How to Declutter and Organize a Closet
How to Declutter and Organize a Closet: My Mom’s Closet Makeover
Sometimes the best way to declutter a space is to completely empty it and start over.
That’s exactly what we did with my mom’s closet.
Since moving into her new home, we have been slowly working our way through different spaces, figuring out what works, what doesn’t, and what we could change to make her home easier to live in.
Her bedroom closet was one of those spaces that technically worked, but it definitely wasn’t working as well as it could.
She had clothing hanging in the closet, shoes tucked into different areas, storage bins on the upper shelves, and quite a bit of seasonal clothing stored underneath her bed. There was also a sewing machine, family photos, bags, hats, and quite a few miscellaneous things that had ended up in the closet simply because there wasn’t a better place for them.
Our goal was simple: make the closet more functional, get as much as possible out from under the bed, and make everything easier to see and access.
Of course, once we started pulling everything out, a closet declutter happened too.
And surprisingly, my mom got rid of a lot more than either of us expected.
Start By Thinking About What Isn’t Working
Before buying closet organizers or rearranging everything, I think it helps to ask a simple question:
What isn’t working about this space right now?
For my mom, one of the biggest issues was storage.
One half of the closet had an awkward storage area that wasn’t being used very efficiently. Meanwhile, she was keeping sweaters, winter clothing, and other items underneath her bed because there wasn’t enough convenient storage in the closet.
She wanted to be able to keep more of her clothing together instead of having some in the closet and some underneath the bed.
We also wanted to make room for things she actually uses, like her sewing machine, without everything feeling crammed together.
Instead of simply organizing the existing setup, we decided to change the closet itself.
Empty the Closet Before You Organize
Our first step was taking almost everything out.
I know this can make a room look much worse before it gets better, but there is something really helpful about seeing a closet completely empty.
When everything stays in place, it’s easy to stop noticing what you own.
You see the same shoes sitting in the same corner every day. The same bin sits on the top shelf for years. You stop questioning whether you actually need any of it.
But the second you have to physically pick something up and move it, you start asking questions.
Do I use this?
Do I even like this anymore?
Why am I storing this?
Would I choose to put this back into my newly organized closet?
That last question can be especially helpful.
Declutter While Everything Is Already Out
Interestingly, my mom told me before we started that she really wasn’t planning to declutter anything.
That didn’t exactly happen.
As we started pulling things out, she immediately noticed shoes she wasn’t wearing anymore.
She had several pairs of slip-on sneakers, shoes she never reached for, and slippers that were completely worn out. She also realized that she doesn’t really wear heels anymore, even low ones.
Instead of automatically putting everything back, we started a decluttering pile.
Then we found old bathing suits.
Some of them were around ten years old, the elastic was worn out, and she already had a newer bathing suit she liked better.
Those went too.
There were pillows she didn’t use, an old stained-glass project she no longer felt attached to, clothing she hadn’t worn in years, and eventually several bulky coats.
The funny thing is that none of this started as a major decluttering project.
We were simply reorganizing, and the decluttering happened naturally.
I think this is why reorganizing can be such a good opportunity to evaluate your belongings. When you’re already handling everything, you might as well decide whether each item deserves a place in the newly organized space.
Don’t Keep Something Just Because You’ve Had It a Long Time
One of my favorite moments from this project involved a stained-glass piece my mom had made years ago.
I assumed it would be sentimental because she made it herself after taking a stained-glass class.
But she didn’t care about keeping it.
This was a good reminder that we sometimes assign sentimental value to things simply because we think we should care about them.
You made it.
Someone gave it to you.
It belonged to a family member.
You’ve owned it for 25 years.
None of those things automatically mean you have to keep it.
You can appreciate the memory without continuing to store the item.
We ran into this again with a piece of furniture in her bedroom. The bottom portion had been a bar cabinet in my grandfather’s office decades ago.
My mom had thought about getting rid of it for years, but letting go of family pieces can be complicated.
This time, she was ready.
We found an antique shop that would take it, loaded it up, and dropped it off.
Sometimes decluttering isn’t about suddenly deciding an item is bad. You’re simply finally ready to let it go.
Build Storage Around What You Actually Own
Once the closet was empty, my husband Grant got to work.
He had measured the closet beforehand and pre-built adjustable shelving for one side. Because so much of the work was done ahead of time, installation went surprisingly quickly.
And I think this is where closet organization can go wrong.
It’s very tempting to start by buying baskets, bins, and organizers.
Instead, start with your belongings.
What actually needs to live in this closet?
For my mom, we knew she needed hanging space for her everyday clothes, shelves for shoes and smaller items, space for her sewing machine, and upper storage for things she doesn’t need to access constantly.
We weren’t trying to make the closet perfect.
We weren’t doing an expensive custom closet.
We weren’t worried about making every inch look beautiful.
