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By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor

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The Best Products to Organize Your Closet

The easiest way to contain your ever-growing wardrobe

If you want to feel in control of your life, you need to be organizing. It's the quickest way to restore order and calm the chaos around you. Trust me, as a rehabilitated former messy person. A well-organized closet will not only allow you to better know what you have, but it will make getting dressed in the morning easy and efficient.As for how often you should do it, professional organizer Cary Prince recommends editing and reorganizing your wardrobe on a seasonal basis. This not only allows you to think about what you've worn and liked over the past few months, it helps you see what you've completely ignored or don't like wearing anymore. Now is the perfect time to do some editing—get rid of those unnecessary pieces and make some room before the next season really gets going.And thankfully, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars having a custom walk-in closet built. A few well-chosen, durable items will put everything in its place. To get you started, we asked some professional organizers and interior designers for their go-to rules for an optimized closet.

How to Maximize Your Closet

Extend Your Space

Even if you don't have a walk-in closet, you can still find extra space that you didn't think you had. Interior designer Becky Shea often recommends installing additional closet rods underneath the ones already built into your closet. There's often plenty of room and it essentially doubles your hanging space. This version can adjust to your desired height and installing it is as simple as hanging it on the existing bar.

Adjustable closet hanging rod,$16.97 by Simple Houseware

Divide & Conquer Drawers

Big drawers will always get out of control. The key is dividing things up to store likeminded items together. Spring-loaded cedar dividers will keep socks and underwear neatly folded together. And even provide space for storing other smaller accessories (like masks and bandanas). Deep linen drawer boxes do the same thing.

Linen drawer organizer,from $17.99 at Container Store

Disguise the Mess

Sometimes you need to keep things that aren't all that good looking. Or maybe you want to group together useful tools like your steamer, iron and lint rollers. Professional organizers recommend tossing them in bins that can be stored up on higher shelves out of the way and out of sight.

Feathergrain wooden bins,from $27.99 at The Container Store

Stow Away Unnecessary Items

Julie Ann Clauss, professional clothing archivist, knows the importance of proper storage. She says a functional closet is one where everything is visible. Overcrowding can damage the clothes or just overwhelm you. "The things that you wear most often should be front and center," she says. That means storing out-of-season items so everything in your closet is able to be worn right now. If you don't have your own archive, then under the bed will do just fine.

Sockerbit storage box,$15.99 by Ikea

Stack Your Shoes

Shoes can quickly get out of hand at the bottom of your closet. A tiered shoe rack is the most effective solution to storing the footwear that you wear the most. This one, from a trusted Japanese brand, is expandable so you can make it fit nearly any space. Shea suggests storing the shoes that you don't actively wear as much in either their original boxes or clear, stackable bins.

Extending shoe rack,$88 by Yamazaki

Embrace Hooks & Pegs

Don't underestimate the usefulness of a simple hook. The designers we spoke to always suggest them for closets because sometimes you need a place to toss something and a hook comes in handy. A few pegs will keep hats and bags organized or offer a place to hang a garment bag.

Matte hooks, $14.98 (for two) by Nana

The Case for Good Hangers

When I finally moved into a place with a proper walk-in closet, I upgraded every hanger I had to solid wood versions like you’d expect to find at better men’s shops. Handsome and durable, they retain a shirt or jacket’s shape while making getting dressed feel a whole lot more special. And they’re not as pricey as you’d expect.

$24.99 (for a 24-pack) at Amazon