A favorite task of devoted spring cleaners is maximizing closet space. Here are several tips on how to organize your closet and make it functional so that it stays that way all year long.

Go Vertical

Most closets are equipped with hanging rods and shelves, but there’s also a lot of wall space and extra storage at the top of the closet that often goes unused. Pegs or hangers on the wall are a great way to store belts, necklaces or scarves. Add an extra shelf at the area at the top of your closet to store rainboots and other seasonal shoes or extra linens, or hang a closet organizer from one of the hanging rods to store sweaters or other bulky items. 

Organize Drawers

One of the first areas of your closet to fall into disarray is probably your drawer space. It’s easy to shove things into a space that you can simply close and ignore. To keep drawers organized, you can roll small items such as shirts or underwear so that you can see everything at once. Jewelry drawer dividers can help you keep your larger pieces from tangling up.

Categorize Clothing

Many people accumulate more clothing than they need or wear because they forget what they have. An easy way to keep track of what’s in your closet is to organize your clothes by category. You can make it simple by having different sections for tops, bottoms and dresses, or you can arrange it by degree of formality. Choose whatever strategy makes the most sense for you and your wardrobe. It may take a few weeks or months to get into the habit of remembering where everything goes, but once you do, you’ll wonder how you ever lived any other way.

If you find yourself wondering how your closet got so full, it may be time to organize it. Good organization makes your closet more functional.