Closet Organization: A Room-by-Room Guide for Utah Homes

Closets are deceptive. They’re behind a door, so it’s easy to let them slide — until you’re standing in front of one every morning, frustrated, with nothing to wear and everything in the way. The good news is that closets respond beautifully to a real system. Here’s how our team approaches each type of closet, with a few notes specific to Utah homes.

A principle that applies to every closet

Before we get room-specific, one rule governs them all: everything needs a defined home, and the things you use most should be easiest to reach. Daily items at eye level and within arm’s reach; occasional items up high or down low; rarely-used items in deep storage. Get that hierarchy right and any closet improves instantly. In my seven plus years of experience I also have encountered 2 other problems. One, items that do not actually belong in the closet. Take them out and put them in their appropriate places. And two, sentimental clothing. Sounds weird but its true- some people love to keep clothing that reminds them of special events in their lives. That is where deep storage comes into play. If you’re not wearing it, but want to keep it as a memory- a storage room is a more appropriate place. 

The master (bedroom) closet

This is the closet that shapes your morning, so it’s worth the most effort.

• Empty it and edit honestly. If you haven’t worn it in a year and it’s not seasonal or sentimental, it’s probably done. Be honest — a closet of clothes you actually wear beats a closet that’s full but useless. I love utilizing the Marie Kondo method if you want to be ruthless here. Pull EVERYTHING out. Touch each item, if you don’t immediately love or use it frequently (like once a week) toss it. Here’s an interesting thing I’ve learned personally. Try making a donation pile- include your “maybes” and keep it there for a couple days. Do you find yourself reaching for anything in there? Chances are you won’t remember a single thing you added to that pile or miss it. 
• Sort by category, then by color. Group all your tops together, all your pants, all your dresses, then arrange by color within each. Finding things becomes effortless, and you’ll instantly see what you own. If you have vertical partitions in your closet, this can be helpful for categorizing, if not utilizing closet rod dividers. Like these help keep things defined. 
• Match your hangers. It sounds superficial, but uniform hangers do more for a closet’s function and feel than almost anything else — clothes hang evenly, slide easily, and the whole space looks calmer. They often are space saving as well.
• Use the vertical space. Shelf risers, a second hanging rod for shorter items, and bins up top reclaim wasted air.
• Contain the small stuff. Drawer dividers for socks and underwear, bins for accessories, and a dedicated spot for bags and belts keep the chaos contained.
• Utah has seasons- well kind of…. Even though Spring and Fall in particular can be a little unpredictable I promise you won’t need a floor length parka in July. A seasonal swap can be huge for maintaining organization. Not only does it make space, it also provides a built-in opportunity to touch up your closet at least 2x a year. 

Kids’ closets

Kids’ closets work best when they’re built for the kid, not the parent.

• Lower the rods. If you want kids to put their own clothes away, they need to reach. Lowering a rod or adding a low one transforms a kids’ closet.
• Bins over folding. Young kids destroy folded stacks. Open bins by category (pajamas, play clothes, etc.) are far more maintainable. I love cube bins for kids’ spaces, (here’s a favorite) the height makes clutter disappear. So, if underwear is put away and inevitably does not stay folded- you can’t see it. 
• Label with pictures for pre-readers. Simple picture labels let little ones put things away themselves.
• Plan for fast growth. Keep a bin for the next size up and a donate/hand-me-down bin going at all times — kids’ clothes turn over constantly.

The coat closet

Often the most-abused closet in the house, especially in Utah.

• Edit ruthlessly. Coat closets collect everything but coats. Pull out what doesn’t belong and give it a real home elsewhere.
• Plan for Utah’s seasons. You genuinely need both heavy winter coats and light layers — but not all at once. Keep the current season front and center and store the off-season elsewhere. Pro tip- a lot of coat closet rods have blind corners. Hang items not currently being used in the back where it’s hard to reach. 
• Add hooks and a bin for the daily stuff. Backpacks, hats, gloves, and dog leashes need a grab-and-go home so they don’t pile on the floor. Command hooks work wonders for this!

The linen closet

• Limit your sets. Two sheet sets per bed and a sensible number of towels is plenty for most homes. Excess linens are clutter.
• Store sheet sets inside their own pillowcase. Folded flat sheet, fitted sheet, and extra pillowcase tucked into one pillowcase keeps sets together and the shelf tidy.
• Zone by category. Sheets, bath towels, beach towels, guest linens — each with its own shelf or bin.

Utah-specific closet realities

• Older homes, smaller closets. Many older Salt Lake City homes — the Avenues, Sugar House, and similar — were built before walk-in closets were standard. If that’s you, vertical storage and serious editing matter more, and a custom-fit system pays off.
• Four real seasons. Utah’s dramatic seasonal swing means seasonal rotation isn’t optional. Build in a simple system for swapping winter and summer wardrobes so your daily closet only holds what’s actually in season.
• Newer builds, bigger closets. South Valley and Davis County homes often have generous closets that still end up cluttered. Space isn’t the problem there — a system is the solution. Sometimes, in my experience, having more space is a bigger problem than one that is too small because you don’t need to declutter to fit things and store more than you actually need. 

Keep it that way

A closet reset only sticks if it’s easy to maintain. Leave a little breathing room, put things back in their zones, and do a quick edit each season. Small maintenance beats a giant overhaul. Personally, I implement a 10 minute organization refresh everyday. I know i’m a professional and a little biased here but I find if I dedicate 10 minutes and find a spot in my home that needs a little love (we do live here after all) my organization systems last for months and sometimes years without needing a major overhaul. 

When you’d rather it just be done

You can absolutely work through your closets with this guide. But if you want a beautifully finished, fully systemized result without the time and decision fatigue, that’s what we do. Our team handles the editing guidance, products, and the full transformation — for closets in every room of the house. PLUS… we even offer maintenance and seasonal clothing swaps for clients. 

Serving Salt Lake City and all of Salt Lake, Davis, and Summit counties. Learn about our closet organizing service » or call or text (801) 649-9395 for a free consultation.

About the Author

Hi, I’m McElle. The owner and founder of Orderly! When I’m not organizing, I’m probably chasing around my toddler. I also love to bake, am learning to cook, and chatting with my husband is one of my favorite things in the world. I’m so happy you’re here and I get to share this little passion with you!