12 Space-Saving Organization Ideas for Small Closets

I don’t have a bucket list but if I did, "get a walk-in-closet" would definitely be on there. As someone who has lived in 800 square feet or less for the last 20 years, I’ve still never had a closet to call mine. I see walk-in closets with accessory islands and seating areas, and that’s not what I’m dealing with in my small house. At all. For those of you who, like me, need to get organized with a reach-in closet (or don’t have a closet at all), here are some tips and tricks that will help you along the way.

One way to immediately get a bit of extra space is to remove the doors on your reach-in closet. Once the doors are off, you can choose to leave the closet open or install simple-yet-stylish curtains. Removing the doors will also allow you to store bulkier items or bring in storage furniture that might not typically fit inside closet doors, like a dresser or shoe rack.

If you're not ready to part ways with your closet doors, then consider changing the way that they open. Because sliding doors glide along the wall instead of swinging out, they'll give you more space as well. For example, in this bedroom by M | Monroe Design, the sliding doors can be pushed away to create an impromptu workspace.

If you do decide to keep your closet doors, consider how you might use them to your advantage. For example, you could add hooks to keep your scarves, backpacks and jackets in place, or you could hang an over-the-door organizer for shoes or jewelry. Even if you have an unusual item to store, think about how you could use that extra vertical space to grab even more real estate.