes you own so you’ll  be more likely to wear what you have and less likely to buy duplicates

• You will find it easier to put an outfit together when you can quickly locate the items you’re looking for

• As your clothing will be maintained in a good condition, you’ll save time on ironing, mending or even washing a piece when you come to wear it

• When every piece of clothing has a dedicated home in your wardrobe, it will be better taken care of and therefore last longer, saving you money

• You won’t feel overwhelmed getting dressed in the morning - you’ll be able to easily select outfits and save time every day!

Begin your wardrobe organisation with a purge

The best place to get started when organising your wardrobe is with a purge. At this point you may be wondering what to throw out of your wardrobe? Well we have the answers for you.

To declutter your wardrobe, start by removing all contents until the space is empty. Next sort and categorise the items. All items belonging to the same category should be physically grouped, either on the floor or on a surface such as the bed. 

Make as many categories as you need depending on the types of clothing and accessories you have. During your categorisation, you should decide which items to part with - depending on their condition, these items can be discarded or recycled, donated or sold.

When deciding whether to keep or let go of an item, it can be useful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What will I gain from keeping this?

• What will I gain from letting this go?

• Does this fit in my life and who I am now?

• How many of this particular item do I need?

• Is it in good condition?

• Would someone else appreciate it more than me?

• Could I be convinced to let it go?

• When was the last time I wore this?

• When will I (realistically) wear it again?

• Is it beautiful, used or loved?

With your inventory now reduced, it’s time to focus on setting up your wardrobe in a way that makes full and best use of all the space available to you. 

Your wardrobe may be composed of mostly hanging space or you may have a combination of drawers and shelves - however your wardrobe is set up, the following tips and tricks should help you make the best use of the space available to you!

How to maximise hanging space

Any amount of hanging space in a wardrobe is super useful, even if it's just a slim cupboard, it’s better than none at all! To make the most of the hanging space you have available to you, we recommend the following hanging solutions:

Switch to slimline hangers

They may not seem significant but bulky or mismatched hangers can take up more space than you might think. Switching your clothing over to slimline hangers will not only look neater, it will save you valuable hanging space, allowing you to store more items on your rails.

Double up your hanging rails

If you use your wardrobe space mostly for hanging blouses, skirts and jackets, then you likely have a good amount of space available beneath your standard clothing rail that is not being fully maximised for clothing storage.

You can make the most of the extra room by adding an adjustable tension rod which will provide a whole other layer of hanging space in your small closet, allowing you to store more items or simply spread out your current items for a calmer, less cluttered feel.

What items to hang

• Dresses

• Skirts

• Blouses

• Trousers

• Coats

• Jackets

How to maximise shelving space

Shelving space in wardrobes is incredibly versatile and can be especially useful if you’re trying to store a lot of clothes in a small space. To make the best use of the shelving space you have available and depending on your inventory, we recommend a combination of the following:

Add storage bins

Utilising storage bins on open wardrobe shelving is an excellent way to contain categories of clothing or accessories, much like they would be contained inside drawers. When storing clothing inside bins on shelves, always file fold so that items don’t end up stacked on top of each other.

Install shelf dividers

If you have tried and failed to store clothing neatly on shelves within your wardrobe, shelf dividers may be the solution to your problem! All you need to do is slide them onto the shelf to act as a barrier between your clothing categories.

Shelf dividers can be placed as and where you need them which is especially useful when dealing with categories of clothing with differing widths - they really allow you to utilise every piece of shelf space in your closet!

Add stackable shoe racks to lower shelves

Adding stackable shoe racks to the base of your wardrobe will help to make the most of vertical space there. Choose an extendable one which will enable you to maximise the full width of your wardrobe and store as many shoes as possible there!

Utilise accessory organisers

Accessories such as belts, ties, scarves etc. can be particularly difficult to store within a wardrobe, especially when space is limited. More often than not, they end up stuck in a box and inevitably go unworn or unused. 

Investing in some accessory organisers will ensure these items stay in great condition and are always at hand when you need them. Placed in a visible location on open shelves, you’ll be inspired to accessorise your outfits everyday!

What items to store on shelves

• Clothing folded inside bins

• Handbags

• Shoes

• Belts

How to maximise drawer space

Drawer space is more or less a given in most wardrobe set ups and rightly so. Drawers are excellent for storing away small items and those items which don’t need to be hung up. 

However, as the contents of drawers are hidden away, it can be easy for them to become cluttered and messy if no organisation system is in place. The following drawer organisation ideas will help you to maintain order in your wardrobe drawers:

Add drawer organisers

Even when your wardrobe space is limited, it doesn’t mean you don’t have enough space to keep everything in an orderly manner. Drawers can easily become overstuffed if there is nothing keeping categories of items together. 

Adjustable drawer dividers will help your folded clothing to remain stacked, whilst micro organisers will allow you to group together smaller items such as socks and underwear in categories.

File fold clothing 

When you file-fold clothing inside drawers, you not only save space but you make each item easier to locate. Folding items such as jeans, tops and knitwear is more spatially efficient than hanging these items. 

The file fold is our favourite as it allows items to be stored vertically rather than stacked; this makes it far easier to view and find exactly what you’re looking for.

What items to store inside drawers

• File folded clothing

• Underwear

• Socks

• Pyjamas

• Swimwear

• Activewear

Other ways to maximise space in your wardrobe

In addition to the above, there are a number of other ways you can increase the amount of space in your wardrobe:

Rotate your wardrobe by season and store out of seasons clothing elsewhere

If you are short on storage space in your wardrobe, you may want to consider rotating your clothing with the seasons to maximise your hanging space.

You’re unlikely to be wearing your sundressed during the winter months and vice versa, you won’t be using your bulky winter coats and wool jumpers in the warm summer months, so why let them take up precious space? 

Store these seasonal items inside a vacuum bag, underbed storage or sealed box on an upper wardrobe shelf. Remember to label so that you know the contents within.

Keep a donation bin nearby

Often, maintaining organisation in a wardrobe can be difficult if new items keep being added without old ones being discarded. Clutter can quickly build back up if it’s not kept on top of, especially in smaller spaces.

To help keep on top of items you find yourself not wearing, place a basket somewhere inside your wardrobe (or nearby) so that you can set these items aside the moment you’re ready to move on. 

As the basket becomes full, you can discard, donate or sell the items within and maybe even treat yourself to a new piece of clothing you’ve had your eye on.

Utilise the backs of doors

When space is limited in your wardrobe, every surface can become a valuable storage solution. Where possible, try to utilise the backs of doors by adding hooks; use them to store items such as dressing gowns, hats, handbags, scarves etc.

How will you get your wardrobe organised?

We hope you enjoyed reading our expert space-saving guide to creating an organised and efficient wardrobe. 

At Homefulness, our expert home organisers have supported many clients in transitioning their wardrobes over the years, implementing systems of organisation that make selecting outfits so much easier!

Be sure to check out our wardrobe how-to guide for some more in depth guidance on organising your clothing and accessories the Homefulness way. Whether your closet storage space is large or small, there is an organisation system that will work for you!

If you need help with getting your wardrobe organised, don’t hesitate to get in touch, Homefulness is here to help!