A Quick Storage Closet Makeover

Using my 5-step decluttering method, I cleaned out my decor closet and made it usable, efficient and even beautiful!

In the midst of feeling like all of my home projects are at a standstill, I’ve been doing some organizing in our behind-the-scene spaces. We’re on the cusp of having the house painted, sod being laid, a garage organization makeover and finished kitchen makeover.

But while I wait on all of those, I decided to do a little spring cleaning and declutter a closet that had been neglected since we moved in a year and a half ago!

One of the things that sold us on this house was the storage spaces. After living with a house with very little storage space, I just wanted to be able to shove our junk in a closet and close the door. 😜 #homegoals

Before Storage Closet Organization

So when I saw this storage closet off of the loft area upstairs, I knew it would be the perfect spot for my decor closet. Some people might need this space for something else, but I have a decent amount of decor that I rotate in my home throughout the year, and I need a place to store it! (I built some shelves for a walk-in closet in our old house and stored my decor in there. But I had to keep other stuff in there, too. So, it was always busting at the seams.)

So, when we moved, I marked quite a few boxes for the “decor closet” and we dumped things and left them. I could access some of the items I needed, but it truly was a disaster and I could barely walk in there!

I decided it was high time I cleaned it out and whipped it into shape. If you want to see how I did it, step-by-step, I share my method for decluttering in this post: How to Declutter a Room in 5 Simple Steps.

When I took stock of the 10′ x 4′ closet and how I needed it to function for our family, I realized the old wire shelving system with a long hanging clothes rack did NOT meet our needs.

Old Wire Closet System

I really needed lots of shelving. So, I found some inexpensive bookshelves and measured my space. I found that I could fit 5 bookshelves in there with 4 on the left wall and one on the back.

I made the two bookshelves in the corner meet at the front of the bookshelves. So there’s a small space at the corner of the room that is inaccessible. But I screwed in some thin plywood up over the top of the corner between the two shelves to keep anything from falling down back there.

While I had everything out of the closet, I removed any of my decor that I didn’t want or use anymore. We’re having a neighborhood yard sale this weekend, so it’s the perfect time to declutter.

And here it is now! Tada!

Organized Storage Closet

I can walk in there now! And see everything! 💃🏻 No more tripping over stuff on the floor and being frustrated that I can’t find what I need. It’s alllll there!

Hanging Frames in Decor Closet

I’m a big fan of using all available space, so I hung up my larger framed decor on the wall across from the bookshelves. I even used a small space between the bookshelf and the door to hold some of my faux stems.

Faux Stems in Decor Closet

There’s still more space on the bookshelves, so my hope is to get my spring/summer/fall seasonal decor out of the attic and put it in this closet. I’ve never been able to store my seasonal stuff anywhere other than the attic in boxes, so this will be nice. I’ll be able to see it all in one spot and can get rid of the stuff I never use.

Frames and Small Decor in Decor Closet
I love having all of my extra frames in ONE place!

And while I wanted plenty of space where I could hide our extra “junk” in this new house, I still want it to be organized, efficient and easily accessible.

As I always say, having things organized saves you time and money. It creates a space for everything, which saves you time from hunting for things you can’t find. AND it reminds you of what you have already and keeps you from re-purchasing things you already own. Winner/winner in my book!

What needs to be decluttered in your home? Tell me in the comments below!

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6 Comments

  1. I have a closet like this but it currently has lots of seasonal throw pillows/blankets that take up soooo much room. Where do you store bulky items like that?
    Thanks!

    1. Hi Julie, I don’t have many seasonal throw blankets. But the ones we do have do in the baskets in the console table in our living room. And the throw pillows are there in that closet. ALTHOUGH, I do try to just buy seasonal pillow COVERS and rotate the covers each season instead of the actual pillows. So, there’s a stack of pillow covers in that storage closet, you just can’t see it in the photos. 🙂 Hope that helps!

  2. Hi Laura, Oh, for such a wonderful closet! I can see why you fell in love with the storage in this house. You made a good use of your space. I like the way you hung the pictures on the right wall–better than thumbing through a crate when you want one. I was thinking that if you moved the bookcase on the back wall all the way to the right, that you could use the space between the end bookcase and the back one for something tall and narrow? Then you wouldn’t have even that tiny wasted space where the bookcases meet in the corner. I see that you did put a bin across the top of that space, though . . . I enjoy your blog! It’s one of the first I click on when I spy it in my inbox. Have a great weekend!

    1. Thanks so much for your comment, Marilyn!! I like being able to see everything on that back bookshelf, so I’ll probably leave it for now. But if I ever run out of space (Heaven help us!) I’d probably slide that back bookshelf over for a little more room!

  3. Closet looks amazing! I would kill for a closet to hold all my decor but instead I clutter up our basement with it. I love the idea of hanging pictures on the closet wall; how clever. Thanks for always giving us inspiration.

    1. I know I’m so blessed to have it. This house the most amazing storage – and it truly was one of the top factors for us buying! But a basement sounds great for a lot of reasons, too! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to comment! Have a great day!! – Laura

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