30+ Small Closet Storage Ideas (2024)

Organizing

Farima Ferguson

Farima Ferguson began her career at HGTV where she worked with designers to write about home design. Her work has appeared in HGTV, Insider Reviews, Travel Channel, and more.

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Updated on 02/07/24

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If your home is cluttered because you don't have enough storage space, it's time to look at small closet ideas to make the most of the functional space you do have. You don't have to have a walk-in closet to have a storage that works for you. With the right systems in place, even the smallest of closets can become useful storage spaces that will make life easier.

From built-in shelving to wall hooks to cubbies, drawers, bins, and smart storage for shoes and accessories, there are multiple ways to remove clutter, organize your items, and make it easy to both find items and put them away. Creating a truly functional space will help you stay organized and keep your space neat and tidy, which helps make the most of your small square footage.

Here are 32 of our favorite small closet ideas to help you maximize every inch of your small closet.

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Create An Open Closet

Having an open closet forces you to curate your belongings since they will always be on display. This idea can be implemented relatively inexpensively by purchasing free-standing bookshelves or configuring closet collection pieces.
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Teach Kids How to Organize

Labeled storage baskets not only keep things organized and easily accessible, but it also teaches kids how to stay organized at a young age. This closet features cute baskets for loose items like socks, shoes, and other accessories that would normally get lost if they were in an unorganized pile.
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A Closet That Will Last

A closet system completely transformed this once unused tiny closet. Now, it can store baby gear, accessories, and clothing. The matching bins look clean, cohesive and keep small items organized.
The 7 Best Closet Kits of 2024
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Organize the Bathroom Closet

When you're sick or need an emergency kit, the last thing you want to do is rummage through your closet to find medicine. These labeled clear bins fit nicely in a small bathroom closet and keep medicine and supplies visible and easily accessible. Turntables on the top shelf allow you to grab items in a hurry and baskets at the bottom neatly store bulkier items.
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Save Money While Organizing

That one "everything" closet that holds all your stuff may not be the prettiest, but you can declutter and organize it to look nicer. Simple storage containers with labels are an easy, budget-friendly way to organize loose items and all those cords.
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Make Organizing Easy

This hall closet got a complete organizational overhaul with the addition of some bins. The lidless bins make it quicker to place items inside, while the handles make it easy to carry the bins from the closet to a room in the house to make cleanup easier.
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See Also
The Best Closet Storage, According to Professional Organizers The 10 Most Important Closet Storage Tips You’ll Ever Need
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Make Room for Cleaning and Pet Supplies

One of the main rules of organizing is keeping similar items together, and storage bins are the most budget-friendly way to do that. This hall closet is designated for cleaning and pet supplies. The bins also safely keep the cleaning supplies away from pet toys and accessories.
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Maximize Closet Space

Organization is all about function. An acrylic jewelry holder is a great way to keep your favorite pieces visible while keeping them from getting tangled. The lining on the inside of the drawers adds a seamless, more elegant look.
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Try Door Storage

Even though this closet is small, it has room for everything your baby needs. The clear storage cabinet acts as a dresser while the hanging system on the door holds baby gear.
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Install a Modular System

A combination of pull-out drawers and shelving goes a long way in a small closet. This modular closet system features both, making it easier to store accessories and other small items.
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Maximize a Laundry Closet

Just because your laundry closet only has room for a washer and dryer, doesn't mean you can't maximize the space to store other items. The door to this laundry closet features a hanging organization system with baskets that hold cleaning and laundry supplies.
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Hang Toys

Toys and games are probably some of the hardest items to keep organized, but it can be done. Just as you would use a rack to hang clothes, you can install racks to hang bulky toys that take up too much bin or shelf space. All you need are some S hooks.
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Give a Coat Closet Multiple Purposes

This may have been just a coat closet at first, but now it serves multiple purposes. The hanging organization system on the door holds pet treats and accessories, while the baskets on the top shelf hold toiletries and linens. A small shoe rack maximizes shoe storage in a small area.
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Create a Craft Room Closet

