Coat Closet Clean Out

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A change in seasons is a great time to clean out the coat closet. Here are my tips for getting your outdoor apparel and accessories organized.

I am spoiled with two coat closets. We use one for winter gear and the other for spring and fall. If you don’t have the luxury of closets for every season, that’s okay, I’ve got some space saving tips for you. I have basic builder grade coat closets—one rod with one shelf on top. I’d love to someday have custom closets, but in the meantime, we’ve added some inexpensive hooks and storage drawers to make the space more functional. Let me show you how to maximize your own coat closet space.

STEP 1
TAKE IT ALL OUT AND EDIT

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Perhaps the kids have outgrown their coats from last season. Maybe you hate the way that one winter hat fits. You may uncover bags that you haven’t seen or thought about in years. Take the time to sort everything out. Make a donate or sell pile for any of those coats, jackets, hats, gloves, bags, and scarfs you aren’t going to use anymore.

Then, evaluate your keep pile. Determine if you have the room to store all the remaining items in your coat closet. It may work better to move the out-of-season items to a different storage space until they are needed again.

STEP 2
SORT AND ORGANIZE THE ACCESSORIES

I store my extra bag and purse in the coat closet. That’s not a typo, I have one backpack, one large tote, and an everyday cross-body bag—that’s it. My bags are all neutral so there’s no stressing about which bag to carry with which outfit—it’s all about functionality. I recommend storing bags inside bags—for example, my backpack is rolled and stored inside my tote bag. Since my bag collection is small, I use hooks for storage—you could also hang them on hangers. Storing bags and purses upright in bins or baskets is another option to keep things contained yet easy to find. If the bins or baskets are going to be stored in a way that you cannot see what’s inside, be sure to label them.

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Stack winter hats upright in a bin or basket, making it easy to see your options. I keep our gloves in the same bin as our hats because they all fit nicely together, but it may work better to store these items separately. Baseball hats are an all-seasons item in our house, so I keep them easy to grab sitting on an open shelf. Depending on your space, you may choose to hang baseball hats on hooks or store them inside a bin, basket, or drawer. Do what works best for you, and again, label as needed.

Roll or file fold scarves to store in bins or baskets. Be sure to separate scarves by season—I keep both lightweight and winter scarves in the same bin, but my in-season scarves get the prime real-estate in the front.  If you don’t have the shelf space for bins, you could use a hanger specifically for storing scarves. Pro tip: shower curtain rings on a standard hanger work about the same as the specialty scarf hanger.

STEP 3
PUT IT ALL AWAY

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If you’ve decided to keep your out-of-season items stored elsewhere, gather those items and store them in a large plastic storage container to keep them crisp and clean. If possible, keep the accessories sorted and organized to make swapping out your coat closet contents quick and easy as the seasons change.

If you’ve got the space for an all-seasons coat closet, put your out-of-season coats and accessories towards the back, keeping the in-season items front and center.

Use matching hangers and bins to give your coat closet a well-kept look. Large storage drawers, like mine, work well if you’re trying to utilize floor space. Baskets or fabric bins work best stored on open shelves.

Remember to keep a stash of extra hangers for guests. Now that your coat closet is organized, you’ll be proud to open it up next time someone stops by.