Find it hard to make proper use of a small closet? These 16 space-saving small apartment closet ideas are guaranteed to make your life so much easier!
Small closets make one face tons of problems. The first one being the design itself: where to create it so that it looks its best & provides maximum functionality & what furniture to include.
The second most crucial question is how to systemize/organize one properly. An incorrect system can ruin the functionality of your closet completely, but a well-developed one will make your life much easier.
And unfortunately, with scarce resources on small apartment closet ideas, it’s really hard to get to work. But no need to worry anymore: this guide is totally tailor to your small closet!
These 16 space-saving small apartment closet ideas – design, layout, organizing & systemization – will make your life so much easier, so you’ll definitely want to keep reading!
small apartment closet ideas
01. Improvise a closet using a dresser & hanging rails
Don’t have a designated closet? No worries! You can easily create one yourself using only a dresser & a hanging clothes rail!
Try to find an empty wall section in your bedroom for maximum functionality & aesthetics! It doesn’t matter if your bed’s facing it or not, it’ll look good either way.
Then, get a few lower dressers depending on the amount of clothes you need to fit. If your apartment boasts taller ceilings, you won’t face any problems with fitting a medium or even tall dresser in there, so don’t worry too much!
After that, you’ll want to get your hands on a hanging clothes rail that you’ll install right above your dressers. Put all your blouses, shirts, T-shirts & blazers up there and your jeans & underwear into the dressers. This will be much easier on the eyes than putting everything on display.
02. Go vertical
When it comes to utilizing all that space your small closet provides you with, going vertical is essential! There are multiple ways to effortlessly take advantage of the height.
First, make sure that you install a second rod right under the first one. This will instantly double your closet space. If your a fashionaista, you’ll love that!
The second way of maximizing space through going vertical depends on your closet organizing skills. Instead of stacking your clothes in piles next to each other, try to incorporate stackable shelves & boxes into your closet design, that provide a bit more extra surface to work with.
03. Utilize your door
Can’t find the right spot for your bags? Utilizing your closet doors is one of those small apartment closet ideas that help you work with what you’ve already got to create more space for yourself!
So go & get an over-the-door organizer or individual storage baskets to install on your doors. Store your bags, jackets etc. in them. You’ve just created storage space from essentially nothing, so make sure you use it out!
YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO READ:
| Top 13 small space furniture stores for a stylish & practical tiny home |
04. Use space-saving hangers
If you’re on social media, you might’ve already heard of space-saving hangers. They really work wonders in crowded spaces, by helping you store your items in a more condensed way.
The absolute best option for a tiny closet is undoubtedly a multi-layer hanger! If you have more vertical space than horizontal, you’ll definitely want to get a few! They not only let you go vertical with storing your clothes, but they also help create a system where you can categorize your clothes! And such a consistent organizational system helps keep your closet looking clean & your items easily accessible.
But S-shaped pants hangers, as well as convertible hangers are also highly recommended!
05. Maximize space with hanging closet organizers
Finding the perfect spot for your underwear, shoes or even jeans is probably the hardest challenge in a small closet. But with the help of hanging closet organizers, it’s not a problem anymore!
Whether you use it in your designated closet or on a clothes rack, the outcome is the same: you get that extra storage space that makes life in a small apartment much easier.
06. Or provide more space with drop-front boxes
Investing in drop-front boxes is one of the most helpful small apartment closet ideas ever! Drop-front boxes are a super tiny, yet mighty detail in your home. But you’d be surprised by how useful they are when you’re really short on space.
Firstly, their stackable design makes it easy to build vertically. Secondly, they provide just as much space inside, as they do on top! Not only can you fit lots of clothes in them, but you can also use the top surface to display your jewelleries, or your favourite bags. How cool is that?
YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO READ:
| Small apartment living room design: 17 life-changing ideas you’ll want to try |
07. Use clear boxes to stack your shoes
If you’re lucky enough to have some floor space in your closet, it would be a shame not to utilize it completely! And what fits there more perfectly, if not your shoe collection?
Of course, you gotta pay attention to finding space-saving ways to store them. And for this exact purpose, clear storage boxes (either drop-front or with a lid) will work wonders!
They help make everything visible & accessible at all times, but because of their stackable nature, you’ll save yourself tons of floor space! Which you could use for storing your laundry basket, for example to keep it out of sight!
08. Be thoughtful
There’s not a bigger enemy in a small closet, than tons of clutter. Unused pieces of clothing just there for ages, taking up an unnecessary amount of space. Don’t let them accumulate too much!
Since your wardrobe is constantly changing to fit your personal preferences, it’s the worst thing you could do to keep everything you have.
To solve this problem, first you’ll want to think in outfits when shopping for new pieces. Don’t forget to consider the timelessness of your chosen pieces either: neutrals & basics are easiest to accessorize. If you do this first step right, you won’t feel tempted to hoard as many items as you can.
