Is your child’s closet a chaotic mess of clothes, shoes, and stuff they’ve outgrown? You’re not alone—and the good news is, it doesn’t have to stay that way! Teach your child how to organize their closet, not only to keep their space tidy, but to give them valuable life skills they’ll use for years to come.
I’ll admit—I used to do all the closet clean-outs myself when the kids were younger.
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It was just faster and easier that way!
But now that they’re older, they need to take care of their own spaces.
It’s not just about having a neat closet—it’s about giving them skills and confidence that’ll serve them well.
In this step-by-step guide, I’ll explain a simple system that’s easy to follow and kid-approved.
Let’s turn that messy closet into a space they can be proud of—one step at a time!
The before pictures
I know what you’re probably thinking.
Would our sons organize their closets if I didn’t insist?
Absolutely not!
Do they keep their closets organized?
For a while!
Then, slowly but surely, their closet starts to look like this!
If you look closely, you’ll notice that his hanging clothes look nice, it’s the clutter on the top shelf and the top of the plastic storage drawers that’s the problem
And the clutter on the floor of the left side of his closet.
Now it’s time to clear the clutter and get this closet organized!
However, first, let’s discuss the importance of teaching your kids to do this themselves.
Why Teach Your Child How to Organize a Closet?
You might wonder—why even bother to teach your child how to organize their closet?
Isn’t it easier (and faster) to just do it yourself?
I get it!
However, taking the time to guide them through the process can pay off in numerous ways.
1. It Teaches Real-Life Skills
Learning how to organize their closet helps your child develop important life skills, such as responsibility, time management, and decision-making. These are things they’ll use long after they’ve outgrown that hoodie they won’t stop wearing!
2. They Learn to Appreciate What They Have
When kids take time to go through their clothes, they start to see what they really wear and what just takes up space. It can help them be more mindful of what they own and even encourage them to let go of things they no longer use, perhaps even donating them to someone in need.
3. It Makes Mornings So Much Easier
We all know how chaotic mornings can be. But if their closet is neat and organized, picking out clothes becomes quick and stress-free. That means less rushing, fewer arguments, and a smoother start to everyone’s day.
4. It Builds Confidence and Independence
Giving your child some control over their space helps them feel capable and confident. It’s a great way to encourage independence, especially as they get older and start wanting more say in how things are done.
5. They Get Better at Making Decisions
Figuring out what to keep, what to donate, and how to arrange everything is actually a great way to practice decision-making. And let’s be honest, we all want our kids to grow up to be confident decision-makers!
Organizing Made Simple: The 6/P Method Your Kid Can Follow
When you teach a child how to organize a closet, it helps to break the process into easy-to-follow steps.
That’s where the 6/P Method comes in! It’s a straightforward system designed to guide them through each step of the process without overwhelming them.
Here’s how it works:
1) PREP
Start by gathering a few supplies: trash bags, donation boxes, baskets, or bins.
You’ll also want to clear some space nearby to sort items.
Remember to snap a “before” photo—trust me, you’ll be glad you did!
2) PURGE
Take everything out of the closet. Yes, everything! It might look like a tornado at first, but this is the best way to see what you’re working with.
Remove all items from the closet and place each in one of the following categories:
- Trash-Throw worn-out items and trash in the trash bag
- Donate- place any items that you no longer use but are in great shape in the box to be donated
- Relocate- Place any items that don’t belong in the closet in a basket or bin
- Replace- Place clothes on the bed and put other items that need to stay in the closet in a basket or bin
3) POLISH
Clean the closet from top to bottom.
4) PERSONALIZE
Now that you know what’s staying, take a minute to plan how things will go back in.
Think about what makes sense for your child and answer the following questions:
1) What will go back in the closet? How will you group like items together?
2)How will you contain items? Will you make or purchase containers?
5) PLACE
Time to load things back into the closet!
Use bins, baskets, dividers, or labels if needed.
Group like items together (shirts, pants, pajamas, etc.) and ensure that everyday essentials are front and center.
- Trash-discard in your garbage can
- Donate- don’t procrastinate, take the items to your local donation center right away!
- Relocate-take laundry hamper #1 and deliver items to the room they belong in
- Replace – place everything back in the closet in its designated spot.
6) PUT BACK
Now, step back and admire the transformation!
Don’t forget to celebrate with your child and let them know what a great job they did.
Remember, to encourage them to put each item back in its appropriate place after each use, so they won’t end up with a cluttered mess again!!
