9 Things In Your Closet To Get Rid Of For Easier Navigation & To Maximize Space

When you're racing to get dressed in the morning, or putting away laundry at the end of a long day, you just need your closet to be easy to navigate. Streamlining your closet's contents by getting rid of extraneous things means you'll actually enjoy using this space. You'll know where your favorite clothes are. And you won't have to tiptoe around all the extra junk that's piled up on the floor, or push past hangers holding bulky things you rarely wear.

Wouldn't it be nice to start and end every day by admiring your perfectly organized closet, filled with only the clothing you want to wear and not extra storage overflow? It's a totally achievable dream, but only if you're willing to part with some of the stuff that is currently filling up this space. From painful shoes to nostalgic old T-shirts and holiday decorations, there are a lot of things that can be moved out of your closet right now to maximize space.

Are there suitcases in your closet right now? If you took some quick measurements and did some math, you might discover that your luggage takes up 10% or more of your closet's square footage. Moving suitcases and other luggage out of the closet makes the space feel bigger immediately. You'll be able to reach for things without having to push and pull at bulky cases that get in your way. And you're instantly have more closet storage space to work with. 

So where's the best place to relocate your suitcases? If they'll fit under beds or other pieces of furniture, that's ideal. If you have multiple, nest smaller pieces of luggage into larger ones. And if you already have boxes under your furniture, consider relocating those items to the empty suitcase to maximize space. If there's no room under furniture? An attic, basement, or garage might work, but beware of moisture. Luggage can grow musty and moldy if left in a damp, humid environment. Tucking desiccant packets into luggage may help absorb moisture and keep them travel-ready, but you'll have to remember to replace the packets frequently.

Don't let Christmas decor that's on display for one month clutter your closet for the other 11 months. Seasonal and holiday decor just spends too much of the year in storage to warrant taking up space among things you use all the time. Plus, decorations can get damaged and create a mess if they're always getting jostled while you're looking for an outfit. And, you shouldn't have to reorganize your entire closet every time you want to put away Christmas decorations or pull out your Valentine's Day hearts.

However, it can be tricky to find room to store these since you're probably stashing them in your bedroom closet to begin with since you don't have much storage room. If that's the case, you have to get creative. Transfer the items into shallow storage boxes designed to fit under a couch or bed. For those things that can't fit into such a flat box, consider investing in a storage system you can disguise as furniture. For example, you can set up an attractive IKEA PAX system in your living room and design it in such a way that it looks like living room furniture. If you really have an excess of things, then consider getting an annual storage unit you can stash your collection in. 

Sure, getting the right containers into your closet can help you finally get organized. Anything that doesn't belong on a hanger can be tossed into a cute fabric box or in a plastic box with dividers. But unless they're totally full, your storage containers are probably taking up more space than they're saving. Actually, they might be creating unnecessary bulk in your closet even if they are totally full. 

Take a close look at any storage carts, hanging organizers, shoe racks, and other storage solutions in your closet. Is every compartment of every organizer being used to store things that you actually need and want to keep? Get rid of things you were holding onto just because you had room in a storage container for them. Then, consolidate a few boxes into one, and get rid of the extra containers. You'll instantly have more breathing room. Or, maybe there are storage solutions that are always getting in the way. A shoe rack on the back of the closet door might make it hard to navigate this space, for example. Pull it out and find a better way to store your shoes. Or maybe you have a chest of drawers inside, but it makes it hard to access the seasonal items stored behind it. Get one on wheels instead, like the DEVAISE 5-Drawer Dresser, making it easier to move.

You might feel a little guilty about getting rid of something that was free, or given to you as part of a charity fundraiser, so these things get tossed into the closet and forgotten about. Clear out all those freebies from your closet right now, because you know you're never going to wear them. Think: T-shirts you got for volunteering at a charity 5K, for donating blood, or for being one of the first 1,000 people to get to a baseball game. Old work clothes printed with the name of a former employer fall into this category, too. Even if you can only cull a few of these things from your wardrobe, every inch of space counts in a crowded closet.

And what should you do with all the clothing you pull out? Go ahead and donate them to Goodwill, the Rescue Mission, or a similar organization in your area. They generally take clothing in good condition, no matter what's printed on it. They're also able to responsibly recycle any clothing that isn't appropriate for resale.