We wanted it to function better.
That was it.
Be Careful With Hidden Storage
One thing we talked about while reorganizing was how easy it is to lose track of things when they’re stored inside closed bins.
Bins can be incredibly useful, especially for seasonal items. But they can also become places where belongings disappear.
You put something into a bin.
You push the bin onto a shelf.
A year passes.
Then you buy another version because you’ve forgotten you already own one.
Whenever possible, I like storage that makes it easy to see what you have.
For things that do need to be stored in bins, group similar items together and make sure you know exactly what’s inside.
Seasonal winter clothing is a perfect example. My mom doesn’t need snow gear taking up prime closet space throughout the year, so keeping those items together in a bin makes sense.
Everyday clothing is different.
If you wear it regularly, make it easy to reach.
Declutter Clothes Based on Your Life Right Now
Once we started bringing all of the clothing back into the closet, we discovered even more clothes underneath the bed.
This turned into another unexpected round of decluttering.
Instead of asking whether something was still technically wearable, we focused more on whether my mom was actually wearing it.
There were coats she hadn’t worn in years.
Sweaters that were worn out.
A lounging shirt she never reached for.
Sweatshirts she didn’t like.
Clothing that no longer fit correctly.
And then there were old pieces she still genuinely loved and wore regularly.
Those stayed.
This distinction matters when you’re decluttering clothes.
An item doesn’t have to be old to go, and something doesn’t have to be new to stay.
Ask:
Do I wear it?
Does it fit?
Do I feel comfortable in it?
Does it work for my current lifestyle?
Would I choose this over the other clothes I own?
One coat my mom considered keeping was something she might theoretically need if she went somewhere very cold.
But she had other coats.
She didn’t need to keep multiple bulky items for a hypothetical situation.
At one point she summed up the process perfectly: the only way to have less stuff in the house is to start getting rid of things.
Make Your Everyday Items the Most Accessible
As we put the closet back together, we thought about accessibility.
The things my mom uses regularly should be the easiest things to reach.
Items she doesn’t need often can go higher up.
Her sewing machine now has a dedicated place. Seasonal items can be grouped together. Shoes are easier to see. Clothing that had been stored underneath the bed could finally come into the closet.
And the best part?
We got everything that had been stored under the bed into the closet, and there was still room left.
That was probably the biggest sign that this project worked.
We didn’t magically make the closet bigger.
We simply got rid of what wasn’t needed and used the existing space more efficiently.
Don’t Rush to Buy Every Organizer
My mom still plans to make some adjustments to the closet, especially when it comes to shoe storage.
And that’s okay.
You don’t have to finish organizing a space in one day.
In fact, I think it can be better to live with a new setup before buying a bunch of organizers.
Use the closet for a few weeks.
Notice what keeps getting messy.
Notice what is difficult to reach.
Notice where things naturally end up.
Then buy an organizer if you actually need one.
Otherwise, it’s very easy to buy organizing products that simply become more clutter.
Let Your Closet Change With Your Life
One of the biggest lessons from this makeover had very little to do with shelves.
Our homes need to change as our lives change.
The clothing we wore 20 years ago might not fit our current lifestyle.
The furniture that worked in our previous home might not make sense in a smaller home.
Things we once felt emotionally attached to might not feel important anymore.
And storage systems that worked in one stage of life might become frustrating in another.
That’s okay.
Your home doesn’t have to remain frozen in time.
The goal isn’t to figure out the perfect way to organize something forever.
The goal is to make your home work for the way you’re living right now.
The Final Closet Makeover
By the end of this project, my mom had decluttered shoes, bathing suits, pillows, clothing, several bulky coats, an old stained-glass project and even a sentimental piece of furniture she had been thinking about letting go of for years.
We added adjustable shelving, reorganized the clothing, created better storage for the sewing machine and seasonal items, and cleared everything that had been stored underneath the bed.
We also hung some artwork in the bedroom that my mom already owned and loved, which helped the entire room finally feel finished.
What started as a closet organization project turned into something much bigger.
The room feels more open.
The closet is easier to use.
Everything has a place.
And most importantly, my mom ended up with more room than she expected.
Simple Closet Decluttering Tips to Try
If you’re thinking about tackling your own closet, you don’t necessarily need a complete makeover. Start small.
Take everything out of one section. Look at each item before putting it back. Get rid of clothes that no longer fit your life. Move rarely used items out of your most accessible storage areas. Group seasonal things together. Avoid hiding everyday items inside deep bins. And wait before buying organizers until you know what you actually need.
Most importantly, don’t assume you have nothing to declutter.
My mom thought the same thing before we started.
Then we started pulling things out.
Sometimes you don’t realize how much you’re ready to let go of until everything is sitting right in front of you.
And once you remove what you don’t need, organizing what remains becomes much easier.
