I Had A Pro Organizer Revamp My Closet—Here’s What I Learned

My closet has never been so tidy and manageable.

Confession: As someone who has written more articles than I can count about home organization —I don’t have the most organized home. And my least organized space was also one of the most important ones: my bedroom closet. I had no idea where certain things were, I couldn’t find important items, and there were so many miscellaneous things everywhere.

I realized it was time to delegate this project. So, I decided to hire professional organizer Emily Preciado-Fonseca to reorganize my closet. Watching her work and seeing how she transformed my closet made me view home organization in an entirely new way.

The result was a tidy, far more manageable closet and a feeling of relief. Here are nine things I learned from the process.

Meet the Expert

Emily Preciado-Fonseca , a professional organizer and founder of on-demand assistance service MommyAssist

Everyone Else’s Closet Is Poorly Designed, Too

Sometimes we forget that all of those gorgeous closets you see on social media, with islands for jewelry and built-in shoe racks, have been professionally designed. Most people don’t live in homes like that. While I live in a beautiful home, it’s 100 years old. So, the Kardashian-inspired closet of my dreams isn’t quite my reality yet.

But according to Preciado-Fonseca, I’m not the only one. She told me most homes have poorly designed storage. Whether it’s a closet or pantry, very few homes will fit standard-sized organizers perfectly. This is also a major reason why many people struggle to stay organized.

Related: The 19 Best Closet Organizers for All Your Clothes and Accessories

You Might Be Giving the Least Important Things the Best Real Estate

I rarely wear statement hats, yet I had four in different colors on a prime shelf that could have been used for other things. When Preciado-Fonseca moved them to the top of my closet, she freed up space for more important items. While this might seem like a minor move—I didn’t realize how much space these hats took up. So, next time you organize your closet, it’s important to consider not just what you have in your closet, but where you have it.

All Those Little Things Belong in Stackable Drawers

From tiny purses that just fit a phone and credit card, to scarves, lingerie, and a borderline embarrassing amount of sunglasses, I had a bunch of things just sitting on my shelves. So I couldn't even see what I had. But when Preciado-Fonseca put all these items in acrylic drawers and labeled them, I finally felt like I knew where everything was. Better yet, all of these little things take up less space when contained this way. I always thought those drawers were for the bathroom, but they can be used in any closet.

You Can Hang Up Purses

As someone who has never met a handbag she didn’t like—I always struggled with where to put them. What I never really considered was buying purse hangers for larger bags and totes. This makes it so much easier to see what I have. While my smaller shoulder bags are still on shelves, my large bags finally have a home.

Always Take Advantage of Vertical Space

I’ve probably put this tip in every home-organizing article I’ve written, yet I still wasn’t really doing it the right way. From installing a shoe rack on a shelf to stacking drawers, I was super impressed with how Preciado-Fonseca used the vertical space in my closet. If you have a bunch of unused space in your closet, try to think vertically and reimagine ways to take advantage of that negative space.

You Might Have More Space Than You Think

I always felt my closet was too small to fit my wardrobe. But after Preciado-Fonseca organized it, I realized there was definitely enough space. While I decluttered some stuff, simply reorganizing what I already had freed up a lot more space than I imagined. So, sometimes it’s not your closet, it’s how you organize it.

Good Systems Make Adjustments Easy

Even after things are professionally organized, there will be times when you need to make adjustments. For example, the organizer you hire may not categorize your clothing perfectly. After all, they’re not psychics, and they won't know what items you use most if you don't communicate it well enough. However, with a good organization system in place, it's much easier to edit and adapt your closet to your routine.

Sometimes, It’s Better to Fold Than Hang

I never thought to fold anything in my closet. But my favorite ten sweatshirts are better suited as a stack on a shelf than taking up half a hanging bar. Items like jeans can also be folded. If you don't currently have any vertical shelves in your closet, consider dedicating a space to add cubbies or drawers.

Keepsake Clothing Should Be Organized Separately

Between a long denim coat I bought when I was sixteen, items I'm saving for my daughter to wear someday, and one of my mom's dresses from the '80s, I can't help but hold on to some special pieces of clothing. Preciado-Fonseca says it's common for people to keep sentimental clothing items in their closet even if they rarely wear them—but there's a better way to store these pieces. We took those items and put them in a memory box, out of regular rotation in my closet, where they were taking up unnecessary space.

For more Real Simple news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Real Simple .