Anything you might use once a year or less can be moved out of your closet. You might be surprised to realize how infrequently you use many of the things that are currently cluttering your closet. Ugly Christmas sweaters, Halloween costumes, formalwear, shapewear, things that you only wear on beach vacations, etc. These are things that you need to keep accessible, but not necessarily close at hand at every moment. Certain linens might make this list too, like the extra sets of sheets you only pull out when you have multiple overnight guests.

These things are perfect candidates for vacuum sealing. Get them compressed so they take up minimal space and can fit at the very back of your closet or under furniture like your bed. Vacuum sealing is kind of like flash freezing, so your clothes and linens should come out of storage in the same condition they went in. You can theoretically keep rarely-used items in these bags for years without them getting musty or damaged (when vacuum sealing is done correctly).

Life is too short to wear shoes that make your feet bleed. While you're thinking about creating extra space in your closet, permit yourself to let go of things you'll never wear again. Most of our closets hold things that fit that category. Old bridesmaids' dresses and other formal attire. Clothes that no longer fit or are no longer your style. Graduation gowns, Halloween costumes, clothes that are too itchy, too sheer, or too hot to wear, and so on. If you weed them out from your closet, chances are you would have at least a quarter more space, making your closet easier to navigate.

Granted, some of these might be nostalgic items that you're not ready to let go of completely. Keep those especially sentimental pieces aside when you're collecting everything else for donation. These are the perfect opportunities to repurpose old clothing into other things. Transform old concert tees and handknit sweaters into decoupaged planters or adorable pillow covers, for example. You'll actually get more use out of these beloved items than you would if they stayed hidden in your closet.

Stop saving "good" bags from clothing stores, or the empty boxes from your most recent phone and laptop. Empty packaging has no business taking up space in your closet. That goes for all the empty shoe boxes you're collecting, used bubble mailers, old dry cleaning bags, wrinkled gift bags, battered cardboard boxes, etc. If you can't repurpose them that afternoon, go ahead and recycle them or else they will continue to eat up valuable storage space on your floor, back of the closet, or overhead closet shelves.

For example, you can save all the decorative bags and tissue paper that you can use again to wrap gifts. Just make sure you move them to a place where you keep all your gift-wrapping supplies, rather than tucking them back into the closet. You can also repurpose an old shoe box into a divided organizer for collecting odds and ends in your kitchen or home office, but aim to upcycle it that day or else the packaging will just continue to clutter your room. Get rid of all the other mailing and product containers you've collected over the years. 

Some hobbies definitely require more gear than others. If you're someone who loves camping, skiing, golfing, crafting, creating costumes — those are all passions that require a lot of stuff. However, move your hobby gear out of your closet so it doesn't get mixed in with your everyday clothing. Stashing this stuff somewhere else helps you keep it, and your closet, better organized. When you're preparing for a camping trip or big sewing project, you can look at all your supplies in one place and determine what you need. Meanwhile, your closet is pared down to the things that you wear most often.

So where should this stuff go? If you're storing it in your bedroom closet, chances are you don't have much storage room to stash it somewhere else. If you don't have a basement or other dedicated storage space in your home, consider a freestanding storage cabinet like the Sauder Miscellaneous Storage Cabinet. Thanks to its classic oak design and shaker detailing, it doesn't scream "this is extra storage" but still creates a lot of useful extra space. Because of this, you can place it anywhere you have dead space, whether that's the living room, mud room, entryway, or spare bedroom. 

Your winter coats and other bulky winter gear have no place in your main clothing closet. Not only are they huge space-stealers, but they're also seasonal: two reasons they don't need to be kept among your daily wardrobe. It's not just parkas that need to go. One puffy winter vest or chunky infinity scarf could take up as much square footage as several pairs of jeans.

Winter coats and other outerwear are ideal candidates for vacuum sealing. Compress them and keep them in linen closets or under beds during warm weather. Once it's actually winter, move coats to an entryway closet for easy access. If you don't have an entryway closet, or don't have enough room to stash your entire coat collection, bring in a temporary rolling rack to set up just inside your front door. An example of one is the Calmootey Double Rod Clothing Garment Rack, which is aesthetically pleasing. It gives you a convenient way to store winter coats for everyone in your household, along with visitors' coats. As soon as the weather warms up for good, dismantle the rack and store it until the next winter.