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Tips for Organizing Clothes in a Closet
Are you ready to see how G organized his closet??
I’m so excited for you to see the transformation!
Prioritize clothes in the closet
The problem with my son’s closet was not his clothes!
The clutter was building up because he was storing other items in his closet.
I told him he should prioritize his clothes, and then, if there was still room, he could store other items in the closet!
So let’s talk about how to store clothes in a closet!
INSIST THEY TRY CLOTHES ON TO MAKE SURE THEY FIT
If your older kids are into clothes and fashion, they know exactly how each piece of clothing fits them!
If they’re anything like my boys, they may not know or care, lol!
My son said he thought some of his sweatpants were too short!
I told him to try on items he wasn’t sure would fit.
Then, he put the clothes that didn’t fit and items he rarely wore into the donation box.
Group like items
G decided to put his clothes into two categories: business casual for work and casual for everyday use.
He decided to use the left side of the closet for work clothes and the right for his everyday clothes.
Next, he hung all the shorts together. Then came t-shirts, you get the idea!
USE VERTICAL SPACE
Use the vertical space between the hanging clothes and the floor.
You can use hanging shelves and plastic storage drawers to fill these spaces!
G does not have a dresser in his room, so the drawers come in handy!
The drawers hold his underwear, socks, summer pajamas, and swimwear.
Make drawer dividers
We have a budget-friendly way to organize drawers!
Grab some duct tape and a piece of cardboard.
Cut the cardboard to fit and tape it in place!
So simple but functional!
Use MATCHING HANGERS
If it’s within your budget, consider purchasing matching hangers for the closet.
If the closet is small, purchase the slimmest hangers available.
We purchased plastic hangers for the boys when they went to college.
The pants hangers came with the clothes we purchased!
store out-of-season clothes
G used vertical hanging shelves to store sweatpants, sweatshirts, and winter pajamas.
He’s storing baseball caps in the side pockets.
Here in Florida, we rarely need winter coats, hats, or gloves.
However, there are a few days a year when we are glad to have them.
It’s best to store them out of the way!
G put his winter coat behind the vertical hanging shelves.
Then he put a hat, gloves, and scarf in a storage cube on the top shelf.
ADD STORAGE CUBES TO THE TOP SHELF
These storage cubes fit perfectly on the top shelf!
They hold winter items, hats, and video game accessories.
Bring in a laundry hamper
Put a laundry hamper in the closet, so kids won’t be tempted to throw dirty clothes on the floor!
Sentimental Items
All of the clothes are in the closet!
There is space on the left side where he can store other things.
G is an artist and stores his artwork inside a portfolio that fits behind his laundry basket.
Like most of us, he has some sentimental items he no longer needs to display but is not yet ready to part with.
He is storing the items in small Home Depot moving boxes. They work great stacked in the corner.
Now his closet is completely organized!
Wow! He did a fabulous job!
Since he worked so hard to get it this way, I think he will do a much better job of keeping it organized!
Only time will tell!
In Conclusion
It may take some time and patience to teach your child to organize their closet, but it’s well worth it in the long run.
Not only will their space look better, but they will also gain confidence and learn valuable skills that they can carry with them for life.
Additionally, once they understand the system, you may be surprised at how much they enjoy maintaining a tidy environment.
So take it one step at a time, cheer them on along the way, and enjoy the process of helping them take ownership of their space.
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Blessings, Donna and Rich
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Items to help you organize a closet
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Such an important life skill to teach your child!
I agree! Thanks and have a great week!
Fantastic idea. They did a great job and you can see the respect they have. Well done!
Thanks! Hopefully, he’ll do a better job of putting things back since he did all the work! Only time will tell! Happy day, Donna
This is such a useful skill for anyone. I love that you had shared this.
Thank you, Carol! I think it’s very important to teach our kids life skills like organizing! Many people become overwhelmed with clutter and don’t know how to deal with it! Have a great day!
This is such a useful post. Kids really need this skill!
Thank you! Organization skills do not come naturally to many people, so it is important to teach your kids the basics!
Great post! Having raised three sons I always drove home the importance of being tidy!
I can relate, I have three sons as well! Thanks and have a great week!
What a great organization project for summer! These skills are so important to teach our children. Thank you for sharing!
I think Summer is the perfect time to organize kids’ bedrooms and closets! They are out of school and can begin to learn organizing skills! Thanks!