Let’s face it —storage space is hard to come by, especially in a small home so when you have a spare closet or extra bit of storage, you’ll want to make the most of it. Staying organized is easier said than done when summertime brings forth a new wardrobe complete with tennis gear, golf clubs, and beach equipment. 

Let us guide you through the best ways to organize your closet and storage space this summer by answering your most hard-pressing questions with our top tips.

What Is The Easiest Way to Organize a Closet?

Design by MICHELLE BERWICK Photography by LARRY ARNAL

First off, when it comes to closet organization, you should always make the most out of your existing closet space. Whether you have a walk-in closet off your master bedroom or a tiny reach-in closet in the hallway, capitalize on this space where you can easily tuck away items behind closed doors. Here are several simple steps to get your closet in order:

Cleanout 

Do a full closet purge and get rid of the clothes that you no longer wear or items that you don’t need. A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t worn it/used it in a year, chances are you probably won’t be needing it again. There are so many places that could use your second-hand stuff so donate to your favorite consignment shop or send your clothes in to ThredUp!

Create zones with dividers

Even in small closet space, creating zones is possible, whether you use a basket to hold all of your socks or set up a full closet organizer complete with shelving and a pants rack. Creating zones makes it easier to delineate between your wardrobe with sections like formal workwear, casual dress wear, and loungewear. This also makes it easier for you to put things away again, so you don’t have to wade through piles of clothes every time you’re folding laundry.

Install custom drawers and shelving

You can add more storage space by building custom drawers and shelving in your closets. This takes a bit more time and commitment as you have to take measurements of your space and assemble your closet system yourself, but the upside is that you have the opportunity to personalize a closet to fit your needs. Plus, you get to choose materials you love and customize shelving colors and drawer space to suit your existing design style.

Consider adding a dresser below your items or getting an additional clothes rack 

Adding a dresser below your hanging items frees up space in your bedroom while also providing an easy way to create separate zones for your items, with your dress shirts hanging up and your undergarments folded away in the dresser.

How do I organize my home storage?

Design by MICHELLE BERWICK Photography by LARRY ARNAL

We all have one —that dreaded storage closet that’s crammed full of various sundries from those roller blades the kid’s haven’t used in years to the stockpile of pantry items you panic-purchased at the beginning of the pandemic. And, many might be wondering, how do you organize a small closet with a lot of stuff? This is where some of our favorite storage solution tips come in handy:

• Label everything: This is especially important if you aren’t using clear containers or storing things by category. Labeling your boxes makes it so much easier to find things —because while you might remember where you put everything now, chances are you won’t when Christmas rolls around. 
• Color coordinate bins, baskets, or cubbies: When using storage containers, be sure that you place similar items in the same color box, bin, or basket.
• Custom build shelving: As discussed earlier, custom-built shelves provide you with the opportunity to create nooks specifically designed to hold your specific storage items whether it’s a shelf built wide enough to hold your winter clothing bins or a narrow nook that’s perfect for housing the vacuum. 
• Make the most of wall space by adding hooks: this can free up a world of space on your shelves.
• Group items by category: Organize your closet in a way that makes sense to you. Maybe this means having your extra toiletries on one shelf and a separate shelf for cleaning supplies.

Alternative Creative Storage Solutions

If you don't have extra closet space, there are plenty of alternative and creative storage solutions that you can consider, including:

• Butlers pantry
• Hidden storage for appliances
• Custom built-ins

Design by PATTI WILSON Photography by MIKE CHAJECKI 

A butlers pantry is an intermediary room between the kitchen and the dining room that serves two purposes: storage and staging. For homeowners who have larger houses, a butler’s pantry is a great place to stage and prep food and drinks before serving meals as it’s hidden and out of sight from the main attractions of the dining and kitchen areas. It also has the advantage of being a smart storage solution, as it’s the perfect place to house kitchen items you’d like to keep hidden away to reduce clutter. Many butler’s pantries are used to store silverware, traditional pantry staples, and baking supplies.

Design by MELISSA DAVIS

The most recent trend in kitchen designs is hidden storage for appliances. This usually entails hiding appliances behind a panel that mimics the look of the space's cabinets. This way, microwaves, ovens, dishwashers, and refrigerators aren’t so disruptive with their stainless steel and mismatched finishes in the design. Hiding away appliances creates a cohesive design and gives you the opportunity to cleverly design storage built for your needs.

Design by MELISSA DAVIS

If you’re looking for the best way to maximize your storage capacity without a closet, consider custom built-ins. Since custom built-ins are designed for your exact space, you can create a unit that’s to your specific dimensions so that every inch of space is leveraged. Plus, built-ins can be integrated seamlessly into your home design with matching materials and exact sizing whether you need a custom bookshelf or a built-in media console.

Keeping Entryways Neat in the Summer

Design by MICHELLE BERWICK Photography by LARRY ARNAL 

With so many outdoor activities in the summer from biking to hiking to beach-going, it’s hard to keep the front doors clear of outdoor equipment. Think about adding a bench with hidden shelving for extra shoes, or even building a custom cabinet to hide away summer gear when you have guests over. 

Looking for more tips on how to stay organized? Check out our Beautiful Design Made Simple blog on “5 Tips to Reduce Clutter and Add Storage.”