9 Smart Ways to Squeeze Extra Storage Out of a Tiny Closet

If it were up to me, every home would have at least one 70-square-foot walk-in closet. But, alas, I’m not the Closet Fairy, and the real world is filled with tiny closets that come with storage compromises and frustrating constraints. But even the tiniest closets can be organized powerhouses — as long as you get creative. 

The key to handling tiny closet storage isn’t to dwell on what’s lacking; it’s to work with the small space you have and find ways to make the most of it. Luckily, there are plenty of handy tips and tricks to boost storage space in small closets and make room for all your favorite bobbles — no demolition required. 

The door is easily one of the most overlooked storage areas in the closet. It’s a blank canvas for your vertical storage needs, and is an organizing goldmine for tiny closets. Hang hooks on the back of the door to keep bags, hats, or belts in place in a snap.

Want more storage space for shoes? Hang an over-the-door shoe organizer to free up the floor and access them with ease. Or get a door organizer that stores several types of items, like the one in this Harlem studio apartment tour. 

If you’ve never looked at the side walls in your closet, take a look now and notice just how much storage potential there is. An empty wall in a closet is, quite literally, a blank slate that extends your storage capacity. Hang a few hooks on these walls to stash hats, bags, light jackets, jewelry, belts, robes, and other accessories to create extra storage space seemingly out of nowhere. Plus, it’s budget-friendly and super-easy to achieve.

A tour of a renovated Wyoming home shows this tip in action; check out the bag and belt hung on a hook rack installed on an empty wall. This pack of four hooks that hold 13 pounds each is a great pick, or grab this two-pack of racks for a more cohesive look.

Taking advantage of vertical space is crucial for effective storage in a small closet, especially if you have a thriving shoe collection (like me!). Instead of leaving shoes on the closet floor, make the most of your space by storing them on a shoe rack. This keeps all your shoes in one place while freeing up floor space for things like storage bins and baskets, as seen in the closet of this 425-square-foot studio.

Choose an 8-tier standing rack for a fixed solution, or get a rotating shoe rack tower to access your footwear with a spin. Either way, you’ll save space and give your shoes a fabulous new home.

Your whole organizing world changes once you realize that a simple tension rod can double the storage space in your closet. Adding a tension rod above or below your current closet rod is an additional way to hang shirts, dresses, pants, and other closet essentials with ease. Check out the setup in this Dutch home’s small closet, for example.

Make it a full-length storage rod by placing it from wall-to-wall in the closet, or half-length by placing it between a small dresser or vertical shoe organizer. 

This tip works wonders if you have any unused flat surfaces in your closet, like shelves or the top of a dresser. Lazy Susans are great for eliminating dead spots in smaller closets and creating multiple storage slots without taking up too much room. Plus, everything you store is readily available — just spin and pick what you need.

See how a family in New York City used lazy Susans to organize paint supplies in their closet. Instead of storing paints, use them to organize belts, ties, jewelry, perfume, and more. 

Just because clothes are hung in the top half of your closet doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of the space below. Putting a small dresser under your hanging clothes gives that awkward, empty space structure while providing more slots for organizing other clothes and accessories. 

A vintage shop owner did this in her 1953 bungalow Ontario home to maximize the closet area, and it transformed otherwise unused space.

Don’t be afraid to go deep and use the open space on the back wall for storage, either. If there’s enough of a gap between your clothes and the back of your closet, hang hooks or install wall clips on it to create extra storage for accessories and lightweight clothing. 

This house tour of a 600-square-foot home in Washington, D.C., shows how this trick works, with several hooks hung on the back and side walls to store jewelry and other small accessories. 

A great not-so-secret tool for conquering tiny closet storage is using a vertical hanging organizer. It hangs from a rod and stacks your possessions vertically, seamlessly providing more storage space without cluttering an already tight area. 

Because these organizers come in different sizes, you can store shoes, scarves, or even lightweight sweaters. They’re flexible, foldable, and maximize existing vertical space with individual spaces for items. See it in action in this professional organizer’s Los Angeles home.

If you want to take the guesswork out of organizing a small closet, consider getting a small closet system that makes the most of every inch. A closet system uses a set layout of rods, shelves, drawers, and more to optimize your space and make it easier to keep things organized. 

The best part? Because closet systems come in several sizes and layouts, you can pick one that works best for your storage needs, and can even install it yourself. In no time, watch your tiny closet become an organized oasis. 

• Embrace vertical space: Vertical space, aka the space between the floor and ceiling of your closet, is a tiny-closet-haver’s best friend. Rethinking the area and stacking taller, not wider, uses prime storage space hidden in plain sight. 
• Optimize empty surfaces: Your closet has unused surfaces, like the back of the door and side walls, that are perfect bonus storage spots. 
• Reimagine dead space: You know that big gap below your closet rod, or those hidden corners that are just out of reach? Those are examples of dead space in a closet that you can bring to life with some smart organizers. 
• Declutter: Take an honest look at your wardrobe and donate anything you haven’t used in the past year. A piece you haven’t worn (or a piece you maybe forgot you had!) shouldn’t take up valuable closet space.
• Switch to thinner hangers: Plastic and wooden hangers take up more space than you may realize. Swapping them with thinner hangers frees up space while still keeping your clothes tidy. 
• Add hanger hooks: Using hanger hooks is a clever way to free up space. Put them on your hangers to layer up your clothes and store them vertically.