The second most important thing for a perfectly organized small closet is to keep track of your clothes: how much you wear them, what do you pair them with & you could also try to calculate how much it costs you per wear, so you get a better picture of its value. This will help you create a list of your most-worn items that are worth keeping, as well the rarely worn ones that you need to get rid of.
09. Go seasonal
In a small closet, it’s of high importance to have some kind of practical system. And when you think about it, there’s nothing more practical than organizing your stuff seasonally!
Of course, you can plan according to actual seasons, but it might be better – & less exhausting – to sort your stuff according to wheather. This means, in the summer, your light spring & summer clothes need to be displayed in your storage boxes & on your rod, while your cold weather pieces are hidden in your drawers or lower shelves.
And when the chilly season hits, you’ll want to turn it around: rummage up your comfy autumn & winter clothes from those drawers to put on your rod & neatly tuck away any light clothes.
YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO READ:
| Small apartment Christmas decor : 20 ideas for the perfect holiday decor |
10. Get a few baskets & roll everything up
One of the most space-saving small apartment closet ideas on this list is to roll up your clothes & place them in a basket!
Of course, only do this to items that won’t get damaged by rolling: sweaters, T-shirts, sweatpants & tops.
It’s also advisable that you – once again – don’t just randomly place them in there: get one basket for your sweaters, the other for your sweats & so on.
If you’re wondering what kind of basket to get, you like handwoven baskets. Whether it’s seagrass, cotton, rope or jute, you won’t be disappointed with neither their looks, nor their great space-saving qualities!
11. Expand your closet under your bed
Who said a closet has to end behind the doors of it? When you’re short on space, every little empty nook can be repurposed to a full-value “closet” effortlessly. So make sure you take this opportunity by expanding your closet under your bed!
Under bed storage baskets, drawers as well as bags help store pieces of clothing that you couldn’t fit in your closet. Cardboard boxes are perfect for your accessories, like belts or headbands, & clear drop-front containers are going to store your shoes like nothing else!
12. Build around the bed
Building around your bed might just be one of the most underrated small apartment closet ideas ever! If you don’t have a built-in wardrobe, you should definitely consider either getting a custom storage unit above & next to your bed, or create the composition yourself!
It’s not as hard as you’d think: to provide enough space for your clothes, you gotta have at least one high cabinet on either side of your bed. For your other closet essentials, an above-the-bed cabinet is also a great idea, just to make sure you have enough space!
YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO READ:
| 22 life-changing small apartment kitchen storage ideas |
13. Or get a platform bed with storage
If you’re into hiding your stuff more than leaving them out in the open, your best shot at a proper “closet” is undoubtedly a platform bed with storage!
A storage bed might boasts even more storage than a smaller closet! But you have to plan c organize it properly to really make it work! Use storage boxes to organize the different types of pieces you have: keep them together for a transparent system that provides maximum accessibility. Long drawer dividers with inserts might also be a good idea!
14. Design a closet around a window
If you can’t seem to find a suitable spot anywhere for a closet, try designing it around a window! You can make it quite comfy & oftentimes, this is a much handier option than sacrificing a wall to have a proper closet.
Whether you want it custom made & built-in, or you want to create it from individual pieces (high cabinets & wall cabinets) you’ll be happy with the outcome either way. For maximum functionality, incorporate a window seat as well, so that you can get ready comfortably every day.
15. Stackable sliding drawers are your new best friend
Find it hard to store your stuff systematically? Have a system, but can never find the stuff you need regardless? If so, getting a pack of stackable sliding drawers will be one of the most life-changing small apartment closet ideas for you!
They’ll be just as perfect in functionality on your closet floor, as on top of a dresser or shelf. Not to mention how space-saving they are thanks to the fact that they’re stackable.
You’ll be able to sort your clothes according to material, type of even occasion & pack them like so. Not only does this make it super easy to always find what you need, but the sliding technology as well! No need to rummage through all your clothes & create a mess for just one piece anymore!
YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO READ:
| 21 pretty & practical small apartment Christmas decor ideas to obsess over |
16. Opt for an open closet
An open closet is always a good idea! Open shelving units, clothes racks & dressers will help your clothes turn into real focal points! And when a small space has a focal point, it feels larger than it actually is, so you’ll definitely want to use this to your advantage!
There are actually ready-made open closets, but once again, if you have a strong vision in mind, bring it to life using individual shelves, dressers, clothes racks & clothes rails. Display your clothes & accessories nicely for a beautiful outcome. There’s no room for clutter here!
This post was all about small apartment closet ideas. Start using them right away & transform your whole wardrobe!
RELATED POSTS:
[…] 16 space-saving small apartment closet ideas to make your life easier […]