Maximizing Your Small Coat Closet

Over The Door Organizer 2

If you’re tired of your coat closet bursting at the seams with mounds of shoes, coats and all the things, I’ve got you covered, friend.

Today I’m sharing my top 5 tried and true tips for making the most of your small coat closet.

1. Use Every Inch!

It’s so easy to throw your hands up when challenged with a small closet. Instead, force yourself to better use the space you DO have – I’m talking floors, ceilings, doors and everything in between.

These next few tips will have you using every square inch of that closet.

2. Stackable Shoe Racks

If you’re over digging through heaps of shoes in a heated rush each morning, get yourself a shoe rack.

Not just any shoe rack.

Make sure it’s stackable.

Stackable allows you to add more shelves as your needs grow – more kids, more shoes, whatever.

These mesh shoe racks from The Container Store are one of my favorites because they’re super resistant to dirt, are easily stackable, and also quite friendly on the wallet.

shoe shelf2

An Extra Tip To Making These Work

To take it up a notch, do yourself a solid by assigning one shelf to each household member.

This keeps everyone accountable for putting their shoes back in place.

Once someone runs out of space, either add another shelf or migrate the overflow to their bedroom or other designated space.

3. Over The Door Organizers

Doors. The often forgotten about blank canvas for all things organizing.

This is where you can really maximize that small old coat closet of yours.

So while you’re drafting your coat closet shopping list, add over the door organizers to the list of items you need.

My go-to for door shelving is the Elfa system from The Container Store.

I gave it a whirl after seeing The Home Edit use it years ago and have never looked back (check out my old coat closet how-to post to hear about this long-standing love affair). There are endless alternatives in the market, but I can’t be bothered to try them because this one is just so good.

Why Do I Love Them So?

So many reasons!

  1. It’s fully customizable. Pick however many baskets you want, in whatever size, and even pick out fun additional accessories like scarf and belt hangers.
  2. It’s crazy easy to assemble. I am a non-do-it-yourselfer. If something needs a drill, I’m out. This system, however, is one of the simplest things I’ve ever put together. All I needed was a screw driver, a ladder and a level and I was good to go.
  3. It gives you so much added space. I love that this system gives me a place for all of the small things that would otherwise be jammed onto that one flimsy top shelf in my closet.
Organized coat closet

Tips To Making Them Work

  1. Categories! Similar to the shoe shelves, choose to assign baskets to each family member or use baskets for designated item categories (i.e. family gloves in one basket, hats in another).
  2. Bins in Bins. If you really want to protect yourself from possible clutter traps, add some small bins inside each Elfa basket for the tiny things like toddler gloves or sunglasses so they don’t get lost in the mix. You can buy small bins or use mason jars, old tupperware or other items you already have.

If you really want to protect yourself from possible clutter traps, add some small bins inside each Elfa basket for the tiny things like toddler gloves or sunglasses so they don’t get lost in the mix.

4. Matching Sturdy Hangers

Another tip most professional organizers swear by is matching hangers.

Beyond being “pretty”, matching hangers make a space feel less visually cluttered – which is really important when you’re talking about small spaces like a coat closet . Matching hangers will immediately help bring a sense of calm each time you open the door.

Matching Hangers

Tips To Making Them Work

  1. Make sure they’re sturdy! Hangers don’t have to be fancy but they do need to be sturdy enough to hold heavier winter gear. The last thing you need are hangers breaking under the weight of your jacket.
  2. Save space by going slim profile. To really save space, consider thin velvet hangers. Spring for quality here given the whole “sturdy” factor. I’ve had a lot of success with Joy Mangano hangers and even these Amazon branded ones.

5. Overhead Baskets

When looking to maximize your small coat closet, don’t forget to look up. For most of us, that means that little flimsy shelf above your coat rod.

This is the perfect place to add a large basket or two to hold miscellaneous items that still need a home. Here in the PNW, that means a collection of umbrellas and beanies.

Overhead Baskets

A Small But Mighty (And Organized) Coat Closet Awaits

These 5 tips to maximizing your closet may seem like overkill for such a small space, but once these systems are in place, you’ll be left questioning why you waited so long.

So, go ahead, unleash your inner Home Edit or Marie Kondo, and get organizing!

Shop The Look

Over The Door Organizer
Stackable Shoe Shelf
Large Wire Milk Crate

Full disclosure: As an Amazon and Rakuten affiliate, I may earn a small commission from eligible sales at no extra cost to you.

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