8 Things Making Your Closet Messier, According to Pro Organizers

Ill-Fitting Clothing

An abundance of choices is not always a good thing. If not regularly sorted through and updated, the amount of clothes in your closet could breed chaos. “Too many clothes ... can crowd your closet and cloud your choices,” according to Dietsch. “Plus, your style is going to change over time.”

She recommends periodically pulling out and donating what you don’t regularly wear. “Only keep what fits, flatters, and feels aligned with your current lifestyle,” Dietsch says. “You want to love what you see in your closet.” 

Mismatched Hangers

Whether you choose soft velvet hangers, slim wooden hangers, or clear acrylic hangers, “matching hangers will single-handedly change your closet,” explains Laura DeJohn, owner of All Checked Off Professional Organizing. “The consistent shape creates a clean, elevated look, and the slim profile gives you more room for your wardrobe to breathe,” adds Dietsch.

A surprising eyesore, keeping those plastic hangers from the dry cleaner next to your other, slimmer, more attractive hangers will just look messy. "Invest in a set of sturdy, uniform hangers so everything hangs at the same height and space is maximized."

Piles of Shoes

When your shoes are not stored away properly, it creates visual clutter and can make getting dressed frustrating and laborious. (Be honest: How much time have you wasted around a shoe pile in search of a match?)

Cleaning professional Rhonda Wilson refers to this common problem as a “shoe avalanche,” and this disorganized setup can cause damage to the shoes themselves. “Heels get scuffed, delicate fabrics get creased, and even sturdy sneakers can lose their shape when they’re squashed under other pairs,” Wilson explains. She recommends investing in an inexpensive shoe organizer to streamline storage. You can also place two rods parallel to each other at the bottom of your closet to hold shoes across the bars. Easy!

Dry-Cleaning Bags

The tendency to keep clothes in their dry-cleaning bags simply leads to a messier closet. Not only is it visually chaotic, but “the plastic traps moisture, causing yellowing or mildew,” according to Wilson. She recommends ditching the plastic as soon as you get home and swapping it out for a breathable garment bag—anything cotton or canvas will work.

Anything Covering Closet Floors

“The floor of your closet should be empty, period,” urges professional organizer Janelle Azar. “Clothes piled on the floor or stuffed into a corner are not only unhygienic, but they’re also a massive visual stressor.”

For a system that sticks, Azar recommends installing a dedicated hamper or laundry bin inside your closet to catch clothes that are ready to be washed. A valet hook or a small basket will serve to collect items you’ve worn but aren’t ready to be laundered.

Tangled Bags and Accessories

"Accessories should be displayed, not buried," says Dietsch. Scarves and bags draped over hangers can slip off and fall to the floor, starting a chain reaction of clutter.

"The fix is all about giving these accessories their own home," explains Wilson. Consider multi-hook hangers, a wall-mounted rack or hooks, drawer inserts, and clear trays. Azar also suggests purchasing clear acrylic purse hangers to protect the straps and structure of your bags. "It keeps them upright, visible, and turns your closet into a boutique-style display you’ll love walking into," Azar says.

Unused Vertical Space

“Many of us have a ton of untapped vertical space in our closets,” notes Azar, “like that awkward gap between the hanging clothes and the floor, or the space above the top shelf.” While leaving these spaces empty is a missed storage opportunity, filling them with cardboard boxes tends to look messy and chaotic. 

To maximize the vertical storage in your closet, Azar suggests adding another hanging rod for shorter items like blouses and skirts if space permits. Another solution is using shelf dividers to create smaller sections for folded clothes, or a freestanding shelving unit to hold shoes and bins. “Remember, clear bins are your new BFF,” says Azar. “They keep things contained while still letting you see what’s inside, so you always know what you’re working with.”

Toppling Stacks

When you stack too many folded t-shirts, sweaters, or jeans, they'll inevitably lean to one side and topple over whenever you reach for one. “A cluttered dresser or shelf space makes it impossible to see what you own,” says Azar. 

To tidy your toppling stacks, Azar suggests vertically folding or rolling your clothes, known as file-folding. “By either folding or rolling your clothes vertically, you can see every single item in the drawer or on the shelf,” she explains. “This method not only makes your clothes look neat and tidy, but it also helps you find what you need in seconds.” And who doesn't love a win-win?