Rather than choosing to simply clean it out, many people choose to remodel a closet when it becomes disorganized. A poorly-organized closet can make items difficult to find, or difficult to get to (for example, items that are in the back of the closet, behind or under other items). Closet organization, with the help of the right products, can help you complete a successful closet remodel.

Step #1: Empty the Closet

The first step in closet organization is to remove everything from the closet. At this point, you can decide which items you want to keep. Since you probably don’t use everything in your closet daily, it’s easy to forget what’s stored there, and to continue storing items that you don’t need simply because you forget about them. Removing everything from the closet forces you to examine each item, and decide whether you need it and where it belongs. Items you don’t want can be thrown away or donated to charity. Emptying the closet also gives you a clean slate to work with when you redesign the closet space, and provides a good opportunity to vacuum or repaint the inside of the closet.

Step #2: Group Similar Items Together

Once you decide which items you want to keep, you can begin determining what organizational products will help you keep your closet tidy. Grouping related items together while they’re outside the closet will help you to determine how much space you need for each type of item, and provide you with closet ideas.

For example, you may find that you have many short hanging items, and very few longer hanging items. In this case, you can consider placing two hanging rods closer together, doubling your hanging space. The few longer items can be placed in a different closet. Placing similar items together can also help you decide which type of closet organizer you need. If you have a lot of belts or ties, you may benefit from a special hanger to hold these items. In custom closet design, storage systems can be built to your specifications to hold your items.

Visibility and Accessibility

The keys to closet organization are visibility and access; you want to be able to see all the items in your closet, and to get to the items you want quickly. A closet should be able to store the greatest number of items possible, to maximize the available space. However, if you place items on top of each other, or in layers on shelves, items will look organized, but will be inaccessible. A new system of closet organization will make the most of your closet space, and allow you full access to everything in the closet.