10 Hall Closet Organization Ideas to Keep Your Essentials in Order

If you’re embarrassed for anyone to see inside your hall closet—no judging, we’ve all been there—it’s about time you organize it. Deep closet organization sure can be a task that puts you off, especially considering hall closets can easily become a messy catch-all. And all that clutter isn’t easy to declutter!

Not if you’ve got the right hall closet organization ideas, though 😉 In fact, you can then make this dreadful task a tad bit easier—and doable in a single afternoon! Below, we’ve got you 10 foolproof front hall closet organization.

Decide on the Purpose of the Closet

Before we get to the strategy, it’s important to think about what you’ll be using your hall closet for. Is your hall closet close to the front door? You want to include what you’ll need as you head out for the day. Is it close to the laundry? Maybe you can use it to store laundry backstock.

Of course, there will be room for other items, too. But having a main use for the closet in mind can give you a sense of purpose as you organize it.

Also, think about who will be using the closet. If kids will be hanging their jackets or putting their shoes as they come back from school, you want to make sure their essentials can be put at an appropriate height.

The First Step Should be Decluttering

We know this can be the worst part, but absolutely necessary to see what you have—and then decide what you’ll do with it. The decluttering process can be tedious and time-consuming, but it can score you a shelf (or even two) for higher-priority items. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to start decluttering when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Take all the items out, and divide them into four piles: keep, remove, donate, and move somewhere else. You want to have a waste bag at hand to immediately put all the garbage in and a separate box for donation items.

After that, you will have items to keep and move elsewhere. You can categorize these based on the purpose you chose for the closet. For example, if it’s near the front door, you’ll want to keep outdoor shoes and coats here. If you have a stock of toilet paper lying around, you may want to add that to the “move to the bathroom closet” category.

Get Organizing Supplies

This is one part that will demand some time apart from your “one afternoon” of hallway closet hall closet organization. The next time you visit the store, get baskets—and lots of them. You basically want to get every box you like in multiple sizes and styles. This makes sure you have a ton of options as you organize.

We recommend having a few opaque boxes (that can hide the contents and give a neater feel) as well as some clear ones so you can quickly scan what’s inside without opening the box. So a lot of different sizes and shapes for both categories is a good idea. Just be sure to shop at a place where you can return the unneeded boxes back later!

Put Like Items Together

When you have all your items categorized—and know for sure which ones you’ll be keeping in your hall closet—it’s time to put them in the baskets. Place like items in the right-sized baskets. For example, you can place your keys, some on-the-go cosmetics, etc. into one small basket conveniently put at the forefront of your hall closet.

Make Locating Items Quick

A well-organized hall closet should have items that are easy to find. You’ve already done your part in using baskets, which make it easier to find things and put them back. But with the advancements in tech, there’s still much you’re missing on.

Case in point: Itemlist, a useful tool for finding your items quickly. You can add items sorted by different rooms, closets, and containers. When you search for that item, the app will show the position path, taking you exactly where the item is located.

So, whether you’ve tucked in your summer bedding or use your hall closet to store your attic keys—no more things getting lost! Search them up on Itemlist, and you’ll be led right up to the item.

Label Everything

Make sure to add labels—there are plenty of options on Amazon—so everyone looking into the cupboard knows what each basket holds. This makes finding everything easy, no matter who’s on the lookout for something. Plus, from kids to elders, everyone will know where to put the things back—and you’re less likely to create clutter in the closet again.

Utilize the Door Space

Small hall closet organization can really be a challenge. But space being at a premium should never stop you from organizing your stuff. Install over-the-door organizers for shoes, small accessories, cleaning supplies, etc. Also, be sure to add hooks or magnetic strips for keys and scarves—so they’re easy to grab and go.

If you’re in for DIY hall closet organization ideas, you can install a pegboard panel (using screws—or adhesive tape if you’ll be using it for lighter items) on the inside of the closet door. You can then use pegboard hooks or shelves to keep your items. Most kits will come with these accessories; if they don’t, you can purchase them separately. You can also paint the pegboard so it matches the style of the rest of the cabinet.

Move Out the Seasonal Items

It’s always a good idea to move out the seasonal items—especially if you’re looking for small hall closet organization ideas. When you’re already short on space, there’s no point in keeping winter coats in summer and beach bags in winter. Instead, you want to store these away in the attic or under the bed. This switch-out will let you use your hallway space more effectively and also help you utilize its functionality to the maximum.

Don’t Let Cleaning Essentials Take Too Much Space

A hallway closet sure is a multipurpose area with the items required to keep your home clean as well as what you’ll need as you head out the door. But trust us—the former type of contents can hog the closet. If vacuums and cleaning supplies are taking up too much space in the hallway closet, you may want to reconsider where you place these items. If you use them infrequently, help these items find a new home elsewhere.

Decide Which Items Go High and Low

As you place your baskets into the closet, you want to be mindful of which ones go high and low. Heavy boxes that you use a lot should be down low. Less used and lighter items should make their way to the higher shelves. In that way, if you love to work out, you won’t have to struggle to get your hand weights down from the upper shelf every day. Just put them on a lower shelf and make the task easier.

As you do so, you also want to keep in mind all the users of the cupboard. Kids’ items should be placed where they can reach out for them easily. And items you want to keep out of their reach should go higher.

Your Hall Closet’s Makeover Is Just the Beginning

With these hall closet organization ideas, you’re sure to create a space that you’ll actually want to flaunt to guests walking by 😉 Once it’s all organized, make sure to get the Itemlist app so the next time you’re looking for an item in the hall closet—or in any other space—you can get there within a minute, and with no mess created!