Kasey Vejar spends a lot of her time organizing closets, especially her own.

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"I work on my closet all time. My husband makes fun of me; he comments that all I do in my spare time is organize my closet," said Vejar, a professional organizer in suburban Kansas City, Mo..

After long days of helping clients get their possessions in order, Vejar finds comfort in coming home to a neat, organized closet.

She likes to give her clients that same comfort, but she said the biggest obstacle to an organized closet is when people hang on to items they don't need or use.

"Remember this -- you wear 20 percent of your clothes and shoes 80 percent of the time. It doesn't matter if you have a closet full of clothes that fit (or) that you like -- you will still reach for your one or two favorite pair of jeans, favorite white T-shirt, etc.," Vejar said.

Purge Your Possessions

Vejar said it's important to get rid of the unnecessary items before you attempt to organize a closet. That way, you're dealing only with the things you really need and love.

She said purging items is always on her mind, and she tries to get her clients to do the same thing.

"I would say I'm a daily/weekly purger -- (getting rid of) one thing here and there, whereas most people do it once a year or when the seasons change. I really feel it has to be a habit, a way of life," Vejar said.

If you're having trouble deciding what clothing to get rid of, Vejar suggests hanging all your clothing facing the same direction, and then after you wear an item, hang it the opposite way. In six months, you'll be able to see how much of your clothing you actually wore.

"Closets only become a challenge when clients have too much stuff for the amount of space they have. If they are willing to eliminate things that no longer serve a purpose in their life or don't belong in that space, then the rest of it is easy," said Laura Leist, a professional organizer and author of "Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organize Your Home and Life."

Make Priorities

After purging a closet, Vejar takes an inventory assessment. She measures how much long- and short-hanging space is needed, how much shelving is needed for folded items and accessories and whether any non-clothing items such as luggage or gifts need a spot in the closet.

"(The inventory) will help identify what kind of storage is lacking in the closet so that steps can be taken to improve it," Vejar said.

This is also a good time for people to ask exactly what they want to fix about their closets.

"'Getting organized' is not specific enough. Do you want space for all your shoes? Do you want to separate your clothes from your husband's? Do you want to divide your work clothes from your home clothes? Once you have your list, prioritize it. Unless you have a magic wand or a contractor standing next to you, there will always be space limitations that you will need to keep in mind," said Danielle Haggerty, a design consultant with California Closets.

Store Off-Season Clothes

A common complaint organizers and designers hear is that there isn't enough space. To create extra room in a cramped closet, pull out the off-season clothes and store them in another part of the house.

"Perhaps there are other closets that could be purged, organized and better utilized so as to create room for off-season or infrequently used clothing," Vejar said.

Haggerty agreed, saying people need to prioritize what they keep in their closets.

"Your closet should include the clothes you wear, not everything you own. Out-of-season clothing, formal wear that is only rarely worn or clothing that no longer fits top the list of clutter that contributes to closet chaos," Haggerty said.

Add Second Hanging Rod

Another way to make more space is to add a second rod so you can double-hang clothes.

"Most reach-in closets tend to have just one long pole all the way across. This is a terrible use of space as it underutilizes both the space above the bar and the space below it," Haggerty said.

Haggerty said different pole heights might require a professional's help, but it's worth it. For example, if someone has mostly short-hanging garments and only a few long-hanging garments, a section of the pole could be lowered for all the short-hanging clothes, such as shirts and blazers, and then shelves could be added on top for shoes or folded items.

Get Color Coded

When you set out to rehang your clothes, be sure to group them by color within each category, such as shirts, pants and dresses.

"I recommend hanging the clothing by color from light to dark. This accomplishes many things. First, it's visually appealing and looks organized. Second, it very quickly lets you see what you have and don't have. For example, one client was able to see that she had more than 30 white shirts but only four red shirts. She vowed not to buy another white shirt," Vejar said.

Be Space-Efficient

Adding a second shelf to run the length of the closet is another easy way to add storage space.

"There is typically at least 24 inches between the shelf and the ceiling -- space not efficiently used. Short of installing a custom closet, which I would highly recommend, I would suggest adding an additional shelf above the original one. There is almost always plenty of room to do this and it can really help out. I did this in my coat closet and hate that I didn't do it sooner," Vejar said.

Choosing space-efficient hangers can also be a big help.

"(Try) tiered hangers that hook onto each other for skirts or pants. Also, there are super thin, velvet-coated hangers that take up much less space than the typical plastic tube hangers," Vejar said.

She also recommends using the same type of hangers throughout the closet.

"A mish-mash of hanger colors and style will only detract from an otherwise organized closet. Having an organized closet is one-third purging, one-third organizing by color and one-third using the right hangers," Vejar said.

Clutter Comes In All Sizes

It's a common misconception that having a bigger closet, such as a walk-in closet, will fix all the clutter problems, Vejar said.

"The problem is that with a larger space comes the idea that you have plenty of room to spread out. This may be true initially, but eventually chaos sets in because you fill it up and have not worked hard to be as efficient as possible in that space, even if there is plenty of it. So, things get thrown and tossed here and there until everything is a mess and you can't find anything. A large closet requires just as much planning and organization as a small one," Vejar said.

Get Organizing Tools

When organizing a closet, Vejar likes to use shelf dividers, labeled bins and baskets and retractable valet rods to keep everything orderly.

"(Valet rods) are great for hanging up your dry cleaning when you get home, for airing out workout clothes, or pulling clothes to pack for a trip," Vejar said.

Once of her cardinal rules of closet organizing is to never keep shoes on the floor.

"Whenever I see this I immediately suggest moving the shoes higher up in the closet. I have never seen shoes efficiently organized on the floor -- people just kick them off and shove them under the hanging clothing into the black hole that lies beneath. If you keep them on a higher shelf, you have to reach down and pick them up to put them in their place," Vejar said.

Many stores now sell shoe stackers and cubbies to keep footwear organized. When shopping for organizing tools, Vejar recommends Bed Bath and Beyond, The Container Store and Stacks and Stacks.

Leist also suggests using HangersDirect.com and Organize.com.

Customize Your Closet

If you have the resources, installing a custom closet is always a good investment, regardless of how long you think you'll live in the house, Vejar said.

"Even if you are planning on selling your home in the near future, a basic custom closet is well worth it. Closet space is one of the biggest selling points on a home, and a custom closet can make or break the deal sometimes," Vejar said.

She said you don't have to spend thousands of dollars on a custom closet -- you can install organizational features such as adjustable shelves, pull-out baskets and double-hanging yourself.

The company EasyClosets.com is one way for a do-it-yourselfer to design a custom closet without having to spend a fortune.

Haggerty said the most important thing about designing a closet is keeping the individual in mind.

"What might work for one person doesn't necessarily work for their friend or neighbor or mother. Design consultants at California Closets combine their expertise with the needs of each individual client to come up with a unique 'recipe' for organization, specifically tailored for that client," Haggerty said.

Whether you spend thousands on a custom closet or only a few hundred on some organizing tools, the effort will be worth it in the long run -- and it may even save you money, Leist said.

"A well-organized closet saves a lot of headaches in the morning. It also saves a lot of money on purchasing clothing because you can see what you own and know what types of pieces you need to fill in (your wardrobe)," Leist said. More Resources

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