The Worst Errors You Can Make With Your Coat Closet

Coat closets, like junk drawers, can harbor many random items in a home. While HGTV recommends only storing things like coats, shoes, umbrellas, and other outerwear items in your coat closet, many people try storing other things in this tiny area, including cleaning supplies. This can quickly turn this small space into a disorganized disaster. Even if you only use your coat closet to store outerwear, you may not be organizing it in the most efficient way.

If your coat closet isn't well organized, it can cause feelings of stress and anxiety; it can also make simple tasks like finding a matching pair of shoes or gloves a hassle. Your coat closet should make your life easier, not more difficult. Knowing some of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them can be the best way to organize your coat closet correctly. Below are five common errors people make with this small closet area.

The most obvious items to keep in this closet are your coats. However, most coat closets are compact and not built to hold lots of clothing items at once. To keep the coats in this room to a tolerable amount, you may want to switch them out with the changing seasons. This will ensure that you always have the jackets you need on hand while avoiding clutter.

HGTV gives some tips on how to change out your seasonal clothing in the most efficient way possible. When replacing your coats, see if there are any pieces you can donate. If you have a jacket you don't wear often, it's probably a good time to give it away. Also, once you've removed the coats from your closet, take the time to vacuum and dust the space. Investing in quality hangers to maintain your coats may also be worth your while. If you've got wire hangers, consider switching them out for wooden ones. They are sturdier and hold heavier clothing items better, maintaining their shape.

A great way to use your coat closet bottom side is for shoe storage. Because jacket closets are usually by the front door of your home, placing your shoes in this small area will make putting on and taking off your shoes more convenient. First, however, you'll want to make sure your shoes are well organized in your coat closet.

Keeping all your shoes on the floor is a mistake. Eventually, your floor will be hidden underneath a disorganized mound of shoes, and finding the match to your favorite sneakers may become an annoying hunt. To fix this problem, you should add a shoe rack or organizer to your closet. For example, get one that sits directly on the floor. This way, it won't occupy extra space; the bottom area of the closet, underneath the jackets, will do.

When placing your footwear on a shoe rack, MothPrevention also suggests organizing the pairs by color or function. For instance, you could put all your heels on one shelf and all your sneakers on another. Or, even better, have the shoes you wear most often at a comfortable hand level to make reaching them easier.

Consider buying an over-the-door organizer to maximize the storage space in your coat closet; this arranger is probably the way to go if you have an excess of shoes. However, over-the-door organizers can hold a number of other items.

For instance, per Better Homes & Gardens, you could use a door organizer to store your sunglasses, keys, wallet, or anything else you need every time you leave the house. You could also place a hat hanger inside your coat closet door. Again, because the coat closet is typically near the front door, organizing mail on the inside wall of the door may also be useful. The mail will be hidden away in the closet but also neatly organized.

Over-the-door organizers come in a variety of designs, from cloth pockets to clear hanging containers to wire baskets. Choosing what works best for you is what's most important. Most shoe hangers are made of cloth pockets, but other items may work best when organized on shelves.

A mistake many people make is storing too many items in the coat closet. Instead, this closet should only hold things like coats, shoes, and umbrellas. Other standard items include hats, scarves, and sunglasses. On the other hand, if your coat closet doubles as cleaning supplies storage, it may be time to move some stuff out of the area. Unless you've got lots of extra space in the closet, Home Storage Solutions 101 suggests finding better places to store things like the vacuum cleaner, broom, and other cleaning supplies.

Some people also get into the habit of making their coat closet a huge junk drawer. Hiding away random items in the closet can cause it to become cluttered and messy quickly. To avoid this, clean and declutter this area regularly. If you often feel overwhelmed when decluttering, try only organizing small portions of your closet at a time. For instance, one day, you could tackle jackets, while the next day, you could organize your other outerwear. In addition, designating specific spaces for everything you own can keep you from shoving random items into your coat closet.

When entering your home after being out in the rain, you may be tempted to hang your wet rain jacket or umbrella in your coat closet. However, this is an awful mistake because wet items in confined spaces can cause mold or mildew to grow. If you've regularly placed wet items in this area, you may want to check for mold or mildew growth.

Premier Closets and Storage Solutions offers some suggestions for how to avoid mold in closets; of course, the best way is by not putting wet items in the closet. However, regular cleaning and decluttering can also prevent mold from spreading and give you a perfect chance to check for new growth. Another tip is to hang pouches filled with bamboo, charcoal, or silica gel in this tiny space because these materials absorb moisture. You could also set up a humidifier in your coat closet to remove humidity.