A big reason why we feel overwhelmed with our wardrobes is because they’re not organised well.

Every week I stand in clients wardrobes, helping them not only to make outfits out of what they have, but to organise their space. Sometimes I’m hired for the sole purpose of helping a client get on top of their clutter and organise their wardrobe in a way that is practical and manageable for them.

In this post I wanted to share ten wardrobe organisation tips so you can open your cupboard doors to something easy to use and most importantly a space where you can find what you need!

REPLACE YOUR HANGERS

One of the easiest and most noticeable changes you can make to your wardrobe is to have matching hangers in your wardrobe. It might sound a little strange to replace your hangers when you already have enough, but a mix of wooden, wire and plastic hangers is not only bad for your clothing, it makes your clothing hang at different levels and can sometimes cause you to lose certain items that are hanging up. The other advantage, which is my favourite reason to update hangers is that matching hangers look so much neater. Try it, you won’t regret it!

UTILISE HIGH SHELVING

Where you’ve got high shelves in a wardrobe that rarely get used, you can place seasonal items, costumes and things you don’t wear as often. To keep the space neat, invest in some matching baskets or tubs, I use fabric lined metal baskets mostly, but you can use plastic, cane or even wooden crates for a more rustic look.

DRAWER DIVIDERS

Let’s face it, we don’t really take good care of our drawers all that often. If you’re a scruncher or a folder, drawer dividers will help keep your drawers organised, even when they’re messy. You can purchase shallow tubs from most department stores like Target and Kmart, or buy clothing specific drawer dividers from places like Ikea.

SHOE RACKS

If your shoes are sitting on the floor of your wardrobe, chances are, there’s a bit of wasted space above them. Get your hands on an expandable shoe rack that will not only get your shoes off the floor but give you space to fit more shoes.

SHOE STORAGE

Shoe boxes aren’t always a good way to store shoes, sometimes they can trap smells and air and create mouldy shoes. Plus they take up lots of space. Line your shoes up on a designated shelf, or rack and store them heel to toe. This way you’ll be able to see what you have from a glance, especially if you tend to buy shoes in similar colours. While you’re thinking about your shoes, if there’s any that aren’t comfortable, edit those out and purchase shoe tree’s to maintain the shape of your current collection and make them more comfortable.

JEANS, KNITS & TEE’S

Your jeans, knitwear and t-shirts should always be folded to avoid snags and dents in the fabric. Fold your jeans into thirds and your tee’s and knits using this handy tutorial:

ORGANISE BY STYLE

When you’re hanging your clothing, they shouldn’t all be mixed together. Group your clothing into categories like pants, shorts, shirts and jackets first, then arrange them in your wardrobe either by length (shortest to longest) or by formality (casual to formal).

ORGANISE BY COLOUR

If you have quite a bit of clothing, or a lot of one particular category – like shirts for example, organise these by colour after organising them by style. Try arranging your clothing from lightest to darkest, just by making this change you’ll probably find yourself starting to pick different outfits and mixing different colours together.

SOCKS & UNDERWEAR

Drawer dividers are a great way to designate areas of your drawers to certain garments, but if you’re tired of fishing around for socks, pair and fold them together so you’re not always on the hunt for your other sock.

MERCHANDISE YOUR WARDROBE

With the remaining space in your wardrobe, you can start merchandising your space. Use excess space to display your favourite things. You could stack your knitwear next to a tray of your favourite cologne, or lean your books and magazines up next to a favourite pair of boots.