Craft supplies can accumulate easily and having spools of ribbon, markers, gift bags, and other small items can instantly make a room feel cluttered. To keep things at bay, a closet with storage bins organized by item type will help declutter your home while allowing you to quickly find the supplies you need.
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Add a Minimalist Look

The entryway closet can be tricky to keep organized because every family member uses it. Finding a spot for every item will help declutter this space. Wood storage bins bring a clean, minimalist look while also providing a spot for items that may have not had a place before.
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Keep Gift Wrap Organized

Every inch of this closet is organized from the door to the floor space. A hanging organization system holds gift bags, ribbons, and gift-wrapping rolls, while storage bins on shelves hold gift-wrapping tools and accessories. The cohesive color palette gives the closet a clean, organized look.
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Use Handbag Hangers

Oftentimes, organizing is about knowing what organizational items are out there. You can find organization solutions for just about anything, including your handbags. These hangers allow you to hang multiple handbags in a small amount of space. Plus, they prevent the handbags from creasing or getting damaged.
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Look to the Wall

Hats are difficult to store because they take up a lot of space and need to be protected from all sides to prevent damage. Instead of storing them in bulky bins, look to your closet wall. Hanging them is not only a smart way to store them, but they add a cute design element, too.
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Create a Functional Home Office Closet

Creating a home office that's functional is essential when it comes to creating an efficient space, and that includes the closet. This home office closet features a modular system with drawers, shelving, and wall storage to hold all the essential office supplies.
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Choose the Right Placement

The placement of items is just as important as how you store the items. This craft room closet features frequently used items at hand level, while less frequently used items — and items you want to keep from little hands — are kept on the top shelf.
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Use Large Bins in the Playroom

A playroom is filled with so many toys and games, it's hard to keep them all organized. At the end of each day, place similar items in separate labeled bins. Or, designate a bin for each child — the organization opportunities are endless.
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Add a Variety of Storage Options

Even though this isn't a walk-in closet, it features plenty of storage options. From the fabric baskets to the cubbies, this kid's closet holds items ranging from clothing to toys.
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Install Functional Cabinetry

This laundry room closet was once nonfunctional because of the lack of organizational structure. Adding cabinetry transformed it into a spot to store medicine, toiletries, linens, and cleaning tools. The wallpaper adds an unexpected design element.
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Give a Small Closet a Purpose

Even though this closet is smaller than even your standard hall closet, you can still give it use. This is an opportunity to store beautiful household items like patterned throws and other linens.
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Store Shoes on the Closet Floor

If you have floor space in your closet, use it. These acrylic shelves help keep shoes organized, protected, and easily accessible.
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Organize the Medicine Closet

If you have kids in your household, keeping the medicine closet organized is essential for unexpected injuries and illnesses. Wire baskets make grabbing larger items easy, while stacked wooden bins hold small items that are easy to grab.
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Help Keep Kids Organized

This closet system features drawers that are easy to reach for small kids, and the best part is it will grow with them. The drawers and middle shoe shelf are easily accessible for little hands.
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Have a Spot for Every Item

Kids have many items, from clothing to craft supplies. Clear storage bins make a great addition to a closet because they keep all items at hand and visible.
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Add Hooks for More Storage

If you add a cabinet or install a closet system, use every inch of it to store your items. A couple of hooks on the side of this cabinet transformed it into a functional space for storing handbags and belts.
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Use Shoe Pockets to Save Space

Over-the-door shoe pockets are an easy, budget-friendly way to store shoes when you don't have closet space. They keep shoes easy to find and at hand while saving room in the closet for other items.
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Organize the Game Closet

A simple way to organize a game closet is to stack board games by size, from largest to smallest, and to store small games and toys in storage bins.
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Add Drawers

Adding a closet system with drawers is a great alternative to a dresser if you don't have the space for one. It keeps small accessories organized and at hand. Concealing items in drawers and storage bins gives your closet a decluttered look.