Style & Shopping

How To Store Clothes and Accessories in a Small Space

published Sep 18, 2023
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teenager boy wearing headphones, organizing clothes in his room
Credit: vitapix / Getty Images

Take it from me, a girl who owns more sweaters than there are days of the year (fine, I might be exaggerating just a little), when I say small-space living is hard when you have a lot of clothes. I remember looking through my closet at my parents’ house and wondering how on Earth I’d manage to fit all of my clothes into the teeny-tiny bedroom of my off-campus apartment

Spoiler alert: I didn’t. After getting over my wishful thinking, I decided to create a capsule wardrobe to bring to my college apartment, consisting only of staple clothing pieces as well as my favorite shoes, a few tote bags, and some miscellaneous accessories. But even after undergoing that grueling process of elimination, I still had way too many items to fit into my new home — to the point where my closet door would not shut. 

So, my wardrobe started to live in other parts of my room instead. Clothes were balled up in piles on the floor, slumped over the back of my desk chair, and shoved into a remote corner of my bed. I couldn’t find a single accessory when I wanted to wear it. My lack of organization kept me from having a relaxing space to come home to after a long day of classes, and it wreaked havoc on my ability to focus when studying. I knew I had to make changes, so I started looking into products that could help me get organized without spending too much money.

Now that I’ve set up all my storage solutions in my room, I feel like I’ve finally cracked the code to storing my clothes and accessories in even the smallest of spaces. Here are the items that helped me get there.

1 / 7
Walmart
$9.98

It’s so frustrating to open your closet and find the clothes you took so much time to hang up not on the hangers like you left them, but crumpled in a pile on the floor. With my old plastic hangers, that was my life. They were also bulky and took up a ton of space.

These velvet hangers have been a game-changer. The velvet material provides more traction to keep my clothes on the hanger. Plus, they are slimmer than most traditional hangers, so they leave room for extra hanging space in my closet.

2 / 7
Target
$22.00

Shoes that are strewn haphazardly around your room aren’t just a tripping hazard — they’re also really difficult to find when you’re rushing out the door. Thankfully, there are many shoe racks made for small spaces that eliminate this issue. Shoe racks can be sleek and simple, too, providing a home for all of your shoes that you can place in the back of your closet or even under your bed. That means more floor space for you to work with.

3 / 7
Amazon
$9.99
was $19.99

If you’re like me, you probably have a bunch of miscellaneous accessories cluttering up your desk and side tables. Whether it’s rings or hair elastics, items can get lost when they don’t have a designated place to live. These mini baskets, which come in adorable pastel colors, will not only provide a great storage solution, but they’ll also add to the overall aesthetic of your room!

4 / 7
Amazon
$9.99

What do towels, jackets, tote bags, and backpacks have in common? They’re all items that used to live on my floor. Not only was it messy, but once I realized how many floor germs were getting onto items that touch my skin, I knew I had to make a change. My solution: heavy-duty adhesive hooks. These hooks are an inexpensive way to create extra hanging space in a small room, and they’re able to hold hefty objects like a backpack without falling off of the wall. When it’s time to remove them, they come off without leaving behind any residue, making them perfect for dorms and apartments where you’re likely hoping to get a security deposit back upon move-out.

5 / 7
Amazon
$16.99
was $19.99

One of my favorite ways to create extra space for clothes is with a hanging closet organizer. This one has six shelves where you can easily store folded sweaters, T-shirts, or jeans, as well as two side pockets where you can stick extra items. It comes in different colors to match your room’s decor.

6 / 7
Amazon
$27.99
was $37.49

College dorms don’t always come with a lot of drawers. Typically, you’ll find one or two small dressers and a desk inside the standard dorm room, so it’s pretty much impossible to dedicate one drawer to every type of item you own. One way to maximize your drawers’ storage capabilities is with dividers, which serve as partitions so you can store multiple items or types of items in the same drawer without them getting all mixed up. I found that these make it easier for me to use every inch of a drawer to get the most out of the space.

7 / 7
Amazon
$37.97
was $39.98

Whether you decide to loft your bed or leave it on the ground, you can turn the space beneath your sleeping area into extra storage for the clothes and shoes you wear less often — such as seasonal attire or costumes you crafted for themed parties. These particular under-bed storage bins have wheels, making it easy to pull them out and quickly grab whatever you need.

Aza Akins

Contributor

Aza J. Akins is an American bookish content creator and writer. After years of being a fan of BookTube and Bookstagram, in 2016 she launched her online platform. Since then, she’s become an influential voice in the online book space, with a passion for showcasing diverse and inclusive Black representation in literature. Her work spans across various mediums, from written articles and short stories to social media content and videos. In 2023, she delved into the world of podcasting, launching Crazy Stupid Cousins, a pop culture and relationships podcast with her cousin, Tymia Avery. As well as being a content creator, she’s a college student with postgraduate plans of becoming a children’s librarian. Aza’s got a soft spot for happily ever afters, Taylor Swift, and adorably fluffy cats.

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SchoolDelaware County Community College '23
FavesRom-coms, thrifting, painting, sewing, baking
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