When Chris and I were planning this primary bathroom makeover, we knew our closets had to be a top priority. And there is truly nothing more life-changing than an optimized and organized closet. One of the major changes we made in the bathroom layout was extending the closet footprint into our bedroom to make them bigger than the ’90s closets we were working with before. So while our room is about 3′ smaller, the space gained in our his-and-hers closets has been life-changing.
Here’s the layout of the closet and bedroom for reference:
We’re both very particular about how we organize our clothes, so we each designed our own closet spaces to fit our specific needs, unifying them with a cohesive color palette.
I have learned that even if you do plan out your whole closet, don’t be surprised if you change where you like things to be after living with it for a few weeks. Seeing how you actually use the space and what makes sense for your routine had me shifting a few things around, and now I’m happier than ever.
Here are some of the key lessons I learned while fine-tuning my own closet.
Julia’s Closet
Here’s the before of my side of the closet:
And here she is, the beautiful after:
Cabinetry (Stoffer Home – Hampton Grey) | Wallpaper | Baskets | Hangers | Velvet Stool | Drawer Pulls | Tile
Organize by Category, Then by Color
I find that categorizing by item first is much more effective than organizing by color, and I like to put what I use most in the prominent spot. Since I base my outfits around what pants I’m going to wear, I needed my pants to be visible and easily accessible.
I hung all my pants that have zippers and buttons (mostly denim) on these new pants hangers. I love how the sides are open so it’s easy to put things on them and pull them off. The few pairs of trousers I have with zippers are also hung here. For items I don’t reach for as often, like shorts and pull-on pants, I placed them on a higher shelf where I might need a stool to reach them. This simple change has made getting dressed so much easier.
Once my categories were set, I organized everything by the colors I wear most often. This means my blue button-down denim shirts are at the beginning of the shirt rack because I wear them the most, followed by shirts in other colors.
Dresses go on the other side!
Making It WOrk for Me
When I got back into the closet after the renovation, I had all my long-sleeve shirts on the top rack and short-sleeve shirts on the bottom rack.
One of my biggest revelations was how I handle my T-shirts. I used to keep some in a drawer and others hung up. This led to frustrating moments of “Where’s my _____ tee?” because I could never remember where I’d put it. My new rule? All T-shirts get hung up. Period. It doesn’t matter if it’s a work shirt or a lounge shirt; they all go on a hanger. It’s a small change that has saved me so much time.
My sweaters, however, are a different story. I love how neatly they look folded on shelves. I don’t want to hang them up (it can stretch them out), and having them all in one spot just makes sense to me. I put baskets for swimwear and purses on the upper shelves, because I don’t need to reach for those as often. It’s all about giving your most-used pieces center stage.
Cordless Lamp | Marble Tray | Perfume | Hand Jewelry Holder (similar) | Drawer Pulls
I also have a “weird rule” that might be specific to me, but it’s been a game-changer: I stopped folding my workout tops. They’re too slippery and never stay folded in a drawer anyway. Instead, I toss my workout tanks in a drawer, and I like to separate them in baskets by color instead. I’m not going to bother folding workout clothes—they never stay put anyway and they’re made to stay wrinkle-free.
Small Details with Big Impact
There are a few small additions that have made a huge difference in my closet’s functionality and feel:
- A pull-out jewelry tray: I used to wear the same earrings for six months straight because I never saw my other jewelry tucked away in a jewelry box. Now, with a dedicated pull-out tray, I’m actually wearing different pieces and enjoying them.
- A lamp, always: I installed a small lamp in my closet, which creates a warm, inviting atmosphere. It just makes me feel good about the space.
- A valet bar: This is such a nifty little feature, because you can pull it out to hang your outfit on in order to steam it or to set it aside for tomorrow.
- Mirrored cabinet fronts: You have to have a mirror somewhere to check your fit! I got some comments that I shouldn’t have put trim on the mirrors because I won’t be able to see my whole outfit. I can see my outfit, it just doesn’t photograph easily. But my favorite part about these large mirrored doors? They house all of my shoes behind them. I love seeing all of them in one place and a closed door means they can be very practical and not just for show.
- Donate Baskets: Keeping a basket in my closet for clothes I want to donate has been the best thing! Sometimes I’ll try something on and it just doesn’t feel like me anymore, and I used to hang it back up because I didn’t have time to go through my closet—but this has been a great way to continually rotate.
One thing I overlooked? Installing enough outlets. I only put one in my closet! And it’s behind my long-sleeved shirts. I really wish I put one up high, near my valet bar so I could steam things as needed. Huge oversight on my part.
One thing that was absolutely necessary was a functional stool. Our ceilings are 10 feet high, so being able to stand on something to reach up high is occasionally necessary. I’ll pass it over to Chris to talk about his side!
Chris’s Closet
Here’s where I started on my side:
The main goal for my closet was getting a lot of drawers—as many as possible.
I bumped the hanging rod up high to accommodate all those drawers, but I was sure to measure so I can still easily reach them. We figured anything above the rod in the upper cabinets is so infrequently used anyway, so it doesn’t need to be as reachable. (My backpacks and duffle bags are stowed up high.)
Cabinetry (Stoffer Home – Hampton Grey) | Wallpaper | Hangers | Drawer Pulls | Tile
All of the main clothing drawers are 6 inches deep. This allows me to keep each shirt folded and stacked horizontally, laid in a line—nothing is stacked on top. The moment you have to dig down, that’s what creates a mess in a drawer. I wanted to avoid that completely.
At the top of the drawer sections, I put in really shallow drawers for ties, belts, and accessories that don’t take up much space. Those are super handy.
Keeping the Mess at Bay
I originally started off hanging my pants, but then I changed course. Historically I’ve been a T-shirt guy. Lately, I’ve been wearing more button-up shirts, and since I had so many empty drawers, I found myself wanting to use the hanging rod space for those shirts. So, I moved my pants into drawers.
I do seasonal changes with the drawers:
- In the winter, the bottom drawers hold shorts and t-shirts. The top drawers hold pants and sweaters.
- During the summer, I swap those: shorts and t-shirts go to the top, and I move the sweaters down to the bottom.
I’m honestly super happy with it. There was one little awkward back corner created by the hanging rods, so I picked up some stackable, open-front plastic bins—they’re actually shoe storage bins from The Container Store. They fit perfectly, and I use them for hats; so they’re tucked away back there but they don’t get dusty.
Jules asked me if I want to put a mirror on my side, but I wanted to maximize the storage. So I just use the one in her closet or the one in the hallway just outside the bedroom if I need a full-length fit check.
Back on Julia’s side:
Building a truly functional closet is a process of trial and error. Our biggest takeaway is that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Your closet should be a reflection of how you live, what you wear, and what makes sense for your storage needs.
Thank you for sharing all your beautiful projects and inspirations. The closet remodels are spectacular!
Hi there! Do you mind fixing the drawer poles link for both closets?
Could you provide a link to where the jewelry organization is from?
Love the design and how it looks so doable even with small standard closets! Can you share the overall dimensions of each side?
I am wondering about the specs for your shoe storage (so lovely!) I am planning built-in shoe shelves in my closet and have wondered if there is a standard depth and height I should use, since basing the specs on my own shoe size would make them on the small side. Thank you for sharing. <3
My cabinets are about 14 inches deep with 12-inch shelves. Chris’s cabinets are 30 inches deep with drawers, and he can fit 2-3 deep.