Even if you have folding clothes down to an art, if you don’t have the right type of clothes organizational system in your closet, all that meticulous folding will go to waste. Most homeowners today are presented with a bare-bones closet with they first move in, which can make keeping clothes neat and clean a bit of a problem. Before your closet turns into a whirlwind of jackets, skirts, and mismatched socks, try implementing a few basic organizational tools to help keep things tidy.

First, take stock of what kind of clothes you have. What do you have the most of? What do you use most often? What is currently creating the biggest mess? Winter jackets and socks require very different methods of organization, so it’s important to pay attention to what the problem areas are. Next, think critically about the space you have. Do you have a closet? Is it a walk-in closet? Or do you have a stand-alone wardrobe or chest of drawers? Maybe you have neither! Think about what your best options are with the space you’re provided.

Here are some simple tools that may help with organizing the clothes in your household:
Drawers:Whether you decide to purchase a full chest of drawers, or a small portable set of drawers for your socks and other small items, using drawers in your closet is a great way to tuck away foldable items that you might not want to leave out in the open. Drawers today can come in anything from metal, to wire, to plastic, to rattan — so there’s a wide variety in virtually any style.
Bins: A few well-placed bins can make a huge difference in clothes organization. Everything from hats, to scarves, to dirty laundry can be tucked away in an attractive bin. Like drawers, bins come in clear plastic styles, colorful plastic, metal, canvas, and woven natural fibers.
Shoe Storage: Figuring out where to put your shoes is the eternal clothes organization dilemma. Piles of shoes can seem to overwhelm a small closet space in no time. A simple shoe rack — whether its hung over the door, or is integrated into shelving — can make a remarkable difference in your closet space (and your getting ready time)!
Racks: If your closet space is lacking enough room for items that need to be hung, installing more closet rods or moving a few portable clothing racks into the space can really help. Rods can come in standard wooden or metal sizes, or extendable plastic sizes that allow you to incorporate it into almost any size space (without using screws or hooks to install). If you’d rather not deal with the fuss, try for a portable storage rack on wheels.
Accessory storage: It’s always a bit of a battle to find the right place for smaller items like ties, hats, scarves, and jewelry. Since these items are so small and easily mussed and tangled, it’s usually best to keep them as highly organized as possible. Look for jewelry racks, drawers with drawer organizers, hat racks, or specialized hangers for ties and scarves to help keep all your odds and ends organized.

Search for the type of clothes organization system that will work best in your home. Browse through different styles, types, and materials here, along with information on where to purchase them.

Find clothes and shoes organizers design ideas here.